Everyone knows that the Irvine Company prefers not to be in the spotlight or talked about. Which is
what makes it so wonderfully enticing to share some choice tid-bits from a lengthy piece about the Irvine Company that ran on the front page of last Saturday's Sacramento Bee. The piece, entitled Firm Keeps Its Influence Under Wraps: Irvine Co. A Quiet Force in State's Political Scene, can be read via this link.
The lengthy Bee article starts like this...
Whether it's registering an opinion in the Legislature, helping orchestrate a deal to get a tax measure off the ballot or combining its campaign contributions with other business groups around the state, the Irvine Co. is known for its political stealth and making an impact while leaving no fingerprints.
Well, this article probably makes everyone over at the Ivory Tower, in their mandatory 3-piece suits, a little uneasy. A major article about you is hardly appreciated by someone who tries not to be seen...
...Since 1999, the Irvine Co. has spent more than $1.9 million on lobbying and another $3.6 million in assorted political campaigns, mostly toward ballot measures and to a much more limited extent, toward candidates, according to the secretary of state's electronic records...
...In its campaign spending, Irvine, since 1999, has allocated about 40 percent of its political money - $1.4 million - through about 10 other pro-business and anti-tax political action committees, including one that is funding some of the opposition this year to the Rob Reiner preschool indicative.
...Last year, the Irvine Co. played a major role in helping Schwarzenegger get his failed special election initiatives on the ballot, contributing $250,000 to the Citizens to Save California, which paid for the signature-gathering campaign for three Schwarzenegger initiatives.
...Irvine maintained a line of communication to the Governor's Office during Gray Davis' administration, contributing $75,000 to the former Democratic governor's political operation in 2000.
...Although Irvine stayed out of the 2003 recall election that deposed Davis in favor of Schwarzenegger, it strongly supported the new governor after he took office. Irvine's contributions include $150,000 to Schwarzenegger's California Recovery Team, the quarter-million to the Citizens to Save California, and $252,000 to the California Republican Party.
...It also has funneled political money through the California Business Properties Association, the California Housing Council, the Chamber of Commerce's political action committees, the New Majority PAC and others.
Here's an interesting end to the story -- where it pretty much said that The Irvine Company has agreed to work WITH the California Teachers Association on their priorities if the CTA does not put a 'split role' property tax measure on the ballot. Such a measure would divide residential properties from commercial, allowing them to be taxed a different rates...
Rex Hime, the lobbyist for the California Business Properties Association, downplayed the influence of the Irvine Co. in the business property group's lobbying strategy. But he confirmed that Irvine played a role in last August's arrangement where the California Teachers Association and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association dropped their proposed "split roll" initiative that would have increased commercial property taxes $2.8 billion. In exchange, business groups committed to working with the teachers union toward educational reforms and to increase school funding.
Some stats on TIC from the story:
IRVINE COMPANY POLITICAL SPENDING
Campaigns 
1999-00: $1,110,812
2001-02: $790,225
2003-04: $1,102,075
2005-06: $608,750
Total: $3,611,862
These are among the major contributions
• California Republican Party, $417,900
• California Conservation Campaign, $250,000*
• Citizens to Save California, $250,000**
• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's California Recovery Team, $150,000
• Californians for Clean, Safe, Reliable Water, $150,000***
• California Business Properties Association, $170,000
• California Chamber of Commerce, $110,000****
• California Business Properties Association, $50,000
• California Business Properties Issues PAC, $120,000
• Former Gov. Gray Davis, $75,000
• California Housing Council PAC, $70,000
• Californians to Stop Higher Taxes, $50,000
• Small Business Action Committee, $50,000
• Fund for Better Schools, $50,000
• Californians Against Higher Property Taxes, $40,000
• New Majority PAC, $40,000
• Coalition for Emergency Shelter and Affordable Housing, $25,000
• Building Industry Association of Southern California, $15,000
* Yes on Proposition 51 open space bond, 2002
** Signature gathering for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2005 special-election initiatives
*** Yes on 12/13 water quality bond, 2000
**** Jobs PAC and California Business PAC committees
Lobbying
1999-00: $200,472
2001-02: $712,266
2003-04: $638,022
2005-06: $360,238
Total: $1,910,998
So, what are your thoughts about the Irvine Company? You can be sure that Dan Young, their go-to VP for all things political (who is shown above to the right) will read every word!
-- EP
