Carmel Hospital Development, LLC Curtis Leidig’s “Attack the Messenger” Letter to The Carmel Pine Cone

In a July 6, 2007 Letter to the Editor to The Carmel Pine Cone, Curtis Leidig of Carmel Hospital Development, LLC, made numerous claims regarding public reaction to Carmel Hospital Development’s “vision” for the Carmel Convalescent Hospital property. Specifically, Curtis Leidig’s claims include, as follows:

• A “campaign of gossip, hearsay and misinformation” against their “vision” for the proposed Carmel Convalescent Hospital Redevelopment project.

• A “mean-spirited and organized campaign to censor us.”

• A “vocal, active minority claiming the mere idea of redevelopment was 'controversial' and 'political.'"

Yet all of Curtis Leidig’s claims are unsubstantiated; that is, he presented no evidence or specific, concrete examples of “gossip, hearsay and misinformation” and no examples of a “mean-spirited and organized campaign to censor” him and his partners. Moreover, other claims represent falsehoods and should be rebutted, as follows:

FALSEHOOD #1: Curtis Leidig wrote that the “gossip, hearsay and misinformation” and “mean-spirited and organized campaign to censor” was “first demonstrated at an April city planning commission meeting.”

FACT: Contrary to Leidig’s assertions, during the 2 hours and 32 minutes of public hearing on Robert Leidig’s request for annexation and pre-zoning of the Carmel Convalescent Hospital property at Valley Way and Highway One, all 39 public speakers, including Bob Leidig, Lloyd Morain, Pam Gillooly, Herschel Peak, Stacy Steele, Barbara Livingston, Carol Stollery, Mark Bayne, Roberta Miller (President of Carmel Residents Association), Art Haseltine, Monte Miller, Cheryl Moreland, Tracy Manning (read Michael LePage’s letter), Richard Warren, Richard Dalsemer, Margery Mann (read Joyce Stevens’ letter), Michelle Smith, Liz Logan-Rondelle, Jon Blades, Kelly Steele, Yoko Whitaker, David Maridwin, Barbara Warren, Carroll Coates, Tracy Manning, Melanie Billig, Stacy Steele, Lois Layton (read Beverly Borgman’s letter), Angus Jeffers, Marion Maquade, Catsaki Sakakura, Curtis Leidig, Ed Shagen, Chantal Melendez, Wayne Iverson, Myrna Hampton (read letter from Alexander Henson attorney for Save our Neighborhoods Coalition), John Thodos, Steve Dallas, Linda Anderson and Derinda Messenger (Attorney for Robert Leidig), presented substantive comments involving the proposed annexation and re-zoning of the Carmel Convalescent Hospital property. And because the advocates against annexation and re-zoning were thoughtful, courteous and persuasive, the Planning Commission members voted unanimously to recommend to the City Council that the annexation request be denied.

FALSEHOOD #2: Curtis Leidig contended that “people really do prefer to review the facts and make their own decisions” and there are “those who do not fear intimidation and favor facts vs. opinion.” But, in recent “Villas de Carmelo” advertisements, Bob and Curtis Leidig made “Benefits to the Community of Carmel” claims which are untrue.

• Claim # 1: Tax revenue to the City of Carmel of $197,802 - $227,142.

• Claim # 2: Monterey County Tax: $127,210 - $148,261

Fact: Assuming the Carmel Hospital Development, LLC’s claim of 33 residences @ $1.5 million/condo and all affordable housing in the form of in-lieu fees, then the approximate assessed value equals $49.5 million. And property tax revenue (1%) equaling $ 495,000. (Note: Current assessed value of property, $ 4,431,999; property tax revenue of $ 44,319) According to Julie Aguero, Monterey County Property Tax Manager, Auditor-Controller’s Office, “If the property is annexed to the City, then only a portion of the County's 34.6491% share will be reduced and given to the City of Carmel.” And according to Nick Chiulos, CAO Department, “That distribution would mirror City/County property tax splits elsewhere in Carmel.”

The current distribution of taxes in the tax rate area assigned to the Carmel Convalescent Hospital property is, as follows:

Monterey County: 34.6491%
County Library: 3.1974%
Mty Cty Office of Education: 3.7520%
Carmel Unified Sch Dist: 28.5808%
Mty Pen College: 6.6558%
Mty Cty Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) Dist: 0.1958%
MWCRA Zone 11: 0.0653%
Cypress Fire Protection Dist: 15.7586%
Monterey Peninsula Water Mgmt Dist: 1.2072%
Carmel Area Wastewater Dist: 4.3067%
Monterey Regional Park District: 1.6313%
100.0000%

Thus, if the Carmel Convalescent Hospital property was annexed to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, then the new distribution of taxes for the county and the city would be as follows:

Monterey County: 21.0%
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea 13.6%

Ergo, approximate total property tax revenue of $495,000 would yield the following tax revenue amounts, as follows:

Monterey County: $103,950
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea: $67,320

In sum, and most importantly, Carmel Hospital Development, LLC’s claims that the tax revenue to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea would be greater than the tax revenue to Monterey County and the tax revenue to Carmel-by-the Sea would be between $197,802 and $227,142 are fallacious. Moreover, for the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea to receive $212,000 (median figure) in tax revenue, the property tax revenue would have to be $1,558,823 and the assessed value of the property would have to be $155,882,300!

Furthermore, Curtis Leidig and his partners pledge “voluntary civic and cultural contributions” totaling approximately $1 million to Harrison Memorial Library, the Forest Theater, the Carmel Unified School District and the Carmel Youth Center contingent on the approval of their Carmel Convalescent Hospital Redevelopment project. The focus of public scrutiny and city council deliberation and review should be on the Carmel Hospital Development, LLC’s proposed project, not on voluntary civic and cultural contributions. Otherwise, Curtis Leidig and his partners come across as engaging in a blatant bribery scheme!

Finally, Curtis Leidig, Robert Leidig and all those associated with Carmel Hospital Development, LLC would be wise to refrain from attacking the messengers and instead substantively address pertinent issues sucn as population/housing, transportation/traffic, noise, hydrology/water, public services, land use/planning, hazards & hazardous materials, cultural resources and aesthetics raised by their proposed “Villas de Carmelo” project.