Assessor Watch
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Editor, WatchOurCity.com
Law Firm Donates $7,773 to Noguez,
Oil Client gets $150 Million
Reduction in Property Tax
Assessment & $1.8 million tax refund
Largest property tax refund in Los Angeles County in exchange
for campaign contribution to Noguez

Huntington Park, CA - The L.A. County Assessor's office has given
away $150 million in reduction of assessed property value to
Tidelands Corporation, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum. The
law firm hired to represent Tidelands is Ajalat, Polley, Ayoob and
Matarese based in Glendale, California.
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Copyright © 2010 WatchOurCity.com
In The Public Interest .com
WatchOurCity
RELATED:
Tuesday July 13, 2010
Update Wednesday July 14,
2010
The Editor,
WatchOurCity.com
Depriving the Public of
Honest Services: Bell,
Maywood, Huntington
Park, LAUSD
Fiduciary fail by Maywood, Bell,
Huntington Park officials.
Tuesday July 13, 2010
The Editor,
WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park in $1.2
Million Fiscal Deficit Partly
Caused by City of Bell's
George Cole
Mayor Noguez gave George Cole
millions
Monday, October 4, 2010 6:00 am
WatchOurCity.com
Mayor Noguez in bed with
George Cole: Awards  
Multi-Million Dollar Housing
Redevelopment contract to
Cole, Recently Arrested by
the D.A. & sued by the AG
Huntington Park's
Redevelopment Agency awards
$3.8 million for Fiscal Year
2009-2010 to Cole's Oldtimers.
Monday, September 27, 2010 6:00 am
WatchOurCity.com
Mayor Noguez  
Implicated in Bell
Scandal with Cole
Noguez directed multi-million
dollar contracts to George Cole's
Oldtimers Foundation, shared
convicted felon as campaign
managers with George Cole.
Monday, September 27, 2010,
WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park's Mayor
John Noguez Shakes down
Charter School for
campaign Contribution in
Exchange for Project
Approval
Mayor John Noguez and City
Attorney Leal called meeting
with Charter school. Noguez is
running for L.A. County Assessor.
September 24, 2010,
WatchOurCity.com
Huntington Park Attorney
Francisco Leal making
$630,000, more than twice
city of L.A.'s Attorney
Mayor John Noguez authorized
payments to Leal, and is good
friend to Bell's George Cole.
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010, 6:00 am,
WatchOurCity.com
Supervisor Antonovich
sends formal request to
D.A. to investigate John
Noguez
Antonovich "referred" letter to
the D.A.s' office "for his review
and appropriate action".
Complaint seeks to investigate
Huntington Park mayor John
Noguez based on allegations
that his legal name is John
Rodriguez. Noguez is in a
November runoff race against
John Wong for Assessor.
Monday October 11, 2010 6:00 am
WatchOurCity.com
Times Endorses John Wong  
for County Assessor, Again
Noguez Fails Endorsement
"Political entanglements" says
L.A. Times as reason not to
endorse Huntington Park mayor
John Noguez for Assessor.
Noguez awarded rigged
multi-million dollar contracts to
Bell's George Cole, recently
arrested by the D.A. in Bell's
corruption scandal.
Academic Degree Scandal  
Widens - Huntington Park's  
mayor Noguez Does not  
have a College Degree
Noguez did not inform voters he
failed to get a college degree.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 6:00 am
WatchOurCity.com
D.A. Steve Cooley
Rescinds Noguez
Endorsement
Cooley is first elected official to
rescind endorsement of John
Noguez for County Assessor.
Noguez is Huntington Park's
mayor implicated in Bell scandal.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 8:00 am
WatchOurCity.com
Mayor Noguez's
Fiscal Policies
leading city to
financial ruin
Mayor Noguez and George Cole
urged Huntington Park voters to
pass Measures E in November
2009. Noguez told voters
Measures patched hole in city's
budget, instead used for
interest-only payments on $23
million bond slated exclusively
for PD retirement benefits,
taking up 75% of budget;
bankruptcy is next.
Huntington Park's HP Tow
in Bed with mayor John
Noguez
Tow company donated
thousands of dollars to Noguez,
in turn received lucrative
contracts. Noguez ordered Police
to tow more cars.
Huntington Park mayor John Noguez, a 23 year veteran at the Assessor's office, is
in a tight race for the L.A. County Assessor seat against John Wong, a
businessman and 15 year  chairman of the Assessment Appeals Board. Noguez
admitted to the L.A. Times that he does not have a college degree.

Mayor Noguez outspent Wong 10 to 1 during the June Primary elections but
received only 28% of the vote compared to Mr. Wong's 13%, or about a 2 to 1
vote margin. The Times, San Gabriel Valley Tribune and WatchOurCity.com have all
endorsed Mr. Wong, citing his solid record of achievement in business and his
substantial record on the Appeals Board. Mr. Wong has no "political
entanglements" in Bell like Noguez does with George Cole.

In the home stretch of these final days before Tuesday's election, Noguez is
slated to surpass the $1 million dollar mark in fundraising. Mr. Wong was reported
to have only collected $32,000.

Noguez's impressive million dollar campaign contribution tally is really just
investment funding waiting for return on investment. And in one case, the
investment has already paid off.

Campaign contribution statements known as California Form 460's were reviewed
by WatchOurCity.com as filed by L.A. County Assessor candidate John Noguez.
Noguez is mayor of Huntington Park, adjacent to the city of Bell.

Between February 18, 2010 and March 12, 2010, the law firm of Ajalat Polley
Ayoob and Matarese donated a total of $7,773 in campaign contributions to
Noguez.

Records show that on February 18, 2010, law firm partners Richard Ayoob and
Chris Matarese, and their wifes, donated a combined total of $3,879 for "Event
Catering" at a political fundraiser benefiting John Noguez.

The same campaign filing statements by Noguez reflects that on March 12, 2010,
attorney Richard Ayoob and his wife donated an additional $1,994 to Noguez in
"Monetary Contribution". On the same date, attorney Chris Matarese and his wife
also donated, giving Noguez a direct cash contribution of $1,900.

All told, the total combined contributions to Noguez from these two law firm
partners amounted to $7,773. What could these two attorneys possibly expect in
return for their enthusiastic support of Noguez?

Tidelands Oil and Gas is the law firm's client. Tidelands was purchased a few years
back by Occidental Petroleum which, on April 23, 2010, also made a $1,000
corporate donation to Noguez's campaign, records show. The attorneys at Ajalat
Polley Ayoob and Matarese are smart, and are even smarter businessmen. Their
interest in John Noguez is really all about their client's case which the firm is
bringing before the L.A. County Assessor Appeals Board seeking a reduction in
hundreds of millions of dollars in assessed property valuation on Tidelands' vast
oil and gas processing facility holdings.

Richard Ayoob's law firm boasts on its web page that "Richard represents many of
the world’s largest companies including Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobil. Richard
recently resolved a property tax matter resulting in what we believe is the
largest property tax refund in Los Angeles County history." [emphasis by
editor].

On September 7, 2010, just six months after the Ayoob and Matarese families
held a March 12 fundraiser for Noguez, the Assessment Appeals Board held a
hearing to determine if Tidelands Oil, Ayoob's and Matarese's client, will be
granted a $150 million reduction of assessed business valuation. A reduction in
this assessment is in the hands of Gary Townsend, Chief Deputy Assessor and the
highest ranking bureaucrat in the Assessor's office, the only one who can
authorize such deals (see WatchOurCity.com's report "Trillion Dollar Tax Roll,
Million Dollar Deals, Some Benefiting Noguez, County Assessor Candidate",
September 7, 2010).

Mr. Townsend is actively campaigning for John Noguez, and is spearheading
fundraising efforts on behalf of Noguez. Mr. Townsend, besides being Noguez's
ersatz campaign manager, has also public relations duties, that is, he is a liaison
between special interests and the Assessor's office.

Quid Pro Quo
The hearing on September 7, 2010 at the County Hall of Administration's
Assessment Appeals Board was most unusual in its proceedings. Typically, the
recommendation for reduced assessment is read at the hearing. But something
wasn't quite right with this hearing; procedure wasn't followed. The public was
not read the recommendation, as if a vailed curtain had dropped on the
proceedings. Instead of transparency, the public was given opacity and
obfuscation. What was Gary Townsend hiding?

More importantly, was the day's recommendation to grant a historically
unprecedented reduction in property assessment  for Tidelands really just the
culmination of a deal from six months ago at the Matarese/Ayoob fundraiser for
Noguez? All indications strongly suggest that indeed a deal was cut. Townsend
granted the tax reduction in exchange for badly needed campaign contributions
for John Noguez, all within a 6 month span of time.

Noguez is not new to this kind of Quid Pro Quo or Pay for Play. In Huntington
Park, only his friends and campaign donors are just as lucky in getting lucrative
multi-million dollar city contracts for vehicle towing, graffiti removal, bus
transportation contracts, senior housing management contracts and
redevelopment rehab of affordable housing contracts. In fact, most of these
contracts Noguez awarded exclusively to George Cole, former Bell mayor recently
indicted and arrested by the D.A.'s office and under investigation by the Attorney
General's office for under-reporting a few million dollars received precisely from
Huntington Park officials, namely mayor John Noguez.

In another instance of Pay for Play, WatchOurCity.com reported that in 2006,
Noguez asked a private charter school developer, Pacific Charter, for a $50,000
campaign contribution in exchange for project approval. Some moneys did
exchange hands but the amounts were never reported, at least not matching the
amounts given.

In a further example of Noguez's penchant for Pay for Play (in this case pay under
force with no play), a small businessman in Huntington Park was approached by
Mayor Noguez who demanded an $11,000 cash contribution for then U.S. Senate
candidate Rosario Marin, who was a former Huntington Park councilwoman, ex-
Treasurer of the U.S. under George W. Bush, and finally run out of Sacramento in
disgrace after getting caught up in an ethics scandal. Marin was Noguez's political
patron and mentor. The $11,000 cash contribution somehow never made it to
Rosario Marin's campaign contribution statements, at least not in the amounts
matching the cash amount demanded. Rosario was Noguez's official political
mentor.

Under John Noguez's leadership, Huntington Park shot up in property taxes to
become the 6th highest, just 4 notches below Bell's property tax rate. It is curious
that while County Supervisors condemn Bell's egregious abuse of property taxes,
4 of the 5 Supervisors embrace Noguez, who has burdened the city's
homeowners and cell phone users with tax rates as egregious as Bell's. The
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is adamant in its endorsement of John
Noguez. They've got reason to: Noguez donated to them some thousands of
dollars in contributions from campaign coffers.

Huntington Park's city attorney, Francisco Leal, too has donated several
thousands of dollars to John Noguez since 2002. In return, Noguez and team
selected Leal's firm, in close door session as city attorney. Leal's billings in
Huntington Park are second to Vernon's in looting public funds. While Vernon's
attorney earned over one million dollars and is under investigation by the D.A.'s
office, Francisco Leal was paid a total of $700,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010, all this
while the city is running a massive budget deficit, this as confirmed to
WatchOurCity.com by city clerk Rosana Ramirez and finance director. The return on
investment for Mr. Leal is astronomical.

When the City of Commerce fired Leal's law firm as its city attorney, it ended up
suing Leal for "Unjust Enrichment". Leal lost the case. Commerce's attorney Eddie
Olivo confirmed that Francisco Leal paid Commerce the settlement amount of
$300,000, a value which represented the amount he was overbilling and enriching
himself at taxpayer expense. John Noguez has allowed Francisco Leal to charge
whatever he pleases; somehow that money makes its way back to the campaign
coffers of Mr. Noguez.

On a yearly basis, the Assessor's office counts over one trillion dollars in assessed
property valuation. On a trillion dollar assessed tax roll, cutting a $150,000,000
tax deal does not even register in the Assessor's books; it is like stealing a cup of
water from the ocean. No one will notice. This statistical insignificance is a
weakness in the Assessor's office, and is being mined by Gary Townsend, taking
advantage for political and financial gain. It is also being mined by tax attorneys
with business interests before the County Assessor's office. And the go-to guy is
Gary Townsend.

This weakness in the Assessor's office is being gamed all the time, and is the
County Hall of Administration's dirty little secret. It is Quid Pro Quo corruption Bell
style but on a grander scale.

It is clear that Gary Townsend of the Los Angeles County Assessor's Office, who is
campaigning for Mr. Noguez, has agreed to a $150,000,000 reduction of
Tidelands's/Occidental Petroleum's oil property assessment in order to receive
badly needed campaign contribution for John Noguez. The real dollar value
represented by that reduction is equivalent to approximately $1.8 million, or 1.2
percent of $150 million. Almost immediately after the Assessment Appeals Board
ruling, the controller's office will write a check to Occidental. That is L.A. County
money belonging to you which is being given away by Gary Townsend in
exchange for campaign contributions to John Noguez.

Was the September 7th recommendation to reduce $150,000,000 of assessed
value for Tidelands a clear Quid Pro Quo for the fundraising event organized by
Richard Ayoob and Christopher Matarese? Campaign contributions to John Noguez
flowed from other sources as well who are also connected to Occidental
Petroleum, such as petroleum engineers, and other consultants.

With Noguez's campaign contributions exceeding $1 million dollars for the
Assessor's race, and the majority of monetary contributions having been provided
by tax agents/property owners expecting spectacular returns on their campaign
contribution investments, one can clearly imagine the post election consequences
of Mr. Townsend's property assessment settlements with special interests. If
Noguez wins, there will be a long line of commercial property owners, and
attorneys such as Ayoob and Matarese, with hat in hand waiting for the
Controller's refund checks.

Based on the Tidelands affair, the numbers can be astronomical. In the case of
Ayoob's and Matarese's client, their nearly $8,000 contribution to John Noguez in
February and March of this year netted their client a check for about $1,800,000 in
September 2010, direct from County coffers. That money could have kept a few
child care centers funded for struggling county families, or provide more meals on
wheels, or it could mean that a nurse or a librarian could keep their jobs and
benefits. It could mean a food bank could have enough to provide for a growing
clientele. Instead, public resources are being squandered for narrow private
benefit and for short term political gain.

If an $8,000 campaign contribution can reap a $150,000,000 reduction in property
assessment, yielding a $1,800,000 refund check, what is expected of Gary
Townsend and John Noguez with a combined $1,000,000 in campaign
contributions? John Noguez has already left a legacy of failed financial dealings in
Huntington Park placing the city on the brink of bankruptcy.

The cozy relationship of the present Assessor's office with special interests and
their agents/attorneys or lobbyists must stop.

Any deal Gary Townsend makes on Noguez's behalf in exchange for contributions
to Noguez's political campaign will be a burden on all of us.

Gary Townsend's name quite conveniently is used in the background as
legitimizing force behind such deals and he's the only mayor player who has
brought Kenneth Hahn and Rick Auerbach to power (former County Assessors),
and now wants Noguez to be the ceremonial head of the Assessor's office.

The public benefit is scuttled in such deals by the Assessor's office and have gone
on for decades. Help John Wong to put an end to corrupt tax dealings.

Noguez has deep political ties to the Bell corruption scandal, has lied and
deceived voters about who he really is and about his academic credentials.

In Huntington Park the bar is quite low for entry into city council. Along with not
having a degree, not having a job also qualifies one for a city council seat.
Noguez's slate includes Mario Gomez and Ofelia Hernandez, neither have been
gainfully employed for decades, let alone have a college degree. A third
councilman was appointed by Noguez when the 2009 elections were cancelled
due to a lack of candidates. This appointee also does not work. All assure that
Noguez's public policy proclivities have a high rate of passage.

The Assessor's office should have a higher standard for qualifications. Evidently,
according to Supervisors Don Knabe, Gloria Molina, Zev Yaroslavski and Mark
Ridley-Thomas, whom all endorsed Noguez, the Assesor's office has the same low
bar as Huntington Park and the rest of the corrupt southeast cities of Bell,
Maywood, Cudahy and Vernon.
Gary Townsend and
John Noguez.

Noguez is mayor of
Huntington Park and
does not have a
college degree.
Richard Ayoob (in red tie) with John
Noguez to his left at an awards
ceremony.

Tax attorney Ayoob and his law
partner Matarese donated close to
$8,000 to John Noguez's Assessor's
campaign. In exchange, Ayoob's
client received a $150,000,000
reduction in assessed property
valuation, qualifying its client for an
immediate refund check of
$1,800,000.
John Noguez giving a proclamation
to Terry Polley, partner in law firm
which donated close to $8,000 to
Noguez's political campaign.
Assessor Watch