The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

FPPC closes Kawczynski case

By Steve Enders

The Fair Political Practices Commission decided in December not to investigate allegations that former Sunnyvale Mayor Stan Kawczynski violated the gift limit of the Political Reform Act.

The complaint, filed in October, alleged that Kawczynski rented a house in Sunnyvale at an under-market rate from Yvonne Olson Jacobson.

Jacobson is a relative of one of Sunnyvale's large land-owning families who routinely has projects reviewed by the City Council.

This, the complaint said, constituted a conflict of interest for Kawczynski.

The FPPC could not release the names of those filing complaints.

In its response, the FPPC said that "insufficient evidence to initiate an investigation" merited closing the case.

The group said, in a written letter, "that no information was provided as to how much Kawczynski is paying in rent, what the actual rent is for the property involved and that the difference would constitute an illegal gift by violating the limit or is reportable as it rises to the necessary threshold."

According to the Political Reform Act, the report states, gifts are allowed only between family members.

It continues, "Our limited resources do not allow us to open cases without more information than 'talk in the community'..."

When the complaint was filed, The Sun reported that some of the allegations may have been wrong and that county and city records confirm the house is owned by Carolina Musso of Sunnyvale, not Yvonne Olson Jacobson.

Kawczynski told The Sun he payed rent to Caroline Ryan--Carolina Musso's married name--and not the Olson family.

Ryan confirmed that she owns the house and that Kawczynski is renting it at market rate.

Kawczynski was not available for comment at press time.

According to Gary Huckaby of the FPPC, only about 10 percent of the 700 weekly complaints received are investigated. Even fewer complaints lead to prosecution and fining of the violator, he said.

[ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ]

This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 14, 1998.
©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.