Garofalo: Dense, Arrogant--or Worse?

Poor Dave Garofalo.

The Huntington Beach mayor wants his good name back. He’s tired of people imputing bad motives to things he’s done. But at least he knows why they’re socking it to him: They’re his political opponents who dislike his pro-development philosophy and are out to destroy him.

He’s going to have to do better than that.

I don’t know Garofalo. He’s been involved in some laudable civic causes and perhaps fancies himself the most upright Huntington Beach city official to ever stride down Beach Boulevard.

If so, he’s spending his credibility like it’s going out of style.

And you know what, it is.

He wants us to believe he’s being targeted because he’s pro-development. That’s not the issue at all. He can be as pro-development as his constituents will allow.

The issue is that, among other things, he accepted a huge favor from a developer for whose housing project he voted. If, to him, that doesn’t by definition cast doubt on the integrity of his vote, then he’s either incredibly dense or incredibly arrogant.

Neither is a particularly attractive trait for a public official.

Some nuances are still unclear, but here’s what is known about Garofalo’s connection to PLC Land Co., which built the Holly Seacliff community in Huntington Beach:

He voted along with the rest of the City Council in 1998 to approve the final project. Some 300 potential home buyers signed up and, much like hopefuls wanting season tickets for sports teams, were put on a waiting list.

Garofalo--miraculously, he would probably say--just happened to be at the top of the list and was able to secure one of the most desired lots in the development.

To Garofalo, apparently, this was fate shining on him.

It’s Lonely at the Top of the Buyer List

Now that others have questioned the propriety of it, his defense--and this is where the details begin to get less clear--has been that he decided to front for a good friend of his who also wanted to buy in the development but was way down on the waiting list.

So Garofalo and his friend--also a Huntington Beach businessman--say they did the deal between themselves. They both said last week that Garofalo made no profit between the time he “bought” the house and lot and “sold” it to his friend, because the friend had put up the money in the first place.

Again, dense or arrogant?

Let’s concede that is exactly what happened. Garofalo, using entirely his friend’s money, “bought” the coveted house so his friend could leapfrog others and assume ownership of it.

The mayor is overlooking the obvious fact that the developer did a huge favor for him by putting him at the top of the buyer list in the first place. Granting him instant access to a highly desirable and expensive property might be construed as a thank-you for his vote.

Even if we take Garofalo at his word that he didn’t pull any strings with the company to improve his standing--and let’s be charitable and do just that--does he really not think the whole deal doesn’t stink to high heaven?

But if he is truly mystified and says, “What’d I do that was so wrong?” let’s spell it out.

When PLC told him he was at the top of the waiting list, he should have politely said thank you, but no thanks.

He should have said that because he had voted for the project, he wanted to go on the waiting list like any other citizen and didn’t want preferential treatment. Even if the company swore to him that, can you believe it, you just happen to be No. 1 on the list, he should have said what every other citizen of Huntington Beach is now saying: “No way. Put my name in the hopper like everyone else.”

Instead, the mayor claimed his perk.

Now, he’s claiming to be indignant at suggestions of impropriety.

Dense or arrogant? We can’t read minds, so it’s hard to tell.

But it doesn’t help that the PLC episode just so happens to fit a profile--namely, Garofalo’s casting of hundreds of votes in favor of companies that had advertised in a local publication he owned.

Dense or arrogant? Garofalo should pray those remain the only choices.

With the state Fair Political Practices Commission and the Orange County district attorney looking into things, they may decide those two choices give Garofalo way too much credit.

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Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com