Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Financial histories emerge as topic in mayoral race

Hall and Simon face questions about past


By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

Financial histories have become a point of contention in Ketchum's mayoral race, with bankruptcies and federal tax liens emerging as potential political liabilities.

Mayoral candidate and Ketchum City Council President Randy Hall has found himself fending off accusations pertaining to the closing of his restaurant, China Pepper, in 2002.

"I did not file bankruptcy," he said. "I liquidated my assets. I've been making payments ever since."

A $95,000 federal tax lien was negotiated. Hall said he has $5,000 left to pay.

He said he doesn't have documents to prove the amount of debt remaining, but said, "It'll be paid off post-haste."

"I don't hide from that part of my life," he added. "I've dedicated my life to making amends."

When he kicked off his campaign in August, he elaborated on the closing of his business.

"I quit drinking," he said at the time. "I made a personal choice eight years ago. Once I quit, my perspective on life started to change and I no longer felt connected to that kind of business."

Hall's financial background was a recent topic of conversation on a local Internet blog in which an unidentified writer accused him of not paying his bills.

However, Hall said he is qualified to be mayor, a position that manages the city's $9 million budget.

"I'm qualified because of what I've learned in the last eight years, sitting down with (City Administrator) Ron LeBlanc, and taking a long hard look at it," he said.

Hall voted against approving the city budget this year, partly because of the expense of hiring additional employees and too little money being spent on capital improvements. In addition, he disagreed with the inclusion of $100,000 in projected revenue from the city of Sun Valley for emergency dispatch fees that he said Sun Valley had not agreed to.

Hall also defended himself from accusations he heard on a local radio program Tuesday regarding alleged unpaid invoices for repairs on the Ketchum building his restaurant occupied until 2001.

According to Hall, shortly after he moved out of the 511 building downtown, his landlord sent him non-itemized invoices for repairs.

"The invoices are very vague," Hall said. "One doesn't have a date on it. It's not reasonable for me to pay something (if) I don't even know what it's for."

Hall said he requested further information on the charges but did not receive supporting documentation.

He denies he owes his former landlord any money and said he left the space with no damages.

He said that Tuesday was the first time he heard about the matter since January 2003.

"Reasonable people would assume that if they had a case, why are they waiting until one week before the election to talk about it?" he said.

Incumbent Mayor Ed Simon also has had financial trouble in the past. A brief record of Simon's personal bankruptcy, filed in December 1984, can be found on the U.S. District Court Web site. The case was closed the following May.

Simon said he doesn't fully remember the circumstances that led to the filing.

"It was 21 years ago," he said. "It was a long time ago. I do a lot of things differently now."

He said he doesn't believe it has affected his performance or the way he has handled himself as mayor.

He declined to comment further.

A subsequent phone call to Simon requesting release of pertinent documents was not immediately returned.

A district court representative in Boise said files are sent to a repository in Seattle, but that documents are destroyed after 20 years.

Information was not immediately available from the National Archives and Records Administration in Seattle where the file was likely sent.

The Web site for U.S. Courts, District of Idaho shows no other bankruptcy or criminal filings for any of the five mayoral candidates.

Competing for mayor of Ketchum in the Nov. 8 election are Simon, Hall, Dan Stein, Maurice Charlat and Mickey Garcia.

The position pays $1,500 per month.




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