By Town Crier Staff Report

Grimm

One of Los Altos’ most respected community contributors recently found himself contributing a $12,000 fine as a thank-you for his volunteer campaign efforts to support Foothill and De Anza colleges.

Robert Grimm, a former Los Altos councilman and mayor, paid the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission the fine for his work as treasurer with the Measure E committee that campaigned successfully for a $248 million bond measure in 1999.

After an investigation that began last year, the commission found him in violation of: failing to send major donation letters to those contributing $5,000 or more; not disclosing the receipt, repayment and forgiveness of a loan; and failure to disclose nonmonetary contributions.

In addition to Grimm’s fine, the Foothill-De Anza Community Colleges Foundation was fined $4,000 for failure to disclose a late contribution in a properly filed late-contribution report and file a semiannual campaign statement.

Grimm readily acknowledged his oversights, noting the commission arrived at its fines through proper investigation.

“It’s like the IRS with an audit,” Grimm said. “They look at one thing and then they look at everything.”

Of the filing transgressions, Grimm noted, “If they contribute over $5,000 to a campaign, the treasurer is supposed to send a letter thanking them, but also send a form (because) they may have to file as a major contributor.”

He failed to notify five such major donors.

“Fortunately, it wasn’t more,” he said.

Also, while Grimm “showed the net amount of what I contributed to the campaign, I should have shown the PCC the loan, repayment and contribution.”

In the third instance, the Measure E campaign had a campaign office in one of the spaces at the Oaks Shopping Center, located across from De Anza College on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino.

It was space offered by the property owners. “It should have been shown as an in-kind gift,” Grimm said.

While the $12,000 fine seems steep, Grimm took the financial penalty in stride.

“I can’t get excited about it,” he said. “I screwed up. You pay your fine and move on. I don’t fault the Fair Political Practices Commission. They’re doing their job. We’re better off for it.

“The good thing about it is, the bond campaign passed. We’re getting a lot of good facilities at Foothill and De Anza colleges.”