Sonoma County’s largest employee union has filed a whistleblower complaint alleging the county is set to overpay by up to $19 million for a building near Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.
The purchase is part of a three-building, $114 million real estate deal that has drawn scrutiny, in part due to conflict-of-interest allegations involving County Supervisor David Rabbitt.
Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents thousands of county workers, opposes the proposed purchase of the American AgCredit building at 400 Aviation Blvd. The union cites a county-hired appraiser’s estimate that the county’s offer exceeds the building’s market value by millions, arguing that taxpayer dollars should instead be redirected to public services.
“The $19 million that the county proposed we overspend on the American AgCredit building could instead be spent making our airport safer, caring for children and adults in crisis, repairing our roads, serving our veterans, and so much more,” union chapter president Travis Balzarini said in a statement.
Board of Supervisors Chair Lynda Hopkins said Tuesday afternoon she had not seen the complaint and could not comment. The Press Democrat has also requested comment from the county auditor’s office.
The three-story American AgCredit building sits on 7.65 acres and spans 132,000 square feet. County officials previously said was appraised at $46.1 million. The proposed purchase price is $56.1 million — including $10...
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