Vineyard residents allege city violated state law in complaint against $35M bond, city calls claim ‘unfounded'
VINEYARD, Utah () — The sponsors behind a referendum against a proposed $35 million city bond to help finance a new Vineyard City Center have filed a complaint against the city, claiming officials have used taxpayer resources to oppose the initiative. The city, however, calls the claims 'unfounded.'
According to the City of Vineyard, the new city center would be located near a public promenade that includes outdoor spaces such as a playground, amphitheater, and more near Utah Lake. The building itself would be multi-purpose, housing not only city offices but also public spaces for farmer's markets, events, and more.
In a letter addressed to the city, Kim Cornelius, one of the referendum's sponsors, said a brief video posted to Facebook answering questions on the proposed city center and a joint statement provided to media outlets — — violates Utah State Law.
The law, Cornelius says, from using public funds to influence ballot propositions, including proposed referenda.
Key takeaways from the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rally in SLC
'This prohibition extends to publishing arguments for or against such propositions on public entity websites or social media platforms,' Cornelius wrote in the letter. 'We are also concerned that City of Vineyard resources were used to write and distribute a joint statement from the Mayor and City Council Members that clearly advocate against the referendum and publicly slanders the co-sponsors of the referendum.'
The statement in question was . In it, city officials expressed concern that the 'efforts of a small, vocal minority to mislead the public and push for a referendum' could potentially be a waste of city resources and cost the city more in the future.
The referendum's sponsors argue that its referendum is about putting the decision into the hands of Vineyard voters. If successful, the referendum would put the $35 million city bond before a vote in November.
'The City has instead tried to tilt the scales,' said David Lauret, a co-sponsor of the referendum. 'All we're asking for is a fair process, the law guarantees that, and we intend to hold them to it.'
Where is crime happening? New map shows recent crimes in Salt Lake neighborhoods
In the complaint, the referendum's sponsors demanded the city remove 'all advocacy content' from City platforms and issue a public retraction on the statement. The complaint also includes a cease-and-desist on any further advocacy activity and asks for equal platform access for referendum proponents.
The City of Vineyard told ABC4.com it takes all legal obligations seriously and is committed to transparency and compliance with the law. That said, city officials said the allegations made by the referendum's sponsors were 'unfounded.'
In response, a Vineyard City spokesperson said the videos referenced by the referendum's leaders were pre-prepared before the city received a petition for a referendum and were created as part of the city's formal public engagement process.
'They were not created to influence the outcome of any ballot proposition, but rather to inform the public and solicit input on a project of broad civic importance and for which statutorily required public hearings are part of the process,' the city's statement reads.
Garage on Beck is permanently closing its doors, building to be torn down
In response to the statement, Vineyard said its views reflect those of elected officials who are permitted under Utah law to express their opinions on matters of public concern, including pending ballot propositions.
'Utah Code allows for such expressions by elected officials,' the statement continues. 'When not made using public funds for advocacy, they are lawful and protected.'
Vineyard emphasized that the city center project has strong support from the City Council, with the recent vote to initiate the $35 million bonding process passing with the approval of all but one city council member.
'The City will continue to engage in responsible public communication and ensure that residents have access to accurate, timely, and relevant information about major projects, including the proposed Vineyard Center,' the city's statement concluded.
The referendum's sponsors gave the City of Vineyard a 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, April 14, to comply with its demands. If the deadline is not met, the sponsors said they would file a formal complaint with state agencies and possibly seek a lawsuit against the city.
The Vineyard City Council is scheduled to meet again to review the proposed $35 million bond on Wednesday, May 14. In addition to finalizing a decision on whether or not to move forward with the hearing, the council will hear from the public during the meeting.
White House defends tariffs strategy
Man found dead at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park after days-long search
Hundreds of officers honored at National Law Enforcement Memorial
U.S. and Iran discuss nuclear deal
El Salvador's president says he won't return mistakenly deported man
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Convicted terrorist who conspired to kill Americans has a new job at an NYC mosque
A convicted Al-Qaeda sympathizer who conspired to kill Americans in shopping malls and traveled to the Mideast to train with the terror group is now teaching kids at a muslim community center on Staten Island. For the past five months, Tarek Mehanna — who prosecutors say once vowed to wage armed jihad against Americans both here and abroad — has been teaching Arabic and the Quran to children as young as 4 at the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island in West Brighton. Mohamed Bahi, a former senior advisor to Mayor Adams and the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island's founder, announced Mehanna's hiring in a since-deleted Facebook post, promoting the MCC's Jan. 11 grand opening. Advertisement Adams has visited the MCC in Brooklyn in the past. 8 Tarek Mehanna, right, was released from federal prison in August. Mohammad Elshinawy/ Instagram Mehanna, 43, teaches four days a week, four hours per day. Advertisement 'I'm all for second chances — but not when it comes to convicted terrorists teaching kids. That's not rehabilitation — that's insanity,' said City Councilman Frank Morano (R-Staten Island). The Sept. 11 attacks inspired the terror teacher and galvanized his radicalization, according to federal prosecutors. Mehanna and his unnamed co-conspirators were undeterred when denied entry into Afghanistan at the Pakistan border in 2002, and 'agreed to explore ways in which they, too, could kill Americans.' When the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, Mehanna discussed purchasing automatic guns with his co-conspirators to murder US citizens inside shopping malls, 'but [they] ultimately dismissed them as impractical,' according to prosecutors. Their focus then shifted towards killing American soldiers, whom Mehanna called 'infidels,' according to court records. Advertisement 8 The Post visited the Muslim Community Center of Long Island, and was told Mehanna was not a member. Leonardo Munoz 'They discussed many options,' reads the government's 2012 sentencing memoradum, which asked a judge to send Mehanna away for life. Ultimately, they decided in 2004 to 'seek training in Yemen, sought guidance on how to obtain it, received contacts, equipped and readied themselves for the journey, and made arrangements to sneak out of Massachusetts.' After days criss-crossing Yemen's hostile landscape, 'braving brigands and once facing down an AK-47,' the group failed to 'find a suitable training camp' and 'Mehanna returned to the United States disappointed but no less determined to provide support to America's enemies.' 8 Mohamed Bahi, right, a former advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, left, founded the MCC of Staten Island. Mohamed Bahe Advertisement The one-time pharmacist worked in an upscale Boston suburb. He attended an Al-Qaeda training camp in Pakistan later in 2004, where he received 'paramilitary training so that he could eventually join Al-Qaeda in Iraq in fighting and killing American soldiers,' prosecutors said. Mehanna spent the last 14 years at the federal pen in Florence, CO, after being convicted in 2011 of providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit murder, and making false statements to the FBI. Mehanna lied about his Yemeni trip when questioned by federal agents, and later translated jihadist propaganda and distributed it online, along with Al-Qaeda recruitment videos, officials said. 8 Mehanna showed beheading videos to pals on 'movie nights' he regularly hosted. AP Prosecutors further stated Mehanna, whose best friend was Islamist extremist Daniel Joseph Maldonado, 'enjoyed viewing' and immersing himself in footage of the beheadings of Pennsylvania contractor Nick Berg, New Jersey contractor Paul Johnson, and Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. He showed the horrific videos during 'movie nights' he hosted, according to prosecutors, who said Mehanna idolized Iraqi terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who killed Berg. 'He prolifically distributed a video of the mutilation of American soldiers in Iraq, described how one could see the internal organs and ribs, and then said, 'Texas BBQ is the way to go,'' prosecutors said. 8 Mehanna had worked at a Boston-area pharmacy prior to his arrest. REUTERS Advertisement 'This is the role model that kids should be looking up to?' seethed former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind. 'This is a role model? Someone desperate to become a terrorist? It's a model of terrorism. 'We know what he stands for and what he's about — what is he teaching these children?' asked Hikind, the founder of Americans Against Antisemitism. While in federal custody, a treatise attributed to Mehanna was posted to a Facebook page calling for his release. In the post, he likened the entire Muslim world to the human body, and compared America to AIDS. 'Jihad is its immune system,' Mehanna wrote. Advertisement 8 On Facebook, Mehanna ridiculed a US soldier's death in one comment. Obtained by the New York Post Following his release in late August, Mehanna mocked the deaths of Israeli soldiers on Facebook, writing 'Poor baby' above videos he shared in both October and November. He also ridiculed Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, who was killed May 23, 2024, while delivering aid to Gaza on President Biden's failed floating pier. 'Another poor baby,' Mehanna wrote on Facebook. Advertisement 8 The MCC has been promoting Mehanna's involvement. MCC Staten Island/ Facebook In December, Mehanna translated a speech by Abdullah Azzam, one of Osama bin Laden's mentors, and shared the lecture — about Marwan Hadid, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria — in a now-deleted Facebook post. The MCC of Staten Island, affiliated with the Muslim Community Center in Brooklyn, has only been open since mid-January, and only just filed its not-for-profit incorporation documents with the Department of State's Division of Corporations on June 5. Advertisement The MCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'It's clear he still harbors the same anti-American hatred he held before his sentence,' blasted City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R-Brooklyn). 'The 'education' these children are receiving is being administered on American soil and should reflect the values and interests of our nation.' 8 Mehanna, right, is seen embracing author and teacher Mohammad Elshinawy. Mohammad Elshinawy/ Instagram Vernikov wants him removed from any position where he'll have 'any opportunity to mold young minds.' Asked Vernikov: 'Do any of us really believe that someone who was convicted for colluding with Al Qaeda — a terrorist organization that's committed terrorist acts on American soil and shed American blood — is truly 'reformed' and won't continue to collude with other terrorists, and won't indoctrinate the children in his care into a radical jihadist ideology?'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Government leaders face backlash after details of holiday trip emerge: 'And I'm sitting here drinking from a limp paper straw'
Three EU presidents hopped on a private jet for a journey that would've taken less than three hours in a car, sparking outrage among the public. According to Politico, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola took a jet from Brussels to Luxembourg and back to celebrate Schuman Day on May 9. The same trip would've taken about two-and-a-half hours in a car. Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said the flights were "justified" and necessary "due to conflicting schedules." All three EU leaders have faced backlash over their private jet use before. Von der Leyen reportedly took 57 private flights in two years, and Costa was alleged to have used a Portuguese Air Force Falcon 50 jet for personal purposes, per Politico. On average, a private jet produces over 2,200 pounds of planet-warming emissions per hour. A standard SUV produces less than 60 pounds per hour (0.88 pounds per mile), depending on speed and distance. Based on estimates, the three presidents created more than 1,600 pounds of emissions. In a car, it would've been closer to 150 pounds. That's over 10 times more pollution for a single trip. People are not only angry about the disregard for the planet's health. The presidents' actions contradict their own goals of making transportation greener. The European Green Deal aims to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. If leaders continue to carelessly use private jets, that will be impossible. This was also not an international emergency. They flew because these leaders "wanted to celebrate Schuman Day together with Prime Minister Luc Frieden in Luxembourg," according to Pinho. Many people are furious about this hypocrisy and abuse of resources, feeling a mix of anger and hopelessness. "How much carbon footprint was abused???" someone wondered on Politico's Facebook post about the incident. Should the government be able to control how we heat our homes? Definitely Only if it saves money I'm not sure No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Another person highlighted the frustration of trying to live more sustainably while the upper class and world leaders waste more and more. "And I'm sitting here drinking from a limp paper straw," they wrote. "The Green Deal is definitely dead," someone else commented in disappointment. This situation is disheartening, but the Green Deal is not dead. Holding leaders accountable for planet-polluting actions and reminding them to follow their own policies is essential. Public pressure is the key to stopping people in power from abusing the planet. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nesi's Notes: June 14
Happy Saturday! Here's another edition of my weekend column for — as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to tnesi@ and follow me on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 1. For nearly a year, Speaker Shekarchi has told anyone who would listen that a much tighter budget year was ahead. Yet you might not guess that from looking at the budget bill he unveiled Tuesday. House leaders propose spending $14.3 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal year that starts July 1, an increase of almost $400 million from the current year and up 52% since before the pandemic. Nor was it easy to find the extra money — lawmakers plan to raise the gas tax, add a monthly fee on health insurance, create a statewide property tax on million-dollar second homes, and more. Nevertheless, Shekarchi disputes the idea that Smith Hill is nickel-and-diming the public. 'We were very strategic,' the speaker told reporters at a briefing. 'We did not want to hurt working families.' Under the hood, there is evidence of some spending restraint, at least on a comparative basis. The share of the budget paid for from the General Fund is going up by less than 4% this year, compared with an average growth rate of over 7% in the prior six years — a clear slowdown. Still, the relentless demand for new streams of revenue is likely to continue, due to the basic fact that most of the budget is spent on services, like health care and education, which grow more in cost every year than tax receipts can keep up. And while voters may complain broadly about out-of-control spending and an unwillingness to make hard choices, there's a reason lawmakers don't feel pressure to change their approach: voters reelected every single incumbent to the General Assembly last November. 2. Health care appears to be a big winner in the budget bill, and one of the reasons legislative leaders backed so many new revenue sources in the final plan was because of the need to find more money for primary care and hospitals in particular. You can read my full breakdown of the $14 billion plan here, and check out five takeaways here from my colleague Alexandra Leslie. The full House will debate and vote on the budget Tuesday. 3. The release of the budget bill is always a sure sign we are near the end of the annual General Assembly session. And with House and Senate leaders both aiming to wrap up their business for the year next Friday, the big question is what Senate President Val Lawson will do about the Assault Weapons Ban Act. Lawson remains under enormous pressure to work around the Judiciary Committee in order to get a floor vote on the bill, which has support from a majority of senators. But Lawson won the presidency with the support of the ban's opponents, most notably her new majority leader, Frank Ciccone. So Lawson is caught between a majority of the Democratic caucus (and the Senate) which supports the bill versus a minority that opposes it but was key to her winning coalition. The tension was on display Thursday, when Sen. Pam Lauria made a procedural move to put the ban before a different committee; Lauria's effort failed 20-17, but Lawson only carried the day with the help of Republicans. Our Kayla Fish caught up with Lawson shortly after that, and asked whether she is considering alternatives to the Judiciary Committee to get a floor vote. After a pause, Lawson said, 'There have been rare instances that that has occurred. Right now, we're working through the process, as it exists, through the Judiciary Committee.' Never underestimate the ability of a General Assembly leader to pull a rabbit out of a hat. But if the bill dies in the Senate, the issue could figure in next year's Democratic primary races. 4. More Val Lawson news: the R.I. Ethics Commission this week gave her the green light to keep serving as president of the Senate and a major teachers union simultaneously. 5. On Nov. 8, 2022, Ashley Kalus lost the election for Rhode Island governor to Dan McKee. A day later, she filed suit in Illinois against contractor Michael Gruener over his release of vulgar and bullying text messages he said she'd sent during a business dispute. More than two years later, the pair have settled, and Gruener has apologized to Kalus. So what really transpired? It's a complicated story that took some time to unravel — you can read my full report here. 6. Another salvo in the Washington Bridge legal battle: two of the defendants say the state never acted on a 1992 inspection report warning about its condition. 7. With summer upon us and next year's primary election now 15 months away, candidates are going to start moving from the whisper phase to active campaigning. The first to take the plunge is former state Sen. Cindy Coyne, who announced she will mount a Democratic primary challenge against incumbent Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos. Coyne represented Barrington in the Senate and was one of the first women to serve on the state police, and she is playing up her law-and-order background. 'I believe that we need to have confidence in our government, and transparency and accountability and integrity, and that's what I bring to the table,' Coyne said on this week's Newsmakers. With Matos weakened by the 2023 signature scandal, the LG primary is expected to draw a crowded field — which could actually be a help to Matos, as Tim White pointed out on Newsmakers. 8. Eye on Congress … Senator Reed condemned Israel's attack on Iran as 'reckless escalation' … Senator Whitehouse backed President Trump's pick to lead the Federal Highway Administration in a committee vote … Congressman Amo, who serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee, is headed to Taiwan this weekend to reaffirm U.S. support during meetings with the country's leaders … The Wall Street Journal quoted Congressman Magaziner on lawmakers' stock-trading around Liberation Day … Mattapoisett Select Board member Tyler Macallister met with White House officials as he plots a 2026 campaign against Congressman Keating … Congressman Auchincloss published a Washington Post op-ed reflecting as a Marine on the president's deployment in Los Angeles … Governor McKee and Governor Healey signed a statement challenging Trump on the same issue. 9. Taunton continues to be one of the most politically competitive cities in the region. Democrat Lisa Field prevailed in this week's special election to replace the late state Rep. Carol Doherty, but by just 21 votes in the initial count. Her opponent, Republican City Councilor Larry Quintal, is expected to seek a recount. This is the same seat that Doherty had flipped in 2020, after Republican Shaunna O'Connell stepped down to become mayor. Democrats have had big success all over the country in special elections since President Trump took office, a phenomenon often credited to the shifting nature of the two parties' voter coalitions. No sign of that in Taunton, though. In fact, elections analyst G. Elliott Morris found that of the 11 special elections for state legislative seats since April, Field is the only Democratic candidate in the country who underperformed Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Can you imagine the national coverage if Republicans had been able to flip a seat in deep-blue Massachusetts on Tuesday night? 10. Providence City Hall is about to get a $40 million glow-up. 11. People in the news … Nancy Pelosi headlined a fundraiser in Washington for likely gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes on Wednesday that drew about 90 people … Matunuck Oyster Bar owner Perry Raso says he plans to operate al fresco with 50 employees thanks to a bill advancing quickly through the Assembly … retired Massachusetts District Court Judge Roanne Sragow Licht has joined the board of CBS owner Paramount Global; she is also the wife of R.I. Superior Court Judge Richard Licht … Bank of America Rhode Island President Kevin Tracy announced a $3 million donation to Trinity Rep during the annual Pell Awards Gala … Gina Raimondo will be among the attendees at the annual Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, sometimes dubbed 'Billionaire Summer Camp' … Ken Naylor continues his expansion of the Rhode Island Young Republicans, announcing Jessica Gomes as chair of a newly founded Cranston chapter … congratulations to my colleagues Tim White and Johnny Villella on their latest Emmy Award … congrats as well to twin brothers Josh and John Maynard, who graduated Wednesday as valedictorian and salutatorian of Toll Gate High … a new law has renamed the Sakonnet River Bridge in honor of Staff Sgt. Christopher Potts, who died while serving in Iraq in 2004. 12. Exciting news: my colleague Eli Sherman is launching a new show called 'Behind the Story' alongside rotating co-hosts Kim Kalunian and Dan McGowan. Each week they'll be joined by a journalist from a local news outlet in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts who'll discuss a major story they've reported on recently — a terrific way to spotlight the great work being done by so many reporters across broadcasting, print and digital media. You can catch 'Behind the Story' on Thursdays on our new 12+ smart TV app at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (and on demand, too); on Sundays on TV at 8 a.m. on FOX Providence and 11 a.m. on The CW Providence; or anytime online at Check out the first episode today! 13. Weekend reads … Chris Shea on eight 'No Kings' protests planned across Rhode Island today (with more in Bristol County) … Kathy Gregg on the Senate seemingly flouting a state law on pension benefits … Anthony Flint on Mayor Smiley's vision for Providence … John Howell on Butler Hospital's president amid the strike … Grace Ferguson on how New Bedford accidentally eliminated single-family zoning … Steph Machado on the end of Cape Cod bracelet exclusivity … Kashmir Hill on the (very) dark side of ChatGPT. 14. Fire up 12+ on your smart TV or set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers — LG candidate Cindy Coyne. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday. Ted Nesi (tnesi@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Prefer your Newsmakers on the go?Subscribe to our podcast!Apple | Spotify Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
