As part of its lease with the team, the city of Fresno gets use of a skybox at city-owned Chukchansi Park for all Fresno Grizzlies regular-season home games.

City officials typically give 12 tickets to the skybox to local nonprofits or to city employees as a reward for good work. There is no charge for the tickets.

Council Member Mike Dages gave the skybox to well-known Fresno political consultant Mark Scozzari for the June 27 game when the Grizzlies hosted the Salt Lake Bees. The value of the skybox's 12 tickets: $376.

Scozzari was Dages' campaign manager last year when Dages ran unsuccessfully for mayor. Scozzari helped on Dages' successful council campaign in 2002 and was a consultant to former Council Member Sal Quintero on Quintero's unsuccessful supervisorial campaign in 2004.

According to city records, Dages paid $96,381.65 to Scozzari's company for campaign services from 2002 through June 30, 2009.

Dages was Quintero's council assistant. Quintero now is Dages' council assistant.

Scozzari has worked on other local political campaigns. He has also represented business groups on issues that have come to the City Council for action.

In the late 1980s and 1990, Scozzari served on the staff of then Assemblyman Jim Costa, a Democrat from Fresno. Costa is now a Congressman.

Dages also gave use of the city's skybox to Club One Casino on July 31, when Colorado Springs was in town. Again, the skybox's 12 tickets were valued at $376, according to city records.

Club One donated $3,000 in 2006 to Dages' successful campaign for re-election to the council, according to city records. Dages ran unopposed.

Club One also donated $3,600 in 2008 to Dages' mayoral campaign, according to city records.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces disclosure laws, considers assets such as city-controlled tickets to the skybox to be public property.

A commission regulation that went into effect this year requires cities to identify on their official Web sites the recipients of city-controlled tickets to entertainment events at city-owned venues. Cities must identify who gets the tickets, who gives them, the public purpose served by giving away the public's tickets, and the tickets' value.

According to the city of Fresno's Web site, other recipients of the skybox this year included Central California Blood Center, Valley Crime Stoppers, American Cancer Society, Girls Scouts of Central California South, the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County and Senior Citizens Village.

The Bee left many phone messages at Scozzari's business seeking his comment, but was unable to contact him.

Dages said Scozzari has been a trusted and valued adviser to him on issues involving the city's Public Utilities Department. Scozzari never charged for his advice, Dages said.
The skybox "is just a way for me to thank him for all the pro bono work he does for me, [for] all the advice he gives me on issues with the council," Dages said.

The Grizzlies play a 72-game home schedule The seven council members and Mayor Ashley Swearengin are allowed to distribute skybox tickets for seven games each.

The Downtown and Community Revitalization Department gets the skybox for seven games, and four games are available to other city departments. Community groups and nonprofits get the skybox for five games for fundraising.

A policy approved by the City Council in April identifies authorized uses of skybox tickets. They include the promotion of:

* Economic development and tourism.
* City-sponsored events or activities.
* Community nonprofits and youth groups.
* Intergovernmental relations.

The policy also permits distribution of the skybox as a "reward for significant academic, athletic or public service."

Dages said Scozzari deserved a reward for his valuable service at no cost to taxpayers.

"This is a way for me to say, 'Mark, thanks for all this advice for six-and-a-half years,'" Dages said.

According to a city document, Dages said the "public purpose" for giving the skybox to Scozzari was promotion of local and regional businesses, economic development and tourism activities, and job creation opportunities within the city.

City manager Andy Souza said he has no opinion on whether Dages' explanation conforms with city policy, or where critics of Dages' decision might turn to voice their concern.

"If there's a disagreement, I'm not sure who would follow up on it," Souza said.

The city's facilities division handles the skybox paperwork, but has no oversight authority.

"We don't monitor anything," said Facilities/Major Projects Division manager Kelly Riddle. "We take [elected officials] at their word. They regulate themselves."

Dages said he gave the skybox to Club One Casino for the July 31 game because he knew the casino would pass it on to a casino-approved charity or nonprofit.

MeeMee Khamvilaythong, Club One's director of marketing, said that is what the casino did. She said she couldn't recall which nonprofit received use of the skybox.

According to city records, Dages said the "public purpose" for giving the skybox to Club One on July 31 was "promotion of city-controlled or sponsored events, activities, or programs."

The voter is the ultimate regulator of how the skybox tickets are used, said Roman Porter, executive director of the Fair Political Practices Commission.

"These tickets are public resources," Porter said. "The intent of this regulation is to provide greater transparency to the media and the public on how these assets are used."

Dages, who is termed out in about 16 months, said he has no plans to ever again run for elective office.