Questions Surround Hoover City Council Contributions by Local Developer
Sizable donations by William Kadish and a PAC wholly funded by his business are causing some to ask questions in five City Council races
Contributions to some City Council candidates by a local real estate developer are raising eyebrows in the Hoover Municipal Elections scheduled for August 26, 2025.
William Kadish, his company Broad Metro LLC, and a PAC wholly funded by Broad Metro (Accountability and Transparency in Government PAC) have made contributions to five candidates for Hoover City Council in this election cycle.
Between Kadish personally and the Accountability and Transparency in Government PAC, these candidates have received the following amounts:
- Robin Schultz (Place 1): $17,500*
- Gene Smith (Place 2): $2,500
- Ashley Lovell (Place 3): $15,000
- Steve Lawrence (Place 5): $5,000
- Steve McClinton (Place 7): $12,500**
*includes $5,000 PAC contribution to “Mrs. Robin Schultz”
**unopposed, has been declared winner in that race
(All figures were recently obtained from required financial filings on the Alabama Secretary of State website)
The Accountability and Transparency in Government PAC was established in January, 2025. Since its founding, it has received $67,500 in contributions—all from Broad Metro, LLC.
Kadish, originally from New York, is listed as the founder and CEO of Broad Metro, LLC. The company website lists Stadium Trace Village and the Village Green at Stadium Trace in Hoover among their latest developments. The website also lists Crestline Heights in Birmingham and The Landings in Opelika as recent projects.
In April of 2024, during a Hoover City Council meeting, Kadish was “ambushed” by Council President John Lyda with the information that Kadish was a convicted felon, as well as having been disbarred.
The felony charges and disbarment reportedly stemmed from a grand larceny charge (second degree) from about 2001-2002. He reportedly pled guilty, was sentenced to five years probation, and ordered to pay $655,035 in restitution. He was disbarred in New York in 2002 and in Florida in 2007.
Following the controversial City Council meeting last April, Kadish defended himself, saying that “In 2001, I was prescribed opioids and made poor choices involving gambling that I would never have otherwise made. I immediately self-reported and the judge recognized my cooperation and sincere willingness to acknowledge my mistakes and seek recovery.” In 2020, he applied to have those records sealed under a New York law that allows “people of good moral character” to have “old indiscretions” sealed so that they could carry on with their business.
Throughout 2024, controversy swirled around Kadish, the Mayor and the Council, primarily around tax incentives related to further development of Stadium Trace and the long-hoped-for Performing Arts Center. The amounts discussed for these incentives have ranged from an initial $7 million, to $22 million to $60 million. Words exchanged have, at times, been acrimonious, and the development at Stadium Trace has experienced “unavoidable delays.”
This history of conflict between Mr. Kadish, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and some on the City Council, in conjunction with significant contributions to select Council races by Kadish and a PAC solely funded by his company, has caused questions to be asked in these races.
Hoover has a seven-member City Council. Five members voting together would guarantee the approval of any measure put before them that did not require a unanimous vote.
The donation and acceptance of political contributions is certainly not evidence of impropriety or inappropriate intent. However, given the recent history between Mr. Kadish and the Council, his sizable investment in these races bears scrutiny.
As of this writing, ALPolitics.com has found no record of contributions by Kadish, Broad Metro or the Accountability and Transparency in Government PAC to either incumbent Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato or challenger Nick Derzis. It is also worth noting that Council President John Lyda is not seeking reelection.
In keeping with the policy of ALPolitics.com that everyone deserves a chance to have their say, in their own words, ALPolitics.com will be reaching out to all concerned parties for comment on this issue. Should we be unable to contact them, they are welcome to submit their comments and replies to us at News@ALPolitics.com.
For Hoover citizens, a Candidate Forum for Mayoral and City Council candidates is scheduled for Thursday, August 14 at 6:00 PM at the Hoover High School Performing Arts Center, 1000 Buccaneer Drive, Hoover, AL 35244. The Forum is sponsored by the Hoover Sun, Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham. Voters are asked to submit questions for the candidates to event@hooverchamber.org.
