What I know about Larry Ellison

This story (C.W. Nevius) in a San Francisco newspaper describes how the local Board of Supervisors disgusted Larry Ellison. Ellison had agreed to rebuild two decrepit wharves that will never be repaired otherwise. The Supervisors made the project contingent on future Supervisors decisions, before agreeing to let the project proceed.  Ellison walked away from his generous offer.

Ellison has faced this type of politics before.

Ellison agreed to build a very large and expensive and elegant headquarters in the town of San Carlos. He got advanced agreement to expand the adjacent airport runway. A runway that I use regularly. The runway is within walking distance of his headquarters. A longer runway was needed in order to land his small jets.  Next to his offices.

Ellison made the mistake of accepting the promise of the San Carlos political powers to extend the runway.

He built the expensive headquarters and then went back to have the runway extended.

The San Carlos political powers, saw that the headquarters was finished and Ellison's leverage over them was gone. They said 'fuck you.'  

The lesson was learned. Ellison no longer will trust political power groups to deliver on future promises unless the leverage remains in place.

Ellison got to say to the San Francisco supervisors... exactly what the San Carlos political powers said to him.