Okay.
Do we know for a fact that he wasn't allowed to spend enough for a multi-year deal, or is it possible that Elias didn't think a multi-year deal for any of the starters on the market weren't worth what they were asking? Like, I wouldn't have wanted Gibson for a multi-year deal at a lower annual salary, for example.
We do know JA's thoughts on extensions. That doesn't mean extensions won't get done. But, like you, I have my doubts.
So the evidence that JA is being a tightwad aren't really that concrete, despite what we'd all like to believe. Trust me, I don't like him either, but before @Tony-OH labels me a JA apologist, I just want to deal with facts. There's a quote from Giants/Angels trade a few years ago where Elias said that ownership wasn't interested in doing a deal like that (yet ownership has spent practically every dollar of draft pools (cue @Can_of_corn) and spent money in the Dominican programs for guys like Basallo) but if we're being honest -and you're an honest guy, SG- that's not much to go on.
I agree that Elias isn't going to spend a lot in free agency based off where he's come from. I would not be surprised if John Angelos (and again, this is speculation) wanted to know Elias' thoughts on spending in free agency during the interview process and made the hire partially based on that. That is to say that I believe these two are in simpatico when it comes to their thoughts and philosophies on spending in free agency.
All in all, what you've listed isn't hard evidence. A quote here, a quote there. To borrow a phrase, it's not about what you know, it's about what you can prove.
So while I think (just like you do!) that John Angelos doesn't want to spend big bucks in free agency and I don't think Elias does either, I'll wait until there's a hard hitting investigative article that comes out that'll confirm all this before crucifying one or the other or both.