Charles “Chappie” Jones should fill San Jose’s District 1 City Council seat, and not just because he isn’t Paul Fong.
Jones, a 54-year-old sales and marketing executive, balances the right combination of socially liberal leanings with fiscally moderate policies. He also has a fair amount of experience, having sat on a variety of city boards and committees, including serving as president of his Murdock Neighborhood Association. He has a real connection to his community, something that is decidedly lacking in Fong.
Fong’s interest in serving on the council has come across as disingenuous. His real interest appears to be extending his political career and serving his masters on the South Bay Labor Council. He terms out of the State Assembly at the end of this year, and his record has been cloaked under the veil of a substantial conflict of interest. Since he first won a seat in the Assembly in 2008, Fong has owed $100,000 to political consultant/lobbyist Richie Ross. Rather than settle the tab, Fong went on to side with Ross on every bill he lobbied on during the last six years.
Fong, who’s little more than a puppet for special interests, refuses interviews and says little of interest in public forums. Jones is worth taking a gamble on. He has the interpersonal skills to come to reasonable, balanced positions for the benefit of San Jose.
Of the 5 people on the Cupertino City Council only Gilbert Wong is endorsing Fong. Surprisingly Kansen Chu is not endorsing Fong. That’s the interesting thing. The people that you would expect to support Jones are supporting Jones, but people that you would expect to support Fong aren’t.
The nuts on the Cupertino City Council? Really? Josh, please post my blog.
I have a lot of respect for Chappie for running for the right reasons – to serve. He has a wealth of experience from working in the private sector and in various community and volunteer positions. He has proven himself a leader in District 1 and has served in several positions in the past 5 years I have known him. He is smart, thoughtful, kind and funny. He can tend to be a bit of an introvert but I wouldn’t count that against him! I’d take smart, kind, level-headed, not in the pockets of special interests and introverted any day vs. someone who just needs a paycheck until his next political position becomes available. I am amazed that people can’t see what Fong is all about!
another lousy endorsement, you guy really are the Mercky news clones.
Well done
You honestly think Fong is qualified? I mean the guy is high half the time.
I guess I have to go with Julie.
Among the endorsements for Christine Koltermann, who is a big backer of Chris “Shove them Not Love them” Stampolis, is
CA State Assemblymember Paul Fong
I guess Chappie deserves a shot as a neighborhood leader. I am surprised that Fong would back a Charter Schools backed candidate, Koltermann. But understand some things. Jones is working in the community while Fong has yet to find a community, sunnyvale, cupertino, san jose. Gosh, get him a mobile home. Backing Koltermann and nutso Stampolis is really a deal breaker. But we also have learned that Jude Barry, who seems to working undercover in the Santa Clara City Council races, is a big backer of Koltermann and charter schools.
At least Ajlouny, the consultant for Jones, is honest about his affiliations, so I have to give the nod to Chappie.
“holding school administrators accountable” is the message Fong backed candidate, Koltermann, said about her buddy, and Fong’s friend, Stampolis.
Yeah, Chris holds storage clerks and principals accountable.
At least Chappie is a man of action and few words.
Another reason to go for Chappie, Paul Fong endorsed Chris Stampolis in 2012. Wow, Paul, you could have least given Chris a bottle of fish oil to calm down. Not shark oil from shark tails
This is one of your few endorsements with which I whole heartedly agree.
I have had the opportunity to get to know Chappie over the past 6 years as a leader in the community. I served with Chappie on the Neighborhoods Commission as a District 1 representative and watched as he drafted the first meaningful document to come out of that commission. Chappie was able to get consensus from nearly every member. That document was our recommendation supporting budget reform. Chappie pulls people together and solidifies the message.
There are 100,000 reasons to not vote for Paul Fong. It’s quite literally true! The METRO reported that Fong owes a Sacramento lobbyist (who served as his campaign chair) $100K.
As for Chappie…the guy is smart as hell, and dedicated to W. San Jose neighborhoods.
He has a degree in economics…maybe he can teach the rest of the council about the principles of economics!