I wrote an prior blog describing how I felt the initiative process will become the norm for San Jose and that seems to be the case. The threshold to gather signatures is obviously attainable, which can be attributed to the work and funding of organized groups. San Jose has four signature drives completed or in the process of finishing in the last 12 months: medical cannabis collective’s repeal of an ordinance (similar but different); the minimum wage initiative; the soon to be turned in “layoff police for libraries” initiative; and the expansion of card clubs initiative.
Initiatives are part of our democratic process. Items are placed on the ballot for voters to have their say. In my view, nowhere does the limited pool of signatures trump the entire population of San Jose. To be consistent, if and when new initiatives come forward, they should go on the ballot and that group should have the responsibility of running an election campaign. But the initiative process requires a city, county or state to spend money to place an item on the ballot. Lectured guilt should not be used as a way to potentially implement a negative initiative in the future.
Maybe a future initiative bans pit bulls and german shepherds. Maybe a future ballot initiative bans loud motor vehicles. Maybe a future initiative bans certain types of legal business. It could be literally anything a city is allowed to do, so it’s best to be consistent.
Consistency was the principle I shared on the dais concisely, rather than speaking in a repetitive and circular fashion for a long period of time. However, based on the comments from my colleagues, it looks as though the majority of the City Council will be endorsing the minimum wage ballot measure this November.
On a separate note, I am pleased to announce that KB Homes dropped off a check for $1 million dollars to public works on June 1. I wrote about this on my last blog, which covered how lobbyist Jerry Strangis used his “friendly” relationships with certain councilmembers, like Nancy Pyle, to convert land from jobs to housing.
PO,
Your spot on!
Initiatives are part of our democratic process. Items are placed on the ballot for voters to have their say.
Voters need to have their say, loud and clear
No – on Rose
No – Measure B
Yes to Steve Cline.
Steve Kline, actually
Now, can you go over the recall process, Council Member Oliverio. On the horrible chance for San Jose that you are reelected, how long can we wait to recall you?
PO,
Joe Coto’s campaign has placed several illegal campaign signs all over Los Gatos and D9’s freeway off and on ramps. Can you help me out? I’m being very serious. I reported it to Code Enforcement and they are still there. They look disgusting!
Pot met PLO… Pierluigi you have meet the enemy and it is you sir!
The initiative process in California has rendered you and politicians just like you OBSOLETE! You all talk a good game about being “representatives of the people” who elected you and “doing the people’s will,” but that is one fat pant load! You drink your own bathwater and are upset that it tastes just like…??? Your own bathwater!
Aren’t you the same guy who proudly boasts in your campaign literature that YOU authored Measure W to preserve jobs and protect essential city services? Then got a majority of the the Council to agree to put the INITITIVE ON THE BALLOT? You didn’t need a minumum number of petition signatures just a simple majority of like-minded Council Members!
You don’t have the fortitude to lead – you leave the really “big decisions” up to the voters Like Measures V and W and your latest non-achievement: Measure B.
Great job, V and W passed with large majorities – We told you that they were bad ideas, that they were not necessary, that they would kill morale, that the City would layoff anyway and cut services anyway, and that employees would leave for Cities that were paying well and continuing to maintain benefits and pensions AND WE TOLD YOU THE SUM OF ALL THE REASONS NOT TO DO WHAT YOU DID WOULD BE THAT CRIME WOULD RISE AND CITIZENS WOULD BE LESS SAFE!!!
GUESS WHAT? WE WERE RIGHT!
And what do you do? Push Measure B which if passed will be the final nail in this City’s coffin.
What will you do next? You won’t take responsibilty for any of it. Why? Who can say it was Pierluigi or Chuck Reed who passed any of these measures… everyone knows it was the Voters who did it to themselves… you know through the initiative process.
Te initiative process has relieved you politicians of any leadership qualilties you think you possess. You never have to make a decision and never have the “record” you think you have. You don’t do anything execpt run up trial ballons and make sure you know which way the wind is blowing on any given day.
You are all gas bags and empty suits – worse, you are going to get paid and will get a pension with a COLA for all the “nothing” that you do.
PS: Cheap shot at Pyle and Rocha over the KB check. You know all the other “rich developers” in tight with the mayor and developer friendly councilmembers OWE $Xmillions going back how many more years?
At leaste KB paid. When will the others be settling up their past due accounts?