The action is now largely finished and the captains, the kings and one mayor are ready to depart. It is time to look ahead. What lessons can we learn from the tragedy of Ron Gonzales and this painful era? Some have suggested that it was preordained—we all carry the seeds of our own mistakes and tragedies within us—but the public portions of this episode did not have to be this way.
Much of the arrogance and mendacity of the last eight years could perhaps only have led to this conclusion: censure, indictment, trial. Yet there were other roads to travel. What if we had taken them? What if people had spoken out?
The past years could have seen a continuance of strength on the economic front. We snatched the title “Capitol of Silicon Valley” quite nicely, improved neighborhood services, police, parks, and libraries, and made commitments to controlling growth and the reinforcing of the image of San Jose as a bastion of good government and integrity.
We went wrong in the simplest of ways. We lost our focus on participating in government through pushing and commenting. We were let down fiercely by our leadership—business, labor, professional and political. These groups simply threw away their responsibility to speak out while the most atrocious events were taking place. It was an abdication of honor abetted by an extraction of all backbones. It should not have happened and it must never happen again.
PLZ DA Kennedy. U owe the city. BK Gonzales. NO Plea deal either. Dont let him get off. No more Above the Law for Gonzales.
Maybe this indictment and disgrace will make everyone work extra hard to restore dignity and change in this city!
If, as you say, “It is time to look ahead” then voters need to consider the two candidates to replace Ron for mayor and vote for the one who’s been advocating for change and opposing Ron’s excesses. The other candidate was Ron’s protoge and only called for his removal from office after the indictments were handed down. If we don’t want more of the same, the choice is clear.
…pretty funny agenda for the Council today.
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Agenda/062806Special/062806SCM.pdf
Most people in San Jose looked the other way for fear of being smeared with the ugliest of all accusations, “racist”. The fear of this forces normally sober, honest, level headed people to ignore the signs of corruption and merely hope the problem goes away. This defect gives bad people a great deal of latitude to operate in ways that would never be tolerated in others while simutaneously smearing the image of good people in their own communities.
This is a prime example of why we must move away from race based politics. Corruption in one community is just as bad as in any other and therefore affects us all.
Willie Brown, Ron Gonzalez, Norm Mineta and Manny Diaz are all politicians whose very existence is based their ability to manipulate race no matter how corrupt they may be.
The older baby boomers seem to be obsessed with race. They never seem to consider that we all pay the price for voting by guilt instead of competence.
If we can get Ronny G out. I say we replace him with Bill Chew the roller staking super hero of downtown!
#4. The best part is Rick Doyle’s attached memo outlining what the council can and cannot do to punish Gonzo.
I liked the item that says the Mayor must conduct meetings, but the council can re-assign his seating. What the memo DOESN’T say is if the Mayor’s chair actually has to be inside the council chambers. Think of the possibilities!!!
Why not put him in the broom closet, on the roof or in the middle of Santa Clara Street? I’m sure the video conferencing people could work something out.
5 – You can’t be serious about putting Mineta in with the likes of Gonzales and Diaz. Mineta may have his faults but he is not even close to the ethically challenged Gonzales and Diaz. I’ll let SFers weigh in on Brown.
Wow! Ken (#5) writes a damning condemnation of “POLITICAL CORRECTNESS” that is about time in coming!
Take a look at the USMC, the Navy, the Air Force and the Coast Guard and you will see that racism can go by the boards without the problems of PC!
Yes, the political problems here in San Jose are caused by the guilt that the Liberals and Progressives forced on us …
ANTI_PC
When the position of council member or mayor stops being about the people, then these things happen. Last night, in Santa Clara, Jamie Matthews made the comment that “we have our unique Santa Clara ways>’ when he opposed looking at something San Jose actually does right, community planning. I say no city has uts own unique ways about doing anything different from good government.
#5
I guess you can say Norm Mineta got his start in politics because of race. Most of the voters in San Jose thought Mineta was an Italian name.
Great Editorial by Mercury News:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/14919256.htm
The meeting has begun and it can be webcast.
The Mayor is framing this as a fight for his family’s name. His father was a great man and no one can take away the positive things this Mayor has done.
However, I conclude with the Mercury News that it is not about guilt or innocence—and let me be clear, I believe the Mayor will be vidicated of criminal charges.
It is about what is best for the City. Though unfair, it would be wise for the Mayor to resign for the sake of the City.
If he does—when he is vindicated—he will be able to, rightfully, claim he did the unselfish thing for the City—despite the injustice and despite what was in his own personal interest.
Thanks for nothing, Rich. He ain’t gonna resign. He’s not put together that way—he’d rather bring the City down with him.
As I live and do most of my consulting practice in Santa Clara, I wondered whether I should witness the drama that was unfolding today at the San Jose City Council Chambers, which is located in the vast modernist building that is filled with such grand architecture of metropolitan greatness.
Well I decided, after selecting my turnips for dinner and putting aside my french bread, that I would get into my donkey cart and travel from the Mission City and visit the country’s 10th largest city.
I arrived at 1:28 and witnessed a bunch of struggling political surgeons discuss what to do with the Office of the Mayor of San Jose.
Linda Lezotte was actually questioning whether it was a good idea to let Ron out of the city, and shouldn’t they act fast to keep him home.
It is amazing that Santa Clara, once though as the political bizarro land of urban politics in the Bay Area, actually looks good when you observe this process.
Today, the City Council will likely decide:
a. Ron is only entitled to styrofoam cups and no City of San Jose coffee mugs;
b. Ron has to use BIC pens purchased at the convenience store;
c. Ron must go to bed today without his supper, and also must read San Jose Inside five times a day;
d. Ron must go skating with Bill Chew, and he must listen to Rich Robinson give his Bobby Kennedy imitiation;
e. Ron has to wear one of Chuck’s ties that he used to wear before the flag tie;
f. Ron must shelve books at the MLK Library during the hours of 12 and 1 pm.
It is amazing. I know Ron should resign, and I know that Chuck and Cindy are trying to work together, but this hour by hour debate about whether, as Linda Lezotte says, “he has to fund his Mayor’s office himself.”
For once, I am back supporting Ron on something. To tell interns and some college students, “sorry we cannot get rid of Ron, but we can stop his magazine subscriptions,” tells me that this process does not belong at the City Council. It is not fair to them, and it is not fair to the people of San Jose.
To play chess with some young staffers careers because Joe Guerra and Ron Gonzales are too arrogant, is wrong.
Today the 10th largest city had its own political Katrina, and we all got left behind.
This would be resolved, pending the criminal trial, if Gonzales really cared about the city, his staff, and his family. Since he cares more about himself he will not step down.
He is an embarrassment to the city of SJ and should not be representing the city at official events. All official trappings should be taken from him.
There is no comparison to what is happening in San Jose today and what happens in Santa Clara, but thanks for sharing 14.
San Jose has long beleived we had better and more ethical government than other cities but the Gonzales – Guerra administration scandals years clearly show we do NOT
A few of you foolishly want a Strong Mayor government – Gonzales – Guerra administration shows what happens when you concentrate power rather than have a balanced City Council / City Manager government
Mayor and his staff constantly violated city charter section 411 – Interference With Administrative Matters – neither the Council nor the Mayor shall give orders to any subordinate officer or employee, either publicly or privately
No matter who you support for Mayor remember they could lose and your worst nightmare could become Mayor in the future Everyone should support changes in laws and procedures to insure good government and should start with city charter change to have City Council nominate and approve City Manager not Mayor
I KEEP HEARING THAT GONZO GOT NOTHING FOR HIS HIS PRIVATELY HELPING THE NORCAL GARGAGE COMPANY SO THERE IS NO BRIBERY. HE DID GET SOMETHING. THE UNIONS PROMISE WHETHER SPOKEN OR UNDERSTOOND THAT HE WOULD HAVE THEIR FUTURE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE AND MONEY FOR HIS POLITICAL CAREER, NOW GONE. THAT’S WORTH A LOT TO HIM. IT’S TIME TO END THE UNION’S HOLD ON CITY COUNCIL AND HAVE CITY FUNDED ELECTIONS WITH SMALL LIMITS AND FREE TV CONVERAGE ON CABLE FOR DEBATES WEEKLY. THEN THE PEOPLE OF SAN JOSE WILL ACTUALLY KNOW WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE VOTING FOR IN AN ELECTION.
#18 Dan
Right on, you tell him!
23 – It is usually best to remain silent when you don’t know what you are talking about. You have woven a few shreds of fact into a blanket of generally inaccurate information. As I said before, Norm may have his faults, but being a champion of transportation is not one them. Did he “cure” every transportation ill that ails us? Of course not. Did he do his part to assist over the past 30+ years? You bet he did.
Perhaps your true feelings are showing when you criticize him for talking about his Internment experience. Sure he mentions it often, but few of us have had to endure what he and family went through at the hands of our government. The experience shaped the rest of his life. Maybe, when you decide to pursue facts over hyperbole, you will understand the impact something like this can have on somebody.
Geeze, after all of the sound & fury the only real punishment the council gave Gonzo was a cut in his office supply budget?
Wow…THAT’LL show him!!! When he’s sitting there with an empty stapler Gonzo is sure to see the error of his ways.
#18 “Think of his quick and proper actions on 9/11.”
You betcha.
Thanks to Norm’s quick actions, the airlines were heavily fined immediately after 9/11 for applying extra screening measures for passengers that fit the profile of the hijackers.
Nevermind that 3000 people died and flight attendants had their throats slashed. Our man Norm had to move quickly to ensure that Arab feelings weren’t hurt by targeted, extra airline security checks.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot9104.htm
No amount of laws will turn an unethical person into an ethical person. They’ll just hire consultants and lawyers to coach them on how to get around the new laws.
We need to elect ethical people and make sure they have ethical staffs.
We do however apparently need an enforcement mechanism in the city charter to take care of unethical mayors/councilmembers/staffers.
Why is it, some of you make some good cases against people like Cindy Chavez or even Norm M., but then you go and spoil it all by saying some stupid sexist or raceist comment.
talk about saying something stupid (again for this guy) Forrest Williams was quoted in the Murky News as having said the following re Gonzo:“In 1933 the city of San Jose rushed and hanged two men in St. James Park. We don’t want to continue that legacy”.
Jeez, what planet does he live on?
Why was Gonzo even allowed to vote on the issue of what to do about him? That’s akin to giving the accused a right to vote with the jury.
Yes I stand by what I said in #5 regarding Norm Mineta. Norm has made ALL his political progress based on race and the misplaced guilt of the majority race. This has allowed Norm to get away with a lot of stuff that others would not get away with.
Going backwards, SJC was renamed Mineta International because Norm FINALLY achieved some much needed funding for SJC, then once the airport was renamed for him most of the money was recinded.
Norm has been a huge backer for transportation issues like the big dig etc. yet has done practically nothing for S.J., case in point, San Jose was named as having THE worst roads in the state although Norm has been chair of many transportation commitees as well as his federally funded “think tank” residing at SJSU. He was also the head of the Dept. of Transportation and what have we recieved from such a tremendous man, BUPKIS. He gets a salary from HIS think tank that he and his friends funded for favors he did for THEM.
Everytime Norm is questioned about his actions he begins to cry about his childhood and how his baseball bat was taken from him and the guilt ridden baby boomers completly fold.
“The” worst roads in the state and a terrible airport to boot. And not a mention of this in the press.
#30. JMoC. Good point. This seems like a clear conflict of interest. I also thought it was improper for Gonzales to conduct the meeting as he was the sole subject of the meeting. He should have turned the gavel over to the Vice Mayor. Then again, I guess it’s a little late to worry about Gonzales doing what’s right.
Mal#31—good point re Gonzo conducting the meeting. An ethical person would have recused himself and handed the gavel to the vice-mayor.
One would think that a good lawyer like Alan Ruby would have schooled Gonzo on the proper etiquette…ah, but maybe his schooling was to keep denying and don’t hand over the gavel, since it might be construed as an admission of guilt.
But the spineless council keeps on keepin’ on, apparently still intimidated by a bleeding mayor. A motion should have been made to take the gavel away from Gonzo. The worst that could have happened would be some ignorant/incomprehensible statement from Forrest Williams in response.
#10 James. It is apparant that you are at odds with the Santa Clara City Council based on your remarks. Many of us are not tuned in to the inner workings of that council however, it is not an illegal act for a Council Member to publicly comment on his/her opinions about issues. The Council Member is being open about his opinions. They may not be to your liking but they are legal. The Mayor of San Jose’s actions have been accused by court authorities to be illegal. I think you have a professional interest in the actions of the Santa Clara Council so therefore you make your observations about a couple of their Council Members. If the Santa Clara citizens (voters) agree with you they will be able to voice their opinion with the ballot. Meanwhile, I think most of us San Jose Residents would like to exchange utility bills including water and electric with Santa Clara’s. James, be sure your interest is as a voter not a professional consultant.
The sad moral of this whole tale—and its inspiring lesson—is that we can’t delegate politcal decisionmaking to our local institutions. There’s an unholy alliance of big business, big labor, and big government that together conspired to abet—if not create—an ecosystem of corruption and wanton public spending. We’ve had a bunch of C-level managers in charge of A-level budgets and guess what? They blew it. Let’s get some A-level talent in the game and send guardino, dando, gonzo, and SBLC packing. These guys are overmatched.
Native San Josean
Actually I am one, too. Believe it or not, I heard on tape a mayor of the Mission City say some comments were not proper.
But, more relevant, and to the point, the San Jose City Council cannot fire Ron.
I do not support Ron. I support the charter of that city to the Borth. The one that has Reed on it, and I give Chuck some credit. He does not want investigations over his basketball team in the Rec program.
When I tried to visit the city’s webpage at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/ this evening using Firefox, I got an error message that pretty much sums up how I feel about the current city administration – “The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed.”
Ken #5 You sure went way overboard on your race remarks. We need someone at the helm of the city with the judgement and discipline of Norm Mineta. Think of his quick and proper actions on 9/11. A Democrat serving in two cabinets and one of them during a Republican administration. Race doesn’t really play a role anymore. What does play a role is bigotry and overt racism. Ron’s failures are not because of his Hispanic background. His failures are because of his own poor judgement.
We have a choice in how San Jose will fair through all this. We can write new laws that may help, we can vote in protest like ABC, you chose what C stands for, and we can blame others. The one thing I hope we do is learn from our mistakes. More citizens need to take part in the process. When the council and mayor leave us out of the process we need to stand up and speak out. This is our city and we have a choice to make of it what we wish. It would be such a waste to go through all this and not be better off for it.
Jimmy Olsen #26, no Norm has not done his part. What major city in the U.S. has such crapy airport, roads, rail transportation etc. The city and county via bond measures have funded most of it. I have compared our city to many others and we have come up quite short.
I know many former internees and have had some as family. I’ve been told of and have seen in their eyes the pain it has caused. However, not one of them has blungened anyone over the head with it as a way to manipulate them as Norm has.
You Jimmy Olsen and others come right out of the gate implying racism. None has been spoken nor implied with the caviat of those using it to shut down debate over issues they may feel tremendous guilt about. Now it’s your turn Jimmy Olsen to bring facts to the table. I say Norm has been useless to San Jose. We recieved nothing we would not have gotten anyway. Oh yeah, why don’t you bring up his resignation from the house mid term which got a Republican elected in his place. Poor Normy.