OK, we all agree that the 2006 local election was the most important political event of the year. But after that, none of us can agree on anything in the “top,” “best” or “worst” categories. We even asked our larger-than-life friend and bar buddy Bill Brasky what he thought, but we can’t print anything he said. So here are a few events and people that got our attention. What do you say?
Chuck Reed
Overwhelmingly elected by citizens in revolt.
The Indictment
Fasten your seatbelts!
Firing of Del Borgsdorf
Small hands ultimately doomed the city manager.
Nora Campos and the Case of the Stolen Briefcase
Visitors should check that they have their wallets before leaving her office.
That pretty much sums it up. I think that the mayoral election was about the best thing that could have happened in San Jose. That, and the defeat of the June Measure A sales tax increase.
Bests:
1-The end of the Gonzo era while a good guy (Reed) finishes first in the mayorial election.
2-SJSU wins the New Mexico Bowl.
3-David Pandori educates San Joseans about the importance of smater growth and having a plan for our future.
4-District 3 is smart enough to elect Sam Licardo.
5-Two judges rule against Lowes’ attempt to destroy our historic landmark, IBM’s building#25.
Worst:
1-Gonzogate
2-Compos-Pyle charges against Cortese.
3-Reed’s “Chucky Cheepskate” expense account.
4-Cindy Chavez’s performance at the debate in the California Theater.
5-Citizens who say they voted for Mike Mulcahy because they thought he looked like Gavin Newsom.
6-Lowes Hardware tries to demolish a San Jose, California and National Landmark while being a sponsor of Restore America on the Home and Garden Channel and carrying a line of “preservation” products.
We forgot the biggest non story of the year. The 49ers playing the City of Santa Clara for chumps, and our city leadership proclaiming we are ready for the Super Bowl, with three major hotels.
James Rowen
http://www.missioncitylantern.blogspot.com
I feel like even though we got rid of Ronny G he will haunt us for years!!!!!!!
I hope 2007 is the year that the City of San Jose can come up with a solution for growth in Coyote Valley. With all the buzz in the Valley about alternative energy, it seems to me that Coyote is the last best place to locate a Center for Alternative Energy. Let’s form a private-public partnership much like UC Irvine and bring together the likes of John Doerr, Vinod Khosla, John Sobrato, Carl Berg, John Arrillaga and others from leading companies to make this happen. Coyote is an idyllic location for world-class collaboration nestled among the foothills in Santa Clara County—-home of last century’s silicon revolution. If we can just imagine the possibilities and embrace change, Coyote could require green building standards and employ technology developed at the Center. The 21st Century will see quantum leaps in the advancement of biofuels and wind, sun and water powered energy solutions. Nanosolar’s decision to locate in South San Jose is just one of the many exciting Alternative Energy stories unfolding right here in San Jose. A Center for Alternative Energy in Coyote would create more jobs and make sure that San Jose stays competitive in an ever changing world economy.
Is it the last embarassment of the year? Two of Gonzales’ former aides, Arreola and Kali-Rai were charged today with multiple felonies today.
The Gonzales legacy is one of conspiracy, perjury and grand theft charges.
The charges against these men who worked for Gonzo are long overdue. Hopefully, they will find out more about how Gonzo was involved with these two. What was this bonus they recieved for finding affordable housing from the city? I would love to hear more about that and what it was and if there have been anymore of these to anyone else.
San Jose inside do some investigating on this.
The top story has to be the Reed election. This was an absolute overthrow of the Gonzo administration and his successor Chavez, a mandate for ethics and accountable government, that will change the direction of the future of San Jose – in a positive direction I might add.
It’s time to start looking forward.
The most important local political story of 2007:
Ron Gone.
The best thing to happen this year was the message sent to the South Bay Labor Council – the voters spoke LOUD and CLEAR!
Pete Constant delivered the first part of the message with a stunning, bone crushing defeat of SBLC’s loyal minion, Jay James. With the highest margin of victory (65% of the vote), Pete showed that a good candidate can win against money, high profile endorsements, etc.
Then came Sam Liccardo’s impressive part of the message, with 60% of downtown residents yelling, “No more” to Mannhy Diaz, another labor favorite. This race was a no brainer – if Manny had won agianst the extremely more qualified Sam, it would have been a sad day for the american voting system.
What shouldn’t be overlooked is the clear loss suffered by SBLC’s newest protege, Clark Williams who failed to make the run off in the D6 primary election last month.
Of course, the biggest and strongest message was delivered by Chuck Reed himself! The voters of San Jose delivered a clear mandate – – San Jose has got to change. No more business as usual.
This new political reform machine of Chuck, Pete and Sam is already hard at work. In fact those of us at city hall have seen Pete working here for over 5 months already.
The voters of San Jose should make a new years resolution worth keeping: Let’s continue to speak loud and clear in the D6 & D4 elections in March!
What a year! I’ve lived here all my life (60+ years) and it was quite an exercise every morning for me to scan the SJ Mercury News for the local political events. Never did I think I’d see this happen in San Jose.
Just when I was getting to feel comfortable telling people where I was from when Ron Gonzales decided to go postal on all of us. Shame on you Ron! Thought you had better training.
Thank God for Sam Liccardo joining the Council ranks. Can hardly wait to vote for him as a future Mayor of SJ!
It will be interesting to see how the SCCDP behaves in future mayoral elections.
If this mayor, a registered Democrat, restores public trust, balances the budget and gains increasing respect from and for San Jose, I wonder how the local Democratic Party will respond?
Will it throw its support behind him if he chooses to run for a second term? Will it lay low and save money? Or will it run one of its “home grown labor-first” hopefuls again?
This last election left me with the impression that the SCCDP cares more about its agenda and itself than the good of the city. I hope this is not true.
Any thoughts?
Wait a minute… let me get this straight…
Are you saying that Bill Clinton, George Soros and the democrat machine care more about big labor, big money, and power than it’s constituents?
My world has just been rocked to the core.
And all this time I thought the democrat machine was about “We shall overcome” and spotted owls.
Well I for one and not going to stand by and let this happen without a fight.
I’m dialing the Mercury News this… er.. what’s that? The mainstream news media is nothing but the PR arm of the democrat machine?
Aw that just tears it!