Chronic Concerns of Housing Costs, Traffic and Worker Visas Disappear
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s annual Business Climate Survey was released yesterday with scandals surprisingly topping the list of valley CEO’s greatest worries.
In what some in the media have termed “The Year of the Philistine,” several chronic concerns such as housing costs, traffic congestion, worker visas and healthcare coverage have been replaced with anxiety over the safety of their daughters attending parties at local community colleges and the fear of getting ensnarled in a stock backdating scandal.
In its fourth year, the policy advocacy group timed the release of its report with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s visit to a members-only gathering in order to “have the greatest impact on the national debate,” according to the group’s president, Carl Guardino.
But skeptics say that without the bigger universal issues that have appeared in previous years, the chances of getting play on any presidential platform would be negligible.
“We can’t very much say that one of our major concerns is the safety of Delta and Dawn” (#4 on the list), said an executive speaking on the promise of anonymity, “and then ask for federal funding for BART?”
“There has really been some sort of sea change,” said co-chair of Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network and County Supervisor Liz Kniss. “No one seems to care about the greater good anymore.”
The top ten concerns on the annual Business Climate Survey were:
1. DeAnza athletes
2. Backdating
3. Off-the-books partnerships
4. Delta and Dawn’s whereabouts
5. Personal vineyard’s annual yield
6. Tesla availability
7. Confusing accounting regulations
8. Updating shredder to industrial wood chipper
9. Euro vs. Dollar
10. Blackberry outages
Speaking of Philistines as John McEnery IV did so ably above, check out the discovery of Reed’s seriatim consultant contracts with Ajlouny on your dime in the Mercury News today:
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6035610
What the Mercury News failed to report is that this is an old practice with the Reed/Ajlouny odd couple. Back in the day, the treasury that was tapped for small contracts that were extended was the Berryessa Union School Board.
Presumably limiting the contract size to $39K per agreement avoids stricter scrutiny that would occur were the amount $40K or greater. But the extensions just keep on coming.
Let’s see. We now know that Reed violates solumn oaths at will notwithstanding his Reed Reforms. We now know that Reed meets with developers in secret, continuing a prior activity, notwithstanding his Reed Reforms. And today we find that his pattern and practice of gifting Ajlouny with secretive consulting agreements is ongoing, nothwithstanding his Reed Reforms.
The wonders of openness, honesty, and transparency.
How’s it working for you?
#1 It isn’t working for me.
I told you so!
I am no fan of Reed, not by a long shot, he is creatively bankrupt, but things would be way worse with Cindy in charge making calls to her hero Gonzo for advice. No thanks. We need to sweep out the rest of the Council drones and get some people in there who can awaken this town’s government from the deep sleep state that Reed will have it in over the next 3.5 years. I am NOT saying that Reed is better than Cindy. He is just the lesser of the two evils, which is sadly too often the case with our voting options on local, state and national levels. Wake me up when it’s time to vote this town out of its governmental coma.
Reality Check – You’re back! Where have you been? We’ve missed you…
As disappointing some of Reed’s actions have been, one can only imagine how much worse it would have been under a Chavez administration.
Reed, and those of us who were hopeful for a change in direction at city hall, have set very high standards. Any deviation from those is disappointing. It’s not much solace to know it could be worse, but I was hopeful for so much more.
Phaedra: I’m having trouble getting support for my agenda, can you help me?
Chuck: Well, it’s just that most San Joseans don’t like you.
Phaedra: What?
Chuck: They don’t like you.
Phaedra: Really?
Chuck: Yes.
Phaedra: They said that?
Chuck: Yes.
Phaedra: What were their exact words?
Chuck: “We don’t like her!”
It is amazing that we hear nothing in support of Reed, but then again there should be no support of his actions. Tsk, tsk to all those who continue to blindly support the unethical and dishonest Reed administration.
What is also amazing is how this blog made sure to have the candidates for District 6 post before that election, and not one offer to either of the D4 candidates?
Then again we do know that Lien wouldn’t be writing her own post anyway, and one view of any of the video of the forums tells the voters what they need to know.
Hhhmmmm: Chuckie charges personal charitable contributions to the city FOR YEARS! He gets caught, and states he didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. WHAT!!!. He pays back, according to the Murky News today, $39,250…or so.
He gives Vic A. a consulting contract, unheard of in city gubmint according to Jude Barry, for $39,000. A mere coincidence with the amount???? Hhhmmm.
Add to it that contracts under $40k are not scrutinized by staff or whomever, and I see a HUGE ethical blindspot in Chuckie’s vision.
I’m getting disillusioned real damn fast. Is it too late to ask for my campaign contribution back, Chuckie?
Chuckie, the appearance of impropriety is HUGE. Time for a continuing legal education class in ethics, methinks, and much more than the measely couple of hours required by the state bar.
And Vic, you do NOT have unfettered use of your free time once you get on the public payroll. It’s crystal clear to me, if not to you, that you have a conflict of interest in working for Chuckie and for Hon Lien’s campaign. And besides, you’re not doing a very good job for Hon Lien. I’ve seen some MPEGS of her campaign appearances. She’s as dumb as a box of rocks. Well, it’s probably not your fault. After all, you can’t send ducks to eagle school. If it’s any consolation, her opponent is no Einstein either.
#7, How long have you been a union member? Can you say, “Phaedra?” By the way, what’s Cindy doing these days?
#10, I’ve been a union member since the collapse of the Soviet Union, I’m a Russian immigrant. Not only can I say “Phaedra”, I can kiss her sweet a**. Cindy is chillin’.
Without a doubt, the best grilled cheese sandwiches are made with cheddar.
Tsk, Tsk JMOC…..Chu has a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Cal State Northridge and he has clearly demonstrated that he knows the district inside and out.
You are correct to want your money back from Chuckie, and if the rumors are correct we will be reading a whole lot more about ethically challenged Chuckie and those he rewards with “consulting contracts” paid by city tax payers.
#7 Do San Jose City union and bargaining unit members pay a living wage to the folks that:
—care for their yard?
—tend to their elder parents?
—harvest the fresh fruits and vegitables they put on their table?
—wash and service their cars?
—serve their fast food?
—and other services that make live so good?
Curious.
#15, #13, – If you two are implying we’re lazy and a bunch of hypocrites, you’re right. I’ll admit I’m a moron. My brother-in-law got me a job in the maintenance department. I’ve got union pay, benefits and retirement. Where do you suggest people like me go?
Robert,
Congratulations! I just hope you’re not on the Parks & Rec. crew, using one of those shovels that stands up by itself.
#1, 2, 3, A one person dialog?
#16 You are anything but a moron and have a wonderful sense of humor and wit.
Moron in the mintenance department stay there you are over quailified for most city jobs especailly elected ones.
I’m sorry # 14, I don’t care if he has a PhD from MIT; I’ve seen a few posted excerpts of the forums and he just doesn’t cut it. And please tell me what a Masterss in EE has to do with anything other than EE. All three of my former fathers-in-law (Yes, three) were engineers, and I wouldn’t have voted for them for dog catcher, though I liked and respected them all. I know dozens of engineers who are great engineers, but don’t have sense enough to come in from a hailstorm. If I lived in District 4, I’d have voted for None of The Above based on the clips from candidate forums that were posted.
I hope I’m wrong in my assessment. We don’t need another Forest Williams or Nora Campos on the council. Wasn’t Forest an engineer, or something, for IBM? No Mensa candidate there, either.
Reed is worse than whom? Gonzales? What U Smokin?