Former San Jose mayor Ron Gonzales has been named as a potential candidate to head the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, a small but highly visible charity that caters to the needs of the local Latino community.
Gonzales had a meteoric rise in Santa Clara County, starting with his selection as the first Latino mayor of Sunnyvale. He later served as a county supervisor and was elected mayor of San Jose with a promise to rebuild the city’s neglected neighborhoods. Seen as a rising star in the local Latino community, Gonzales was tapped as a keynote speaker at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. But all was not well for Gonzales. In the coming years he had a well-publicized romance with an aide and was charged with backroom lobbying. Though Gonzales later married the aide and the charges against him were dismissed, Gonzales left office with his reputation tarnished.
While many in the Latino community were surprised by his nomination for the post, they were also cautiously optimistic. Alberto Carrillo, a deputy on the county’s Human Relations Commission deputy said that “He might be a very good fit for the Hispanic Foundation, but he needs to prove himself again, to reinvent himself in the eyes of the community.” Read More at the Mercury News.
So basically the Merc is saying that he has the job. Who does the hiring for these things? Who’s greasing the skids here?
Maybe this is the first step in order for this “foundation” to get in line for some perks, tax breaks, incentives etc… all at the local taxpayers expense see The Mexican heritage Plaza as example number 1.
It’s scary how entwined politics and charities are.
Good gosh, before you know it, Gonzo will somehow make a grab for several hundred
million dollars of RDA funding and build a foundation headquarters that makes the behemoth City Hall look like an outhouse! History certainly does repeat itself… hang on to your wallets and back up to the nearest wall.
Pero, El Gonzo no habla Espanol.
Here’s a stellar sentence:“Gonzales had a meteoric rise in San Jose, starting with his selection as the first mayor of Sunnyvale.”
His rise IN SAN JOSE was as mayor of Sunnyvale? And he was not THE FIRST mayor of Sunnyvale. For one, Larry Stone preceded him. Perhaps this paragon of journalism meant to say that Gonzo was the first Latino mayor of Sunnyvale. Where’s the copy editor when you need one?
If this guy is selected I will not give a dollar more to this organization, and I know many others who feel the same way.
Why would any foundation want to be associated with someone as tainted as this guy? When he left office under the darkest of clouds there was no indication that he was sorry for a single thing he had done. Hopefully the foundation will leave him where he belongs—far away from this organization.
#4 JMO: Errors corrected. Thank you.
#6 Eric: de nada
OMG. Dont’t let your college age daughters go to work for him as an intern. He is second only to bubby Clinton.
Interesting. Seems Gonzales will likely get this post. Notice that Carmen Sigler, the Hispanic Foundation’s chair, never mentioned the other two candidates also in line for the position. Perhaps one of the other two candidates has the necessary experience needed to run the foundation. We may never know that, however.
Granted this is a private foundation. Still, if one is going to announce an opening for the head of a foundation, either all three candidates should have been announced, or no announcement should have been made at all. Ms. Sigler’s comments suggest the two candidates do not exist at all, and are just there to give the illusion of a competition for the position.
Something stinks about this announcement and how it was made. Clearly worth looking into for those involved in San Jose politics.
When I read the possibility that Gonzalez would be anointed by yet another Alvarado, running for public office of County Supervisor, I got sick to my emotional stomach.
Has the Hispanic community not suffered enough, that now the run for County Supervior will install the likes of our x mayor to a position of caring and embracing community, Here is a JOKE who disgraced his wife Alvina and his children.
They are facing problems in winning the County Supervisory seat. They need Gonzalez with a fresh coat of paint to help in the election of yet another Alvarado. They are trying to clean this guy up. It’s time to end the dynasty, clean out these power brokers. Most Mexicans in the East side did not benefit by 40 years of rule by the Alvarados. MACSA is but the tip of that iceburg. The demise of the MHC is yet another example of how these parasites kill their hosts!
Alfredo Chavez
Gonzales is sleazy and a crook. First, he betrayed his loyal wife, then he betrayed his children. Second, he betrayed the people of San Jose with “under the table” deals. This man has no honor. He needs to go to confession. Plus, I question charities that pay big salaries to management. Charity is an act of love and not an act of personal profit. I am from Panama and I feel embarassed for Mexican Americans that they have a “sinverguenza” to represent them.