There’s an organization called CEOs For Cities that has weighed in heavily on the question of how American cities should address their futures.  According to Carol Coletta, the organization’s president, “Many of our communities are built on outdated assumptions.”

“We thought gas would always be cheap and plentiful, we could always grow our way out of congestion and new sources of labor would always be plentiful.  We assumed Americans were willing to abandon a public life, content to live privately in their ever-expanding suburban homes.”

To no one’s surprise, the Mercury News Editorial Board recently voiced their support for Measure B, the 1/8 cent sales tax designed to help bring BART to San Jose. Among their arguments for the measure was the statement that BART is “a strategy to connect the region’s major cities, universities, airports and other institutions…”

In terms of connecting the universities, I vaguely remembered that the proposed station for San Jose State had been scrapped in an effort to cut costs.

Let me get this straight…San Jose voters are being asked to support Measures J and K under the guise of lowering San Jose’s tax rates?

Please.

“Civic-minded citizens are not simply born, they must be taught and nurtured,” writes Norman Mineta. In an article published on “Constitution Day,” Mr. Mineta—a former San Jose mayor and US Congressman, who also served in the Cabinet under both Bill Clinton and George Bush—laments the decline in civic engagement, and expresses his concern that the public education system needs to do more.

Sacramento Bee Columnist Dan Walters wrote a piece that recently appeared in the Mercury News that voiced support for the governor’s plan to take money from the state’s redevelopment agencies to help close the state’s budget deficit.  The article got the attention of San Jose’s Redevelopment Director, Harry Mavrogenes.  Their debate is instructive.  Here’s a second look at some of their arguments.

City Raises Business License Fee

I received my business tax renewal notice from the San Jose City Finance Department the other day. It seems that the San Jose City Council “adopted” a new Business Tax Administrative Fee of $22, effective July 1, 2008. Small business owners and sole proprietors are now charged a minimum $172 for the privilege of doing business in San Jose. What is interesting about the increase is the explanation printed on the renewal notice. It reads:

Last week, the San Jose City Council voted to demolish the old library building. Did you read about it in the paper? Neither did I. Where will the city move all of the city employees who work in the building? How much will it all cost? This is a story that should have received coverage.

The Mercury News recently published an article drawing attention to the salary [$259,000 in 2007—Editor] of Harry Mavrogenes, the director of San Jose’s Redevelopment Agency (RDA). What should concern San Jose residents more is whether or not the RDA is adequately serving the interests of the people.

The Council Knows What’s Best For You

In an effort to save society and better the community, Councilmembers Campos, Williams, and Chu have taken it upon themselves to try and impose a one-year moratorium on the construction of fast food restaurants in San Jose.  “Obesity is a huge problem within our society and among children,” Campos was quoted as saying.

How do San Jose city services compare to other South Bay cities?

Some Bay Area school districts are making a stronger effort to identify and remove students who are not eligible to enroll in a particular school.  It seems that a number of parents are trying to enroll their kids into better performing schools despite the fact that they live outside of the district or the designated school boundaries.

Your City At Work (Sort Of)

QUESTION:  How many San Jose city employees does it take to remove illegal signs?  ANSWER: Zero—they don’t do this sort of thing.

The California High Speed Rail Authority voted to make San Jose one of the stops on the proposed High Speed Train Line. This November, the citizens of California will have the opportunity to decide whether or not to approve the initial round of funding for the project.  Bonds worth $9.9 billion will be needed to get the project going, with an additional $30 billion required in the future.

The other day, on KLIV Radio, they called Joey “Dumbnut” (not his real name), “The Pride of San Jose.”  Mr. Dumbnut is a former winner of that stupid hot dog eating contest that is held every Fourth of July.  I can’t stand those contests.  I think that they are disgusting, and promote a very bad image for American society.

Councilmember’s Tough Week

In politics, timing is everything.  Some might say that Councilmember Nora Campos picked the wrong time to play politics.

Preservation Question Obscures the Numbers

A lot of attention is being given to the question as to whether or not the old Martin Luther King library building should be recognized as a “historic building.” Almost no attention is being given to the fact that the building currently houses staff members from several city departments.