A Neighborhood Leader’s Open Letter to Manny Diaz
Last Friday evening, I received a copy of a letter from the Diaz campaign. It was written by Manny Diaz to Sam Liccardo, and it made mention of a letter which was sent to Mr. Diaz by neighborhood leaders throughout District 3. In our letter to Mr. Diaz, we had raised concerns regarding his continuing activity as a lobbyist. Instead of responding to our group, Diaz sent a letter to Sam Liccardo. I have now responded directly to Mr. Diaz with my concerns, and also told him why I have chosen to support Sam Liccardo in the District 3 race.
My letter is as follows:
Dear Mr. Diaz,
When I got home from work tonight, I found that I had received a copy of your “Letter to Sam Liccardo,” and wanted to respond directly to you. I do not know why you were writing to Sam, as the letter you referred to was written by a group of downtown neighborhood community members. I am one of the authors and signers of the letter.
I am disappointed that in these last weeks of the campaign, you feel the need to distort Sam’s history. His family has deep roots (four generations) here in San Jose. I don’t view it as negative that Sam’s family labored for generations so they could provide him a comfortable life growing up. Isn’t that what the “American Dream” is all about? My own grandparents came from the old country as immigrants without a dime, and through their hard work, our family has succeeded. Isn’t opportunity what we want for all families?
As a lifelong Democrat, I was shocked to learn of some of the positions you have taken while working for corporate interests as a lobbyist. I do understand that as a lobbyist, you are a “hired gun” for these corporations, but as the old saying goes, “He who pays the fiddler calls the tune.” Our next District 3 representative needs to be an independent voice.
On a related issue, since you state in your letter you are concerned about the influence of campaign contributions, perhaps you should review the extensive list of special interests who have contributed to your campaigns over the years.
What is most significant to me in deciding who to support in the upcoming election is your past record as an elected official. When you were last in public office, you took actions that have the potential to negatively affect our neighborhood.
One very specific example was your legislation AB935. This legislation was drafted to create a mechanism that permits the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority to levy an assessment on all our homes within a half mile of the new BART stations they plan to build along Santa Clara Street. You did not conduct any public outreach or community meetings to ask us how we, as downtown residents, felt about your proposed legislation, and you did not respond to my request for information.
One of our neighbors later spoke to you, and you stated that a vote would need to be taken prior to the establishment of the “special district.” That was not true. Under your legislation, the VTA can levy the assessment without a vote of affected property owners. Furthermore, after the district is created, neighborhoods would be without the ability to stop this action.
The process by which AB935 was adopted was undemocratic; it excluded the community from providing any meaningful input and you did not respond to your downtown constituency or their valid concerns.
For the above-stated reasons, I have chosen to support Sam Liccardo.
Sincerely,
Beth Shafran-Mukai
Beth Shafran-Mukai is a nine-year resident of downtown San Jose. She is President of the Campus Community Association (the community association representing the Naglee Park Neighborhood), a board member on the University Neighborhoods Coalition, and a member of the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative Project Advisory Committee. In her professional life, Beth works as a human resources manager for a large healthcare organization.
Nice letter Beth. I think you’re preaching to the choir here on SJI.
Congradulations for your effort for Sam Liccardo. I also believe Mr Liccardo will be a positive force in the next 10 or 20 years for good in San Jose. Also, agree that Manny Diaz is a bought and paid for politican who is only interested in himself and his ambitions.
After Manny loses this bid to public office, I wonder what he’ll run for next? We need these perpetual losers to keep a little humor and be the butt of jokes during the election process. Good luck Sal.
#4 After the Nov. 7th election, District 4 may need a candidate. Pherhaps Manny will run?
Apparently, I can’t spell. My apologies
Diaz and Gonzales as professional politicians will get lobbyist or public relation jobs with corporations or developers that need their political contacts to get government contracts, eminent domain private property, planning / public policy decisions or tax subsidies until a new elected office becomes available which includes moving to their next politician career job as they both have previously done
Ask Manny
– When he intends to use AB 935 BART/VTA transit to raise your taxes without your vote?
– Why has be frequently voted to use Eminent Domain to take private property to enrich his political campaign developer contributors
Manny Diaz is a liar and is just looking for an open public office to land a job. Anyone would be better than him but luckily we do have a great candidate and person in Sam Liccardo. I will lose all hope in our citizens and democracy if Manny does win this election. Have you seen him in the debates? He doesn’t even try to come up with a halfway intelligent answer to the questions. It is insulting that he is just relying on the labor/democratic machine and doesn’t give a s**t about what the people think.
Manny Diaz may have hit a new low in campaigning. And we didn’t think it was possible.
Diaz and his consultant, Darren Seaton, both have histories of sleazy campaigning.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/15862102.htm
Can someone scrape up the articles and pictures of Diaz’s Drunk Driving which ended up killing a tree in his new nieghborhood?
If he is so concerned for the young people living in his neighborhood. Could he please turn over the keys to his car?
Bartender from Santana Row
Diaz Chaired Transportation Committee – Drunk Driving – 2002
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/committee/c23/hearing/2002/5-04102002.doc
Aug 22 2003 State Assemblyman Injured in Crash Manny Diaz and another manwere injured after two vehicles collided after one of them ( Diaz) ran a red light
CBS 5 had video under
SJ_Assemblyman_Injured_in_Crash.html
NBC 11 – Controversy coming back to haunt Diaz? After being involved in a traffic accident in August 22 2003, Diaz walked away and was admitted to a local hospital. Police were unable to interview him until the next day, after which Diaz was cited for running a red light
Yep#9, passing out pornography in front of an elementary school is the lowest you can go. I am a teacher myself, and am dumbfounded that the prinicpal at Horace Mann allowed him to do it.
#12, Manny is carrying the water for the teacher’s union.
American Fed. of Teachers Local 6157
http://www.mannydiaz4citycouncil.com/endorsment.html
As for the principal not intervening? Promoting and furthering the teacher union agenda and their purchased political minions is paramount.
We should be careful not to confuse the state teacher’s union with an organization that has the best interests of school children at heart.
What surprises me is that Manny’s ‘materials’ weren’t passed out at a school assembly or placed in the children’s take home folders.
#12,
Adam Escoto has simply settled for the rank of Soldior. The Chavez regime has made it mandetory to follow siut or else.
When they tried to kick Ron Gonzales out of office so it would not effect Cindy’s bid fir mayor, it was strictly stalon politics. Cindy might be saying “I’m here for you” but nothing could be further from the truth. We are talking Mafia politics! 10th largest city in America! Do you think your whinning on this site will make a differance?
With the amount of manure Cindy is spreading, We better understand the differences…
Is it not a crime to distribute porn at a school site? Manny and his sleazeball campaign manager should be arrested and charged.