Rarely in recent San Jose history has such a tiny tempest been stirred up in this diminutive a teacup. When Mayor Chuck Reed announced that he was going to charge a modest $20 fee for attending this year’s State of the City address—instead of having Jerry Strangis and the assorted lobbyists and other hangers on that populate the corridors of City Hall pay the fare—there was a hushed silence.
That space has been filled with some amazing prattle, questioning whether the working people of the city are able to afford a ticket, whether a caste system will be created if some are not able to eat as well as listen, and if the morning event will be difficult for some in the city to fit into their schedule. Of such things are the day’s news and what passes for council discussion made.
For many years, the Unity Breakfast was a staple of the city’s municipal life. All seemed to enjoy it, even if they had to listen to me. Citizens were honored; goals were set. My successor changed the format to get additional media time on the evening news—fair enough. Some, who believed the yearly breakfast was part of a new San Jose tradition, were disappointed; most just shrugged and still attended in the evening.
I hope that the event goes off well. Reed’s swearing in was quite stylish and more than a bit eloquent in its theme and simplicity. This breakfast speech will probably be the same.
We all know the bar is set very low in many respects. After all, how can you do worse than a Ron Gonzales PowerPoint presentation? Yet, the new mayor seems to inherently realize what his few critics do not: namely, the business of restoring confidence to City Hall is the first order of things, and that takes working day in and day out.
I think morning is easier for many to work around than the evening. The inclusiveness of this breakfast will be the real theme of Mayor Reed’s first State of the City address, and the 2,000 attendees will surely relish the event and feel good about our city, as most of us always do. Ham and eggs will be on the menu, along with, I am sure, a strong dose of hope and integrity. It will be a feast that we have not had for a long time.
Keeping the discussion away from the state prison that Victor Ajoluny is working on, Tom, and you promised you would talk about it.,
Reed advisors stumble, McEnery changes the subject.
Read about the state prison at
http://www.missioncitylantern.blogspot.com
Here is where you talk about breakfast, there we talk about bad development ideas for North San Jose.
Hmm, Chuck is 0-2 right now in North San Jose.
James – Well, you sure stay on message. Don’t count the prison a “done deal” quite yet. If you are really worried about it, I would be very surprised if it actually happens. TMcE
2 – Keep yappin’ away, even if you don’t know what you are talking about. Mayor Reed made it very clear on the evening news that the prison is a bad idea and he doesn’t support it. I realize that may not be clear enough for you, but that’s the way it is.
While people of this blog gloat about how things are being “righted” now at city hall, Pete Constant’s performance last night on Channel 26 was unfortunately “more of the same”. With Sam Liccardo’s help, he relentlessly attacked city staff (and in passing the Santa Clara Valley Water District) for trying to bring Barry Swenson’s housing project in District 1 into conformance with the general plan. The GP allows 13 units, and Barry, represented by his distinguished lobbyist Eric Schoennauer, starting with 24 units but “compromising” to 19 units, wanted an exemption to the Riparian Corridor policy as well as the residential design guidelines to jam his 3-story houses onto this site. Hats off to Cortese, Williams, and Chirco for trying to draw Constant back from the edge. No cigar for Mayor Reed however, who tried to broker a deal in the middle of the discussion to give Barry what he wanted. Without an adequate majority, the project got delayed three weeks, but will probably be approved given Mayor Reed’s inclination to help out Constant.
Constant’s naivety about city policy and refusal to consider seriously the policy work that preceded him speaks much about his future role on the Council. And the fact that he was just elected, and the project was coming from one of San Jose’s premier contributors to political campaigns was pretty ugly. And what was Liccardo thinking?
Hey, Tom
Chuck can oppose anything he wants, and you can avoid discussing it. But, even though a Reed rumdum, getting his pint bottle after posting, denies it,
THERE ARE THREE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT GOT CALLS FROM VICTOR AJOLUNY, THE REAL MAYOR OF SAN JOSE, AND ASKED TO SUPPORT THE PRISON!!!
Any, reply, Tom?
Were you one of them??
Victor, whom you avoid talking about, Tom, made the deal for the prison, and Chuck is just trying to back out.
San Jose is getting a prison, and Santa Clara just got a football team.
Where should business go, Tom?
Victorville??
Notice that Hon Lien has already decided not to comment on a prison in her district.
Hon Lien favors the prison, because Victor told her to.
Looks like Rowen is worried about his place of residence -Agnews.
Don’t worry Rowen, they will keep a room there for you when the prison is built.
But I think it is time they took the internet access away from you guys at Agnews.
Tom –
I thought Council Woman Campos’ comment about the timing – that it would prevent ordinary people from attending due to the time – was a good point. Could this be something our new mayor could move to, say, a weekend day, to allow ordinary citizens who want to attend, but have to work, the opportunity to do so?
Mr. Rowen – What is your beef with the issue around the Jail? I do not support it either, but I also believe our elected leaders will do all they can to oppose it. And why do you come out attacking the Mayor, without giving him the chance to take a stand?
Nora’s argument about the breakfast rings hollow. Where has she been when issue after issue comes before the Council in the afternoon when working people can’t attend to discuss it? I’m sorry, but this coming from the woman who tried to sabotage Cortese, makes her comments not worth much. Is this is the best she can do to make her stand against the current mayor? And lets not fool ourselves, these events are nice little shows but they are hardly worth rearranging your schedule for to attend. If any news comes out of the event it will be in paper, TV, or here.
Kudos to Chuck for bringing back the Unity Breakfast – it was always a festive occasion with lots of mingling and table hopping in addition to the formal program. I still have some souvenir mugs to remind me of these upbeat community events.
I want to point out that $20 doesn’t seem like much, but for many working class residents who don’t spend $6 a day on breakfast, $20 is a lot for a Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast.
Allowing a miniscule amount of seats (300) to those not choosing to have Breakfast and seating them in the back of the room like second class citizens, is not inclusive.
Also, having the event in the morning is not condusive to inclusivity. Many people do not have the option of showing up to their job late or have family requirements, like taking the kids to school, and will not be able to attend an early morning function.
The City of San Jose State of the City address has become more of a grand event than its original purpose which is to have the Mayor outline the actual State of the City, the direction for our City Government for the upcoming year, and recognize community leaders and city staff for their efforts in making San Jose a great city.
I applaud Mayor Chuck Reed on working to bring the State of the City back to its roots. But, I would like to make some other suggestions to save money next year and create a more inclusive event.
Suggestions:
1. There is no need to feed people. No one really needs another city funded mediocre meal.
People don’t attend the function for the food anyway. No food, less cost. No need to collect $20 either.
2. Hold the event at City Hall. We have a brand new, totally wired and state of the art City Hall. By using the council chambers, the rotunda, and the East Wing Conference rooms, you would have full access for all citizens interested in attending the event.
3. The issue related to personel time is always dubious. If the event is at City Hall, extra personel will, most likely, not be required, as the City has full time AV and Event Staff, who are at City Hall every day. We, the citizens, pay them everyday regardless. The Accounting function that relates to assessing their cost to an event is a clerical costing function between specific departments and doesn’t really represent a real “out of pocket” expense. Now we may need to hire a few extra event people and pay a bit of overtime, but I seriously doubt that it will actually cost $70,000, unless really creative accounting is used to assess that amount.
Again, I do believe that Mayor Reed is going in the right direction with the State of the City, but could take this one step further to increase inclusivity of all citizens in the City of San Jose.
Ken Podgorsek
James Rowen is trying to make a name for himself in Santa Clara and he should stay there. Now I have to put him in the same category as Cupertino Richard Robinson. Lots of wind and no substance. If these people like Rowen and Robinson want to make a difference, they should run for office and then get involved in making policy.
James Rowen…you seem to say so much yet say so little. If I fact three politicians received calls from Vic, why don’t you name them so we can verify your facts? You seem to have no problem making libelous statements. It’s easy to throw down fuel to flame a fire…unfortunately, too easy on blogs where people have a false sense of security.
Perhap we can make people here aware of the fact that James Rowen is actually the person orchestrating this prison deal in an effort to make Chuck look bad and so he won’t have to travel so far to visit his imprisoned relatives!
The silent majority applauds Pete & Sam for trying to bring some common sense and equality to the process. Staff says we must do this because the water district requires it-but the water dist owns land next door and can ignore the habitat? A 35’ two story is allowed-but a 33’ three story is not? Is there any common sense in that?
San Jose continues to make things difficult so those who want to invest in our city go elsewhere.
Keep trying to knock sense in them Pete!
PS- Pete seemed to know the most about the policy!
Mr. Rowen,
Mayor Reed does NOT support a prison being built in a family residential area. Besides the fact that he was on the news stating that he would oppose a prison, I know he would NEVER endanger families like that. Money doesn’t motivate Mayor Reed, integrity, and loyalty to our City does.
I don’t know what your real motivation for spreading such false information is, but it seems you have a personal problem with Vic that you need to work out with him. You say that Vic is the REAL Mayor of San Jose, that is laughable given that Mayor Reed is, and always has been too independent for some folks, especially some of his fellow Council Members. Mayor Reed loves San Jose, he values citizen input, and is not “for sale,” as you’ve implied.
Tom,
I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d agree with Council Member Compas, but on the State of the City Address regarding the time, cost, and placing of seats, I most definitely do. I do not see this event as inclusive at all.
I agree with Ken’s suggestions. He’s right on the money! Nice job Ken.
1. I am always flattered when I am compared with Rich Robinson, for despite our disagreements, I love Rich Robinson, and he is a former classmate of mine. Rich is one of the best political consultants in the valley, and he works for himself, and doesn;t like Victor and his minions get a city job after the campaign.
2. Attack me, again and again, and again, if you want. The truth is still there. Victor called three politicians to ask them to support the jail.
3. Never had a relative in any state faciluty.
4. Notice how the attackers are not denying the fact that Victor is behind the deal. They just attack the messenger.
5. You know why I love Pat Mahan and Kevin Moore, because they got us a stadium and San Jose is getting a state prison/
6. Chuck has done nothing about this. He refuses to call the Assembly, he refuses to fire Victor for dealing behind his back, and he refuses to call the Governor.
7. San Jose is getting a prison because Hon Lien, Victor Ajoluny, and Chuck Reed are too scared to stop it.
8. Santa Clara is getting a stadium for despite my disagreements with Kevin Moore and Pat Mahn, they have conducted a brilliant campaign to get the Niners.
San Jose, enjoy the facility for the rumdums, as the three nitwits who have attacked me, seem to have ISPs for Soledad, or Victor’s press office.
It is not yet hundred days since Chuck Reed took over, and he already has failed to unite the community.
James Otics once said that the effort that people take to attack dissent, just empowers it.
If you see this blog lately, critics of Chuck Reed are the most powerful people in Silicon Valley today.
Notice how no one is challanging assertions that Victor Ajoluny has worked to develop this deal to help his Republican allies, and Chuck has been caught in the middle.
The other day, on behalf of Hon Lien, Victor attacked with all the reckless of a political thug, some young college student who just wanted to ask Lien some questions.
Hon Lien realizes how much of a liability Victor is and has not allowed him to talk to anymore college students.
Look across The Alameda at Santa Clara. Kevin Moore and Patricia Mahan have brilliantly brought the city together to get the 49ers. Even Pat Mahan’s opponent, John McLemore is championing the effort to help VTA help the Niners. Yes, we have disagreements, but in Santa Clara, Kevin Moore is his own master of his fate, as is the valiant Dominic Caserta, and the brilliant Pat Mahan.
What has Chuck done?? He has no support on the Council, so he wants to loosen the rules for recall. Pat Mahan’s strongest backers on the Niner deal include council members who are critical of her.
Has Chuck called the Assembly to protest the prison? Has he??? Has he? Has Hon Lien?
In Cupertino, there are valiant council members like Dolores Sandoval, and in Santa Clara, effective leaders like Caserta and Mahan, and I have been critical of them.
But they seek dialogue. Chuck Reed has NERVE HANDLED DISSENT WELL. Reed is scared of all dissent and he acts to crush it at all costs.
That is what a scared rabbit does.
James Rowen
http://www.missioncitylantern.blogspot.com
#17 – James Rowen:
You talk about Victor Ajoluny and Rich Robinson like you know them personally, and you seem to know a lot about who the Mayor has called, what legislators Victor Ajoluny has spoken to, as well as what his message to them was. Are you a political consultant as well, and if so, who are you working for that you are so well informed as to what the Mayor and Victor are doing? Does your client have something against the Mayor, and/or Victor Ajoluny?
Secondly, you point to a Blog spot – the Mission City Lantern – as a source of news. This spot lists you as the person who created it. Where do you get your news? It seems very subjective – written from the perspective of someone who dislikes Mayor Chuck Reed and Victor Ajoluny. Why should we rely on this spot as a source of news, as opposed to the Mercury News, or Channel 4?
Everyone always looking for a freebee….20 dollars???? They need to suck it up!
#13 Rowen is a bag of wind, although I rarely agreed with Robinson, he does have more substance, at times.
I always thought that The Unity Breakfasts of the 80’s were low key, fun and a great way to rev up positive energy. Who would think that anybody could begin to find criticism over this issue that is raised today. Are people going to nick pick Reed on any topic they can find? And, how could anyone think that by attending the breakfast and paying $20 would give access to the mayor’s office?
#11 The mugs were always a fun souvenir, I had no idea that they were such a hot item until people starting stealing mine off the tables!
Mr. Rowen,
May I ask where you are getting your information, and if you have brought any of your concerns about Vic directly to Mayor Reed? I haven’t seen you at a Council meeting expressing your concerns. May be I missed it.
You seem so angry at Vic that you are making some very serious accusations about Mayor Reed and others. I guess I just don’t understand where you’re coming from, or exactly what your motivation is in saying this stuff.
You seemed to ignore the fact that Mayor Reed publicly stated he is opposed to the prison. I’m willing to listen to you, if you can be more clear about your point of view.
#18, you must realize that when you write, “It is not yet hundred days since Chuck Reed took over, and he already has failed to unite the community.” you sound like a moron (my apologies to morons everywhere).
Did you mean to say, “It is not yet hundred days since Chuck Reed took over, and he already has divided the community.” ? That would make more sense grammatically—would still be a falsehood—and would sound like something a (and God forgive me if this makes me sound like I’m complimenting RR) Rich Robinson wannabe would say.
Can’t they have a State of the City at City Hall and then a reception or something after that costs $20?
That way everyone can “get in free”, as they deserve to. The people who want to network can pay to get into the State of the City “pre or post-party reception”. Those things cost a ton to put on anyway – someone has to pay for it.
Then there is the question of who has to pay and who gets comp-ed because they are special. Now there’s trouble!
Vic Ajoluny and Hon Lien were very nice and always have been very supportive of young people and my friend, Theri, who is a very active college Republican thinks Mr. Ajoluny is often misunderstood, and really works hard for young people.
1. As for not believe anything that a blog or political consultant has to say, I have to say that San Jose Inside, operated by one of the princes of the business, Judy Barry, is very insightful at times.
2. Yes, I called my state legislator, Sally Lieber, who agrees with me, that the prison is a stupid idea.
3. Tomorrow night, at the SONY building on Riveroak, there will be a meeting about the use of Agnews site, and nobody will want a prison.
4. Chuck Reed never talked to any in the Legislature about this idea, so Mr. “Quippy Quip” sounded tough in the newspaper, but has done nothing about it.
5. The Reedites are at it again. Blah, blah, and more blah. Ajoluny works for the Republicans in the Legislature. He works for Chuck, and he had a BIIIIIIIIIIG CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
6. I attend some Santa Clara City Council meetings. Just because Victor and the Republicans want a prison here, does not mean we want it next to Santa Clara, we don’t.
7. On a ship, they have the captain that greets the people, and then there is the captain that does the piloting. Reed does the show job, and Victor and Armando Gomez (who has been getting into a ton of ethics jams in Milpitas for years) actually run the city.
Chuck Reed did the right thing. Now he does not “owe” someone right off the bat for sponsoring his breakfast speech. The less people you “owe”, the less trouble you can get in. The less you have to repay. If you don’t want to pay $20, then watch the sound bites on the news tonight. It looks like integrity and independence are the first order of business for Chuck Reed.
I’d rather have people pay the City $20 bucks for an overpriced breakfast to hear Chuck speak than Cisco paying for Gonzo’s trip to Ireland at the same time that contracts for an overpriced telecommunications system contract are being considered by the City.
Does Señora Struthers really believe the $20 tab will break the expenditure budget of her labor lobbyist puppet masters or is she just mad that she can’t get a free comp for the breakfast just like the old days under Gonzo & Guerra where she traded integrity for a free meal paid for by the various special interest. Here’s the reality, most of the folks at this breakfast will claim it as a business expense or have their employers reimburse them for the expense. Other true blue Chuck fans see this as a way to support their guy and almost as a continuation of their victory celebration.
With regards to Agnews, I don’t know why James Rowan is out to get Mayor Reed’s budget staffer. Maybe it was bad treatment he received in Milpitas in front of their Council or maybe he’s looking to make a name for himself somewhere else besides Santa Clara’s Citizens Advisory Committee.
I do know that the State Prison proposal has no legs. I am really more suspicious that this is a political red herring because Cisco has an option to purhase the site from the State as surplus property as soon as the last developmentally disabled kids are booted from the facility by the State goons. I suspect that the Republican proposal is payback for someone tied to the deal and that it is really a “shot across the bow” of the City of San Jose Office of Economic Development and Paul Krutko to imply a threat that if they don’t play ball with the Cisco’s plans then the State could come in with a prison via the State’s preemption authority of local land use regulations. Cisco claims it needs the land for expansion of its facilities, but I have a distinct belief that all they’re doing is maximizing their initial investment just like Hitachi GST did on the old IBM Cottle Road site. Hitachi bought that site from IBM at a very low price based on industrial zoning and then got it rezoned to residential netting a cool $300 M. It then turned around, fired 300 local employees and built a new $250M facility in Schenzen, China.
Does anyone really think the State would allow land valued at $3-4 M per acre as residential land to be used as a prison when there are less valuable surplus sites available in more economically depressed areas of the state (e.g. Humbolt County, Imperial, etc.)? People in the communities with shuttered lumbermills would be rolling out the red carpet for the jobs that a prison brings.
If we had reporters with any true depth in San Jose, they would ask the State of Department of General Services for a copy of DGS’s past Surplus Property Asset Enhancement Strategy Report as well as the current status of the Cisco option to purchase agreement and the Bay Area Housing Corporation’s closure plans for Agnews. They could interview the real estate agent/consultant representing DGS as well as probe the relationship between DGS, the consultant, and the very law makers who floated the prison idea. It’s amazing what you can find on the internet these days. Wake up Murky News Reporters! What happened to your Pulitzer winning staff members? Has Median News got you muzzled and on a short leash?
JD (#29),
“Game, Set , Match”
This Angry “OLD” Frank again,
Some very interesting views here as usual. Is Reed going to buy me a plate? I’m a Vet and he says that he supports us…. We’ll see if I can get a free meal from this guy?
Jd, do you have a name, or are you too much of a coward to use one?
Oh, yes, I forgot, you are.
Never joined the Spartans for Sanity, peeches. You could only be a member if you are faculty member. I have three emails from my good friend, James Brent, and one email from my good friend, Peter Buzanski, critical of me for being SUPPORTIVE OF FOOTBALL, STUPID!!! (They were the leaders of it).
I have another email from Fitz Hall, and two from Dick Tomey, thanking me for my DECADE OF SUPPORT.
JD= Jerk and Dope???
Now, with respect to the Niners. Yes, I was critical of the move, until I saw that Lew Wolff was going to, with support from people in Santa Clara that supported the Niner move, BUILD A NEW SPARTAN STADIUM.
Didn’t Churchill change his politics several times if there were good reasons??
Well, if he did, JERK AND DOPE (NO REAL NAME, SO IT WILL BE JERK AND DOPE), WOULD BE CRITICAL OF IT.
As I said, criticize Chuck Reed, and you will get villified.
I was critical of him, and JERK AND DOPE with his phony name, obliged.
The purpose of a blog is to respond with whatever issue you want to respond to, Jerk and Dope, and I think Chuck Reed and Victor Ajoluny, who owe you a pint bottle of rotgut for your eloquent rant, which did not defend them, but attacked me, are doing nothing about the state prison project.
Oh, I am sure, from your logic, you have a couple already.
But, tomorrow, the sun will come up, Chuck and Victor, and Hon Lien will have all done nothing about putting a state prison in San Jose, and you will still be JERK AND DOPE.
Can we get some facts straight from the Victor Ajoluny crowd?
He must be working over time.
1. Never have appeared before the Milpitas City Council in my life.
2. Do not belong to the Santa Clara CAC.
3. Game, set, Match, since when you do not sign in with a name, you forfeit.
San Jose is still getting the Victor Ajoluny State Institute for Men.
Why is Kevin Moore a great guy?
Because when he took me on in the Metro, he did it with his identity, and faced the issues.
Gee, this no name bloggers really trying to defend Hon Lien and Victor for supporting a prison in North San Jose.
We cannot get it in Santa Clara.
We are getting the Niners
James.
If you are going to fixate on Victor at least spell his name correctly:
Victor Ajlouny
Ah, yes – the person who whines about somebody namecalling now turns around and starts slinging the poo.
No prob, JC – you and I have had some run-ins on ST – and a click on the links that I left (ya know, evidence for my argument) are there for all to see and to judge. I did not say you were a member, I said you championed their cause. And then turned around when you saw which way the wind was blowing.
You opposed the Santa Clara stadium – and then turned around when you saw which way the wind was blowing.
Etc., Etc.
Who knows – in six months you may even think a replacement penal facility at Agnews will be a dandy idea.
You may think I’m a “Jerk and a Dope” but that does not counter the fact that your feeble attempt at threadjacking has been called out.
And BTW, Churchill never changed his politics – the politics of the day changed around toward him – as what usually happens to great leaders. And believe me when I tell you, sir, you are no Churchill.
Unless, of course, you’re talking about Ward Churchill, in which case I may be mistaken. But that’s another discussion for another day.
To: CH Planner (post #27)
Thanks for your very astute observations on the problems with City Council members making a mess of the planning process. You were referring to post #15 by “to channel 26”, which was some kind of dribble by one of Pete Constant’s supporters or staff. The original post by me “Channel 26 Watcher” was #5., and I am in agreemetn with your comments.
For the record, I highly recommend to the other posters on this blog to actually take the time to watch you city council members in action. If you live out of San Jose Comcast territory or watch broadcast TV rather than cable, then check out the webcast on the Internet. Rather than this forum being a bunch of “grouchy old men” trying to one up each other, we might get some serious dialogue based on what’s really going on.
Can somebody please get Mr. Rowen over to VMC where they have a bed waiting for him in the psych unit? I’m sure they have some good treatments for paranoia.
Mr. Rowen –
I notice you still have not answered my questions (#19). You come on this site, with information on who this Victor Ajlouny(thanks #37 for the spelling) has called and what he said to them. “THERE ARE THREE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT GOT CALLS FROM VICTOR AJOLUNY, THE REAL MAYOR OF SAN JOSE, AND ASKED TO SUPPORT THE PRISON” you said. Interesting how you have that information. If you are being paid to dig this up, and attack Mayor Reed, just be honest and up front about it.
You are saying one thing, and we are hearing another from City Hall. Prove your case.
#41 – And how do you you know this “Hon Lien” and Victor Adjlouny want the prison? What is your source of information? Your Blog site does not tell us your source of information.
It looks like Reality Check is back.
There are people on this site I don’t agree with – however their comments make for an interesting read and sometimes they add a bit of humor.
And then there are the exceptions…
James, please don’t rant and attack on this site. Typing in all caps with extra punctuation doesn’t help to get your point across. Just make your comment and move on.
You may actually be taken more seriously. Just some friendly advice.
KUDOS to # 12. AMEN I SAY TO YOUR PERSPECTIVE on the “STATE of the CITY ADDESS”
Good God, Rowen, did you run out of your medication?!?!
Tom,
I trust your honesty. I’d like to know if what Mr. Rowen is saying about Hon, and Vic is true. Do you know if it is? Does our new Mayor employ Vic? Is Vic a paid city employee?
As to our Mayor and his stand on the prison, I saw the Rules Committee Meeting yesterday, and Mr. Rowen your statement that the Mayor is doing “nothing,” is untrue. The Mayor made it clear that they would be writing a resolution, and are in opposition to the purposed prison. Mr. Rowen, please view the Rules Committee Meeting yesterday. I think it might help change your mind about the misinformation you are spreading about our new Mayor.
Mr. Rowen, as to your comments about Armando Gomez, you are 100% correct. Gomez really needs to clean up his act, or leave the Mayor’s Office because he is not reflecting well on our Mayor, or his office. Mayor Reed is a strong supporter of open government, honesty, and citizen oversight. His actions have proven that.
Gomez has been written up in the Mercury News several times for his questionable behavior on the Milpitas Council. I’m just curious as to what voters in Milpitas were thinking, when they re-elected him….
Did I mention that I placed emails and calls to Victor Ajlouny and Hon Lien (who is running for city council for District 4, where the prison will be built), before I ever mentioned it, and asked their position??
Did I also mention I have my head up my butt and that I can’t find my prozac anywhere?
49 – Wow, you almost sound like a real journalist. Of course you don’t mention if you actually got a response. If not, did you just make assumptions and then pass them off as fact? You realize you have no credibility on this blog since you have yet to back-up anything you have said with facts. So, why don’t you take a leave-of-absence until you have something substantive to back-up your rants?
#49 –
Must…Fight…Urge…To…Feed…The…Troll…
Those letters to Mr. Rowen from Dick Tomey read:
“Dear Mr. Rowen,
This is to remind you yet again that I have a restraining order against you. You are not to come within 50 feet of me at any time and you are also reminded that you are required to take your medicine every 4 hours. Your behavior of late makes me think you’ve ‘forgotten’ to take them.
Again, stay the hell away from me.
Dick Tomey”
Bridget, you’re kidding, right? Surely after what you’ve seen here from JR you don’t feel anything he’s stated is worthy of validation from the likes of Tom.
#49 – …and, they told you they were supporting a Prison on the Agnews site…? James, did Victor Ajlouny and Hon Lien actually say they were supporting the proposal to put a Prison on the Agnew’s Site?
By the way – You now know Mayor Reed is against this proposal, and taking steps to oppose it.
To CH Planner and Channel 26 watcher,
I agree with both of your comments in principle. I watched the discussion regarding the Swenson property and felt that Constant’s analysis was off-base. The importance of preserving the riparian corridor is going to become critically important as we continue to do infill development around the creek beds. Just because a development from the ‘60’s did not respect the important ecological nature of the creeks, does not mean we should make exceptions in the present. Should there be room for exceptions? Of course. But, this was not one of those occasions. Hopefully, the Council can hold firm with the commitment to our ecology and to smart growth that is on the one hand dense, yet, also respects that we should be looking to build in an environmentally conscious manner. In this case staff, staff was following the policy that Council created for a case like this. For Council tominimize the importance of staff’s recommendation will ultimately render the guidelines meaningless.
#15 Channel 26 – ” San Jose continues to make things difficult so those who want to invest in our city go elsewhere. ”
San Jose builds more housing that any other Silicon Valley city and provides most low income and regular housing for Silicon Valley
Get your facts straight #15 – Try building housing in Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Menlo Park etc and you will see what difficult is – That is why they come to San Jose – it is easier and cheaper than other Silicon Valley cities
Yes, it could be easier , but City Council not Planning makes it very difficult by 1) not following approved General Plan, 2) making thousands of exceptions, 3) converting industrial land to homes over 15% in last 8 years 4) playing developer / lobbyist politics , 5) under staffing Planning Department which causes most delays i.e. not enough review staff
too much workload 6) hiring freezes
We lose dozens good Planners to other cities for more money, less politics driven development and less workload
Santa Clara’s James Rowen apparently can’t give San Jose’s Mayor Reed even 40 days before attacking him – on a personal vendetta against Vic using false information and unwilling to give names or facts to back up his attacks
Go back to Santa Clara and get back on your meds and stop name calling, undocumented attacks and political innuendo
“yawn”
Still does not change the fact that Hon Lien wants a prison, Victor wants a prison, and Chuck does nothing.
Ps, silly billy, and without a name, you prove nothing.
Opposed the way the plan, I support, was being done.
Ps,
still got a great letter from Tomey, another one from Fitz, and you, never got anything.
Still selling those dogs in front of the EDD office?
Your problem, Mr. Rowen, is not that you are being ‘attacked,’ it is that you have shown absolutely no intellectual integrity in your arguments.
Folks, the famous James C. Rowen of Mission City Lantern is also the same JC Rowen that was haunting the SJSU message boards (and was gonged from SpartanThunder IIRC) a few years ago, and was championing the “Spartans 4 Sanity” movement as of March of 2005, and further suggesting that SJSU football can never turn the corner into profitability. Who was “Spartans 4 Sanity”, you may ask? They were a bunch of bubbleheaded nitwits who demanded that SJSU drop football and withdraw from the WAC, bring back other non-revenue sports, and basically switch SJSU back to a I-AA level program on the level of SCU, SMC, or USF.
However, it seems that with a little bit of Spartan Success of late Mr. Rowen has changed his tune on that particular issue.
Unfortunately, Mr. Rowen, the Internet never forgets, but evidently you have, as all of a sudden you have turned into the Great Defender of All Things Spartan Football in less than two years – even waxing poetic in tribute to the NM Bowl victory, and denouncing the very thought of a new stadium in Santa Clara for the SFO 49ers, as it stood as a possible detriment to the Future Glory of SJSU Football.
So pardon some of us if we don’t take your arguments with the due regard and diligence that you would expect here at SJI. Because, here today and in the past, you have mostly shown that you are utterly full of crap.
BTW – it’s really classy to come onto someone else’s bandwidth and tell them what they really should be blogging about – and then accuse them of cowardice when they do not do so. I apologize if I make the presumption of speaking for TMcE, but if he was interested in what you thought this blog should be concentrating upon, then your name would be up on the masthead along with SG and JVZ and JMcE.
TMcE is paying to push the pixels here, so it’s his editorial decision that counts. If you no like, you go elsewhere, simple as that. You’ve got your own little google blog to rant and rave about whatever tickles your fancy. So, in the future, when responding here, please stick to the issue at hand or kindly piss off.
Mr. Rowen, I’m now thoroughly convinced that your diatribes are nothing more than sour grapes stemming from Chavez losing the mayoral election. Another thing, if Hollywood ever does a remake of “Rain Man,” you surely would do justice in playing the role of the idiot savant.
On another subject, I agree that Constant appeared to be acting in a dual role regarding the Swenson project. I couldn’t tell whether Constant was a Councilman in lobbyist’s clothes or vice versa. Looks like Schoennauer’s commission check will be held up for at least three weeks.
Question:
Are Downtown Bron, Reality Check and that guy ‘whatzizname’ from that Mission City Lamp all one in the same?
Mark,
Since everyone is entitled to the benefit of doubt, and since I do respect Tom’s integrity, yes, I’d like to hear from Tom about Mr. Rowen’s statements.
As to whether I believe Mr. Rowen about Vic, and Hon, I’m not sure. I do know Mayor Reed, and I do not believe a word he says about him, especially since the Mayor has continually, and publicly said he opposes the prison.
I guess my concern is that if we close our eyes and ears to differing ideas, and opinions, just because we don’t like someone, it won’t change the facts, nor are we being respectful, or fair. I don’t agree with Mr. Rowen on 90% of what he’s said because I investigated his statements through credible sources. I think the best thing to do here is to agree to disagree with him, and move on, unless he can produce e-mails from Vic, and Hon proving his point.
Remember, after the first Civil Grand Jury report on the garbage deal, many folks said Ron didn’t do anything wrong. A second report later, an arrest, and DA charges, we now see there were undeniable facts we shouldn’t have ignored. I guess what I’m saying is, you just never know. Look at the Mayor of San Francisco; I never would have seen that one coming….
Bridget, I’m guessing you are new here.
Here’s how it has worked with the blogger from Santa Clara since this site’s early days:
He spouts off nonsense (usually more than 90% and usually indecipherable), he gets flack, he eventually disappears for a while only to resurface when the voices in his head advise.
I see Mayor Reed trying to fix some of the lobbyists paying for things by charging 20.00 and he is right. When lobbyist or sponsors pay you owe them at least in your subconscious. Look at what they are doing in Washington again. They are the biggest rip off artists around. Lobbyists pay for everything and they pass law after law that the congress gets around.( Sunday Merc page 6A) another rip off by congressmen and women. These people are terrible and bought and sold no matter how they characterize it. Someone write more about this and show what individual local politicians are doing in congress and getting paid for without anyone knowing.
I’m just so happy the white people are back in charge! Great job, chuck!
#61- I take great offense to your comment. The citizens of this City voted in the past and present Council. Our new Mayor has gone to great lengths to be inclusive, has invited neighborhood groups, etc. to have their voices heard on the budget. He invited friend and foe to sit on the Transition Sub Committee to advise him on all issues facing the City. He has one of the most diverse Mayoral City Staff I’ve seen yet. His service as an attorney in Civil Rights speaks for it’s self.
I love the diverse City and County I live in. And yes, I’m white, so what. I’m also female, and have faced discrimination for it. So, please respect this blogg by keeping racist statements to your self. Discrimination, in reverse, is ignorant, and discriminatory, and shows disrespect for those of us who hate racism. This is a venue of educated open discussions. Not a forum for ignorant bigots to unfairly bash others.
James Rowen #26 says: “I attend some Santa Clara City Council meetings.” For a guy who attends SOME Santa Clara Council meetings, but apparently no SAN JOSE council meetings, he sure blathers a lot about what’s wrong with San Jose & Chuck & Victor.
Rowen # 34 rants and ad hominems like that clown whose nome de blog I now forget who kept ranting against the “Reedites” and ranting about “Reedimbursements” pre-election.
The word for the day for you, Mr. Rowen, is “puerile”. Go back to the Santa Clara City Council meetings and keep your lantern lit.
“Reedimbursements” was a favorite of “Reality Check”. I seem to remember thinking at the time that Reality Check had stopped taking his meds much like Mr. Rowan has now. He also sounds suspiciously like “Mr. 408”, who ran that pro-Cindy blog “Mayorwatch” which stopped getting updated right around the time Mr. Rowen started posting:
1. Incoherent rants
2. Copyrighted material (Mr. Rowen apparently feels “fair use” is to post complete articles, rather than an excerpt and then linking to the article online)
on Mission City Lantern
Thanks, Dave #64—how could I forget old “reality Check”?
Hey Blair,
If we all need prisons, let’s change stanford to a prison. Not very much of use is coming out of that duffer school as it is.
CAL Alum
It seems I’m late for the free for all on this stream, but I wanted to add a couple of cents.
The Unity Breakfast was nice when I went to it back when Susan Hammer was Mayor. I don’t remember ever paying, so I assume it was free, but I would have just tried the poor college student trick if it wasn’t. As for this years event, I think I’ll go and see for myself how it works out. I like the ideas about a free event that can be more inclusive, so maybe that can be a goal for next year, but one thing at a time, its a new Mayor and a newly resurrected event so let’s see how it goes before everyone makes rash judgements.
Oh, and an aside to James, I think Prisons are important institutions and there’s nothing wrong with a society as sadly fractured as ours with a growing criminal class that needs to be housed in prisons sharing the burden of hosting facilities. Everyone wants to be tough on crime and all that song and dance, and the result is 90% recidivism and a failed system that warehouses societies cast-offs, and then demands that someone else host the needed facilities. We, as a society are all part of the problem of the criminal justice system and we need to bear our share of the costs. Just as we tolerate freight trains and power plants because our society depends on their work, prisons are alas a sad necessity in the society we’ve created. Perhaps concurrently a program could be started on diversion for youth that shows them prison life at the same time it opens them to positive options like youth sports, academic camps and non-gang opportunities to socialize and escape the cycle of despair.
Anyway, that’s enough for now. I was born and raised in San Jose and still think of it as my home town.
-Blair