Is it possible that the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce’s campaign against Craig Mann is backfiring? The chamber, which is backing Rose Herrera for San Jose’s District 8 council seat, carpet-bombed the area with mailers that blast Mann, referencing his widely reported credit card use while a trustee on the East Side Union High School District board. The three mailers (two went out in mid-May and one last week) ask whether San Jose can afford Craig Mann and talk about how he spent more than $31,000 of district funds (roughly $1,100 he paid back for purchases that were not legitimate). But Herrera was quoted in the Merc saying she would have preferred that the chamber focus their attention on her instead of going negative on Mann. And Mann himself, who is notorious for getting tangled up in controversy, said he’s not taking the bait this time. Instead, he’s walking precincts and only talking to voters about the mailer issue if it comes up. So far, only a few voters have even mentioned it, Mann says. “I will not take the low road to City Hall,” Mann says. “These bumps in the road, they happen, and I am going to move forward.”
San Jose Inside
San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)
Stunning update. And yesterday’s news. How about something new and compelling? You guys sure missed the boat on this election. Pathetic. There are only five days left and the majority of mail-in voters have already done so.
Simon
You have the opportunity to take this discussion in any direction you like. Why don’t you take the lead? I am sure that you can be compelling when you want to be. Send something in and I’ll post it straight away. This site is only as good as the citizen bloggers who use it.
#1- Simon, there are still a lot of undecided voters out there so it is never too late to talk about this election or its candidates. Also, I personally couldn’t be angrier that Mann and others have no sense of decency when whipping out these credit cards, or spends taxpayer funds when they are already great benefits, and pay checks for their position. Must be nice. But at the same time, how can we be mad when there are no limits on spending in place to start with?
Sounds like politicians talking here. “How can we be mad when there are no limits on spending…” That may or may not be an accurate statement, but what about integrity and common sense? Just because there may not be rules (and I am not sure that is true) shouldn’t a public official be expected to spend our money frugally? It appears Shirakawa and Mann havehas abused that privilege for a long time. Why cut them a break for abusing the public trust??? Should they be rewarded for this kind of behavior by being elected so they can continue this misuse of public funds? I don’t think so.
This is just one of the many reasons to support Pat Waite: he has more integrity than any candidate in the race. He’s smart and thoughtful and honorable. So rare to find in anyone running for office these days.
It’s time for real leadership in San Jose. We need someone like Pat Waite who knows how to create a vision, define a strategy, listen and bridge diverse stakeholder needs, and then act and measure success.
Kathleen – You make good points and I agree that people should hold politicians accountable. But, this doesn’t seem to square with what you do—aren’t you supporting Shirakawa? Either you hold politicians accountable or you don’t. It has to start at the ballot box. Talking about it won’t solve the problem. It has to be backed up by action.
#1, you’d be surprised at how few people have voted. This will be a very low turnout election (are you excited about eminent domain propositions?). I’d be surprised if more than 15,000 people vote.
I think the Metro is ignoring the best candidate, Pat Waite. His financial experience is what San Jose needs. His years of community service in District 8 show that he understands the community.
#6- Oliver,
Ethics and law differs for me. Unfortunately, the law has not been violated if there are no spending limits on these elected officals. And ethically, I agree with you 100% that George and everyone else, including Mann, should not have spent taxpayer money in the manner they have. Having said that, I try to look at candidates and their contribution to our community as a whole, rather than looking at one aspect of their behaviors.
#7,8,9- If you wouldn’t mind, please tell me more about Pat Waite. I am very unfamilar with this candidate.
Our man is Pat Waite. Fantastic business background, vision and integrity… he’s the whole package.
#10 – Pat Waite spent 20+ years working in high tech financial management, retiring from a vice president position at Seagate Technology in 2004. He has a wealth of experience with large, complex budgets.
He has lived in District 8 since 1987, been a Cub Master, Pre-school director, sports coach, everything you’d expect an involved father to be. He’s always willing to pitch in.
He currently fills leadership positions on several non-profit and educational boards: President, Archbishop Mitty High School Board of Regents; Chair, Long Range Planning Committee, Catholic Charities of SCC; Chair, Atkinson Advisory Board, Willamette University; Treasurer/Board Member, TransAccess, Chair, Finance Team, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community.
He’s an incredibly gifted and selfless leader. San Jose would be lucky to have someone like him on the council during this time of fiscal uncertainty.
Get more info at http://www.PatWaite.com
Oliver,
I agree with almost everything you’ve said. Yes, ALL politicians, and elected officials should use great diligence and foresight when spending public funds. And yes, even if guidelines are set on spending limits, they should strive to spend as little as possible when traveling, dinning out, etc. If anyone out there knows if there are price limits on hotel stays, dinners, means of travel, etc., please chime in because I have never heard that there are, but like Oliver, I’m not sure either.
If you look at the last Mayoral election, this issue came to blows when Chavez exposed Reed for using $39,000.00 of the public’s money for donations, parking, etc. The City Attorney said that all were in line with the City’s guidelines and that Reed had gotten the okay from the city Clerk for those expenditures, prior to spending it. Reed did pay every dime of it back, even though he didn’t have to.
It didn’t stop at Reed though; almost all the Council Members had done the same thing, in different ways. I mean I resent paying for a certain Council Member’s weekly bottled water don’t you? And I resent paying for trips and stays where people are flying first class, bunking in pricey hotels, and eating at the best restaurants, when our streets are filled with pot holes, our sewers need fixing, our parks have no bathrooms, our schools need books, and a million other things!
Now because this Reed expenditure enraged so many people, When Reed became Mayor he finally addressed this issue and is trying to get guidelines on spending limits on a clear, and understandable foundation. Bravo Mayor Reed! It is about time this robbery of the taxpayers was addressed, and STOPPED.
These kinds of flagrant disregard of taxpayer’s funds are a bad rash that has spread everywhere. I don’t know much about the School District Board, but they should be good dammed shamed of themselves for allowing this kind of financial abuse. We have kids who don’t even have schoolbooks or materials to learn with, and under paid teachers footing the bills in their classrooms to provide basic need stuff for God’s sake! It is pretty inexcusable and disgusting to me and I don’t even have children.
You asked, “Should they be rewarded for this kind of behavior by being elected so they can continue this misuse of public funds?” No they shouldn’t be rewarded, but because they aren’t violating any written law, you can’t condemn them for a flaw in policy, and acceptable peer behavior. Change the policy and then nail them to the cross if they abuse it.
Oliver here is the problem, people know about these things and they don’t care. They re-elect the Devil they know instead of the Devil they don’t know. They complain but they don’t do anything about it because they are too busy working, raising their kids, and taking care of their own little world. They have the attitude that no one cares so why should they? And if they do try to get involved in the process, Council Staff, procedures for this, and rules for that, and blah, blah, blah jerk them around, and they give up. It is sad, and it is understandable why they do what they do, but if people started to really get mad and hold these politicians accountable, well then true change would happen fast, quick and in a hurry.
Fascinating dialogue. But I voted two weeks ago with about a third of the county (that number is a personal estimate based on nothing but anecdote).
Thank you all for letting us know about Pat Waite. If he is as good as you say he is, I hope he wins!
I think the results tomorrow night are going to be very interesting. Personally, I am still amazed at candidates (in this day and age) who parade out endorsements from public safety unions. Dave Cortese and Rose Herrera come to mind. Politicians don’t hesitate to bad mouth lobbyists every chance they get and yet they jump right into bed with some of the biggest government lobbyists out there: fire and police unions. These folks have local governments by the balls because of their generous salaries and pensions (no business in the private sector would survive for three seconds if it agreed to let its employees retire at 50 years old with 90% of their salary).
Anytime a fire or police union endorses a candidate in our current climate of budget shortfall and cities going bankrupt (can you spell Vallejo?), it has to be because they’ve gotten an assurance from that politician that they’ll cover their back when budget time comes and the fat needs trimming.
Politicians have always been too afraid to stand up to these unions and our governments will continue to go bankrupt until they do.
I just won’t vote for politicians anymore who blatantly cozy up with lobbyists/unions like these.
P.S. The Pat Waite people are working overtime on the blogs… BTW he’s promised not to cut any emergency services in his mailers. Amazingly premature when he hasn’t even discovered how much there is to cut (and there is PLENTY). I’m so sick of that kind of political “I’ll keep you safer” pandering.
#15 – “the Pat Waite people are working overtime on the blogs”…where are the other candidates people? Do they underestimate the importance of local blogs? Or are the local blogs irrelevant?
“BTW he’s promised not to cut any emergency services in his mailers.” So have all the other candidates. Everybody plays the “I’ll keep you safe” card.It’s PC. But he is on record for finding creative ways to get our cops out from behind the desks and on the streets. Can the other candidates make that claim?
I just started a poll in mercury news for the local candidates come and submit your vote
http://forums.mercurynews.com/poll