When it comes to the difficult task of reversing the dismal budget record of the city, help from whatever quarter is usually welcome. But lately, I find the deathbed conversions of the editorial board of the Mercury News and tardy concerns of the South Bay Labor Council to be a bit Wednesday-ish. During the dismal decisions of the last fifteen years or so—the conversion of industrial land to housing, the attacks on the Coyote and Almaden Valley urban reserves, the showering of new benefits on public safety employees, and various other moves—there was a notable silence, or at the most, weak concern from both.
Now the mayor is undertaking the grim task of rolling back two decades of collusion with special interests and abundant giveaways to employees for political gain, and he is chastised or directly attacked. We must hope for better from both of these legitimate commentators.
The notable deficiencies in our sales tax revenue is, and has been, well known, but has seldom been addressed until the advent of this mayor’s administration. The erosion of our tax base—1400 tax producing acres—and the concomitant need for more cops, librarians and youth workers, is as plain as the nose on Cleopatra’s face. (An old historical theory goes that if the Egyptian queen’s nose was a bit longer, and she was more, well, unsightly, then the course of the Roman Empire and the world history itself would have been changed.) If the budget gurus at the Mercury and second-guessers of the South Bay Labor Council—who now want “great outreach” to the community—were concerned about that community in the past and saw the “nose length” then, they would have exposed the great land scams and, in the case of Labor, not pushed for cozy deals with certain landed interests. We need to ask and expect better from labor for they still have much to contribute to the city.
The workers of this city and the neighborhoods that they live in are the true victims of the budget woes. Protecting them should have been easy for the Mercury and the South Bay Labor Council’s leaders, but also very uncomfortable, and would have interfered with the alliance of development interests and labor leaders that almost destroyed our city. I know that the leaders of both can be more constructive in working with this mayor to redress the budget woes.
Neighborhood leaders should ask the question that will result in discovering just who supported the land use and budgeting policies, or lack thereof, which resulted in one of the most vibrant cities in the country getting the basket case of budgeting problems we see today. Just who is the savior here and who the Judas goat? While the mayor tries to run the city, the many “leaders” and opinion makers are weighing in on street names, and if rumors are accurate, the independence of Kosovo. Look for the fingerprints on our budget woes and the people behind them. Or, more clearly, follow the “nose.”
1. Tom McEnery is absolutely correct in his essay about the tough choices that a mayor with a sincere attitude in helping the city has to face.
2. McEnery is doing an excellent job giving Chuck Reed the benefit of the doubt, and I will back Tom in his effort to create some sanity in this madness.
3. Mayors always have to face tough choice or constituents who talk about “walking like a duck” but who are the biggest Daffy Ducks in their city. Take the case of Au Nguyen, the frustrated, bitter, and jealous little man who attacks the good work of Chuck Reed and Patricia Mahan, who could work together to make San Jose and Santa Clara captials of sports teams, thus creating an entire new microeconomy. McEnery did it, and did it well.
4. Perhaps I was wrong, and stupid, to take potshots at Tom. He is more of a dreamer than a lobbyist, and McEnery does seem to be an advocate for a Greater San Jose. Time for me to grow up and realize that.
5. The newest attack on the honest effort by the 49ers is lot like our juvenile attacks on Tom, which were not responsible or mature. Look at this, the 49ers, a Santa Clara based company mails out brochures and solicits input. Well, Au Nguyen, the sad and bitter little man who is frustrated with how incompetent his effort has been is attempting to attack the 49ers for doing the right thing. Interestingly, as with the Sharks, a great company that Tom is associated with, and does a great job as a partner with the Sharks, the 49ers paid for it themselves. Santa Clara Plays Fair gets the bulk of its money from a San Jose resident who happens to be the head of the Libertarian Party, with his own “Daffy Duck” agenda.
6. In conclusion, I publicly acknowledge that Tom and others on San Jose Insider are just trying to present a sane and rational approach to city affairs, and the rest of us get too daffy when we try to zing instead of listen. I hope that Pat Mahan and Chuck Reed can listen to the good things Tom has to say. He is the Prince of the City, and guys like Au Nguyen can sit in the weeds and quack out his frustration with life.
Tom:
You’re right on. “Follow the nose,” and follow the money.
The Merc did point out that San Jose would need the equivalent of five Valley Fairs to close the budget gap. My question is, why don’t we shift the shares? That is to say, why does the VTA get a larger piece of the sales tax pie than the city does? Why can’t we shift that relationship for the next five years? Also, why can’t we freeze city employee salaries/benefits for the next two years? (people are getting laid off in the private sector). Finally, why are we building a new library on Bascom when the city doesn’t have funds to adequately staff the existing branches?
I think that the solutions are fairly simple if everyone shares the pain.
Pete campbell
a) The structural budget deficit is being attacked head-on by Mayor Reed.
b) The SAP Open is taking place at HP Pavilion.
c) The labor unions will be more willing to work in harmony with city leaders to resolve budget problems.
d) Our resevoirs are slowly, but steadily being replenished with our winter rains.
e) Our streets are being resurfaced in an even, purposeful fashion.
f) Our libraries are slowly gaining more staffing and longer opening hours.
e) John Michael O’Connor has returned safe and sound to our fair city.
f) Little Saigon is coming to a peaceful conclusion.
Just knowing that I have had a major influence in bringing these changes about, by orchestrating behind the scenes, is reward enough for me. I will allow other people to take the credit, I am about solving problems.
The Mayor may be trying to run the city but it’s not going to happen when he is completely in the dark about how to solve this Little Saigon situation. Instead of putting the issue behind us, he’s now put it front and center on the minds of voters until June or November.
I just realized; its Feb 20th. Both Rowen and Berlin get thier free meds from the county hospital! They will talk nice for a few days!
Speaking of cutting taxpayer costs, if people would voluntarily spay/neuter their pets, we would save millions of dollars that fund our local animals shelters, and thousands of animals wouldn’t be homeless or die in our shelters.
Please join animal rescuers and advocates from all over the county of Santa Clara in front of San Jose City Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 26th, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for a rally and candle lit vigil.
Key Note Speakers Will Be:
Vice Mayor Cortese
Supervisor Pete McHugh
Dr. David Reed of Bascom Animal Hospital
Heather Betchel of Rabbit Haven
Vivian A. Kennedy of ACGSR, Inc.
Delorme McKee- Stovall will give the blessing and read Rainbow Bridge at the candle lit vigil.
The rally is being held to:
Let the community know the importance of spaying and neutering their pets, and how they can help us stop the killing of animals in shelters.
To bring attention to the plight of animal rescue groups everywhere in California, who are being overwhelmed by the amount of unwanted pets being surrendered by the community, the increase of feral cats, and by our partnerships with shelters who are asking for help in taking in their overflow of surrendered animals.
To bring attention to the overwhelming amount of animals being surrendered to shelters, and the amount of money it is costing cities, counties, taxpayers, and this State to house these displaced animals.
To bring to the attention of State lawmakers that they need to mandate that all counties and cities in California, need to provide low cost spay/neuter programs, and provide much needed spay/neuter education to the public, so we can stop the needless killing of healthy adoptable animals in our shelters.
The candle lit vigil will begin at 7pm, and will last for 30 minutes. We are honored to have Delorme McKee-Stovall to give the blessing, and to read Rainbow Bridge. Please bring a candle, a poem, a song, a friend, a family member, your children, or your furry friend to help us honor the animals that have died, or will die in shelters everywhere.
Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you there.
Tom,
I just had a brilliant thought and would like to put it to paper before it dies of loneliness.
Tiring of hearing about our fair City hiring batteries of consultants at every turn, I propose the following. A City Department engaging the services of a consultant shall forfeit payroll in that year equivalent to the cost of the consulting fee.
I think that’s an equitable proposition, as it appears that the City is staffed with employees who cannot do work that should be within scope of their duties. Consultants should be utilized in rare circumstances, not on a frequent and routine basis.
Your thoughts please.
How much is spend on consultants by city – maybe $2-3 million of $3 .5 billion budget or is it more?
Anyone have list of city contract dollars and who got them?
What happens if San Jose does not match Police Fire and city employee salaries and benefits?
Will city employees leave to other cities and we will not be able to hire more and get less services?
Where is real millions lost, wasted or given away ? Anyone know?
Mayor / Council spending $500- 750,000 on naming business district is good or bad use of short tax dollars?
Mayor’s $250,000 consultants gave us the same solution as last 10 years – Cut expenses and staff and Raise Taxes that has not worked for years using bad numbers but added – surprise cut employee labor contracted health care and retirement plans which most seem to forget city has to renegotiate ( confer with labor in order to come to terms or reach an agreement ) – great use of $250,000 and blaming them or calling them names will get them to agree – not
#2 Pete,
Why doesen`t everyone share the pain? Good question but, do you really mean everyone ? It`s not happening.
#5: So THAT’S why Rowen sounded so calm and rational in #1. I was seriously questioning if that was really him.
#7—I couldn’t agree more. HOW MUCH did we pay the idiots to tell us the way to re-open closed swimming pools was to build another Raging Waters????
RE: #11 correction, VTA has a staff of five people that have been and still are spending, “$2 million a week on consultant studies.
Thank you
Richard#11: Hard to believe, but your math is even worse than your spelling, grammar, and syntax.
You wrote:“VTA has a staff of five people that have been and still are spending $2 billion a week on consultant studies for BART. Thats over $100 million per year” Uh, Richard, $2billion per week is a lot more than $100 million per year. Please list the schools you attended so that I can be sure none of my relatives attend them.
# 11 Richard
re: first line of the second paragraph.
It’s time to get out the ruler and spank that finger of yours that keeps confusing the “M” and “B”.
Your brain knows the difference, but your finger has a problem.
Great post. Good question.
#2 Pete,
I don`t believe you asked for VTA to get a larger piece of the Sales Tax pie than the city does?
VTA has a staff of five people that have been and still are spending $2 billion a week on consultant studies for BART. Thats over $100 million per year, just imagine how quick Mayor Reed could solve his deficit problem with the $100 million.
Did I hear that VTA has $3billion in unfunded debt. VTA has been unable to produce many promises made to voters who voted and passed the last 1/2 cent sales tax increase because of poor VTA operations.
I`d rather see the city recieve a 1/2 cent sales tax increase to solve the cities financial problems. I`ve been told that the voters would not vote for that sales tax increase either because the voters don`t trust city government will use the tax money to solve its financial problems.
I`d vote for a sales tax increase for the city if I knew the money would be used only to retire the city deficit. It would have to be written in stone.
Govt. types can’t resist “free” money. So, if there are federal dollars out there for the taking, everyone will try to glom onto them. That’s at least one reason why BART to SJ is still alive. If these local guys don’t take the $$, it goes elsewhere, and they may get laid off. Thus, no matter how many citizens decry the wasteful expenditure to bring old technology to SJ on a rail system compatible with nothing else, the bureaucrats will keep moving along until the $$ dry up ( uh, are spent). Remember our freeway onramp to nowhere for a decade or more @ 280/680/101 interchange?
What we need is an initiative that tells SJ leaders—STOP the BART nonsense and move on.
Johnmichael and David,
Thanks, both good points. I need to slow down.
I often get excited when I hear people talk about increasing the amount of money going to VTA for BARTbecause I believe VTA will transfer any money they recieve into the BART program.
The tax payers voted “no” on the last sales tax increase for BART, yet that doesn`t seem to get the attention of the VTA people.
I know VTA is going to try and put a smaller sales tax increase on the November 2008 ballot with hope it will pass, These people know that a 1/8th cent sales tax increase will not fully finance BART, yet they believe they can once again fool the voters.
The Mercury news said that the new sales tax increase on the November ballot will have a hard time passing because of the recession we are entering. I believe the real reason it will not pass is because tax payers don`t trust the VTA management team and the lobby people pushing the BART project.The recession idea is just the frosting on the cake.
Regarding the Measure A and B ,1/2 cent sales tax that did get voter approval years ago…where did most of those funds generated end up ? How about the promises made on the ballot by the VTA people, did they deliver on all their promises? This is what I mean when I say that VTA management has lost voter trust.
I believe in rapid transit, but I believe you once said it best Johnmichael, “BART is not rapid transit”.
Johnmichael,
Again you said,” we need another Boston Tea Party”!
You are so right.