As mayor, you have the responsibility to make changes, provide vision and get things done. Rarely have we had a mayor of this city who could claim to have all three of those qualities. And, yes, the small things like fixing potholes, listening to the neighborhood associations, and being an accessible mayor are all important too. However, at the end of the day, it’s the “big things” that you will be remembered for.
Looking back, you might agree that Mayor McEnery will be remembered for bringing the Arena, the Tech Museum and the Convention Center to San Jose; Mayor Hammer will be remembered for bringing the San Jose Repertory Theatre and Santana Row to our town; and Mayor Gonzales will be remembered for increasing high-rise housing. What will Chuck Reed be remembered for? I am afraid he might only be able to add “sunshine reform” to his list, which is something, but not the large accomplishments that San Jose needs.
Here is a little advice to Chuck Reed: follow the path of Rudy Giuliani when he was the mayor of New York. Your reign needs to be one of making changes and being a little ruthless about it.
For example, when Rudy Giuliani was mayor, he was what people deemed “authoritarian” in his campaign to lower crime and the numbers of homeless in New York City. He made large scale changes, including empowering the police chief, and not worrying about political correctness or popularity as much as improving the quality of life in his city. We all know the famous anecdotes about Giuliani sending the New York City homeless to New Jersey, well noted in the book The Tipping Point; his campaign to clean up graffiti in the subways and sending a message to vandals and criminals; and forcing out undesirable shops and businesses in Times Square while encouraging newer, better shops to open. His reign initially caused New Yorkers to feel they were in the grips of an iron vice, but in retrospect, they cannot argue with the fact that he made New York a better city.
Now, we don’t have the mass of problems that New York City has, but we need this kind of leadership in San Jose. Mayor Reed needs to empower the police chief to get rid of cruising and hooliganism for good, without regard for being politically correct (or find a chief that will carry out what needs to be done). He needs to rid our streets of vagrants and homeless and find a place for them to go. He needs to force out shops and nightclubs that don’t help our city image or that bring crime here, and find the resources to replace them with something better. He needs to continue to build, develop, expand and change our city in a real and measurable way. He can take a page out of Giuliani’s book: big changes make a city better.
I think that the worst thing in life is to not be remembered. Let’s hope that Chuck Reed can become a “Little Rudy” for our city and make some lasting changes that we will all remember and someday thank him for.
Easy said; not so easily done. New York City is not San Jose. New York City is not the state’s bedroom community.
Sometimes those who set a new course or right a floundering ship can have a profoundly positive and long-term impact.
People are remembered not only for what they accomplished, but as well for how they they did it.
SG paragraph #5
The chief of police has the power now but he is “PC” as you said. So what to do ?
Hire Bernard Kerick, formerly NY city police commish. Then pat down all the cruisers, suspects and other nogoods. Take away the guns, drugs and other illegal junk.
Destroy the stuff and let them go. The searches are not legal and the evidence cannot be used for charges in court, so what?
They will get the idea and quit. That’s what NY city did and it worked just fine. Otherwise just leave it as it is and keep complaining.
Mayor McEnery gave the Sharks a home
Mayor Hammer gave us Santana Row to roam
Mayor Gonzales gave us City Hall’s dome
Alas, Mayor Reed does not need a comb
He should write an epic tome
Containing many a dumb poem
He could be like me – shalom!
“Way Off Base” doesn’t have a clue.
I lived in NYC from 1985 to 2005. I can attest that things have improved dramatically since I moved there 22 years ago, although the low point was probably in the late 1970s/early 1980s. For example, Rudy Giuliani wasn’t the one who got rid of subway graffiti. That was David Gunn, President of the Transit Authority from 1984 to 1990 and most recently fired as President of Amtrak:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5022721
Rudy’s detractors, and there are many, forget why he was elected and re-elected in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by something like 8-1. The electorate saw David Dinkins, the man who replaced 3-term mayor Ed Koch, as not representing the interests of the entire city and showing favoritism to certain constituencies. See, for example, the 1991 Crown Heights riot and the Korean grocery boycotts of the late 1980s.
SG correctly notes that Rudy was an effective mayor who turned the City around in his 8 years. Think about this: if Dinkins had defeated Rudy in 1993 he would have been termed out in 1997. Without effective Republican opposition, Ruth Messinger was next in succession to the Democratic throne and would have been mayor on 9/11. For those living in NYC at the time, that’s a scary thought.
During his two terms, Rudy made some unfortunate choices but overall SG is correct that he made NYC a better place to live.
Hugh
Single girl you are so right. it is the same in ever city and needs to be dealt with in a positive way. Everyone is to afriad to offend someone. People who are bad, hurtful, sick, mean need to be dealt with in a harsh way. People who hurt other people should be put away for a long time maybe permenantly. They are like mad dogs and should be treated that way. The problem has always been that the liberal minded people want to save everyone. Well, some people just can’t be saved. They need to be put to sleep or locked up for good. Keep up the pressure someone will have to do something soon it is getting out of control all over this country.
Agreed SG,
The contrast between San Francisco and Manhatten is remarkable. Clean safe streets and good public order. I remember when Times Square was a sewer instead of the heartbeat of the city that it is now. Rudy did a remarkable job as mayor after decades of neglect.
Daly Show – America to Rescue – Middle East Balance of Power and Knowledge to Rebuilding US Infrastructure
http://www.crooksandliars.com/Media/Play/20616/1/TDS-America-Rescue.wmv
San Jose is not as safe as New York, Detroit, and LA? San Jose is one of most dangerous city in the country then. That’s too bad. I can identify with alot guys in the blog above. They’re so right. San Jose isn’t safe, especially downtown and eastside.
Rudy Giuliani? Uck! If Mayor Reed becomes ”Little Rudy”, I’ll rescind my vote for him and move to another City! After seeing Rudy in women’s lace undies, reading about how his Welfare to Work Program killed an elderly, disabled black man working in Rudy’s “own” private garden so he could receive his Welfare check, and later seeing him riding an elephant from the circus down the streets of New York, I’d rather have Ron back. Rudy’s a loon!
We certainly do live in an instant gratification world don’t we? Mayor Reed hasn’t been in office long enough to clean up the messes of Ron, and labor. Give him some time!
So far I think he’s done some awesome things. He has pulled the community in on budget making decisions. He has been working hard to make San Jose green, and is working to bring companies here that deal in solar panels. We may actually become a leader in the fight to be a much greener, planet friendly City.
Mayor Reed hasn’t pushed the Council around like our previous Mayors have, or ignored their opinions. He has allowed and encouraged open honest communication from his Council colleagues on issues facing our City, so that we citizens have an opportunity to hear what’s really been going on behind closed doors for years.
The Mayor has not caved into political pressure from the IPA, special interest groups, or allowed the Police Chief to be neutered. He refused to ignore State and Federal Laws on illegal immigration, and voted against becoming a refuge city for illegals. He loves diversity, and the beautiful things other cultures bring to our City, but he doesn’t support lawlessness.
Mayor Reed was the first person on the Council to realize how hard animal rescuers work to save animals from being killed in our shelters, and was the first to open his community center for an animal adoption fair, and a low cost shot clinic for the public. His kindness has lead to other Council Members opening their centers to animal rescuers. Thus far, over 100 homeless animals have found homes, and over 500 citizens have received low cost shots, chipping, blood tests, and nail clipping services for their pets.
I could cite more of the wonderful things he’s done in less than a year, but I think you get the idea. I think it’s unfair to question his leadership of our City based on the grandiose changes other Mayors made over their YEARS in office, this soon in the game. Mayor Reed has always been slow and steady, made carefully thought out decisions for our future, and has been working on some great new business ventures for our City. I look forward to seeing his great changes. I’m not the least bit worried he’ll leave us in debt, or without services when his tenure is over!
S.G.: Nice post.
Reed has the smarts and the guts to fix the city, but he can’t do it alone. The citizens of San Jose have to step up, get involved, and demand that their representatives work for the greater good rather than the interest groups.
There is absolutely no excuse for the poor condition of our city. There’s plenty of money to fix the city, we just can’t have it.
For one week, the Mercury News should publish a full accounting of the 111 or more “funds” that make up the city’s budget. What are the sources of these funds?…how are they used?…are the people getting their money’s worth?…can we shift some of these funds to higher priorities?
2) Use RDA money to fix the city, rather than underwrite private risk. Eliminate blight through the establishment of “tax free zones.”
3) The unions’ stranglehold on the city has got to be broken. San Jose should make the transition to dually trained Peace Officers (see Sunnyvale).
4) It’s time for a citizen’s innitiative to return to “city wide elections.” The notion that only a certain kind of person can represent certain kinds of people is insulting and counterproductive.
Pete Campbell
There’s an interesting article on Rudy in one of the recent New Yorkers, I’ll see if I can locate it for you, very revealing. He’s portrayed as a real hot head, quite the opposite of Reed, who’s cool, thoughtful demenor I find to be safer. No doubt he does not have the charisma of some of our past leaders, but he’s steady and I think principled.
Great post Single Gal,
I’m telling you, this city needs something to get excited about! Too much bad news over the past 8 years, particularly for our downtown: collapse of the Pavilion Shops, no grand Palladium Dev. plan, no baseball, no Nvidia, no Living Tomorrow Pavilion, no more Grand Prix (although this may have excited some people), and still no BART (I’m also nervously awaiting news that BEA Systems will be bought out or that Lucky Strikes Lanes will bail on The Globe). While Mayor Reed might not deliver on something earth shattering (NBA at the Tank, grand development at Diridon/Arena?), perhaps someone from SJ’s past could lend a helping hand in the department of VISION and EXCITEMENT! Come out of retirement Mr. McEnery! Leave Mr. Reed to potholes and downtown cruisers and the “BIG THING’s” to a San Jose Insider!
#15- CNN did a one-hour special on Rudy Giuliani. Hothead is an understatement! The guy is a dictator! He’s pulled a lot of stunts most people wouldn’t dream of.
During the Welfare to Work nightmare, he decided to ignore several State Laws, saying he wouldn’t enforce any of them. What he did to some of the elderly, and disabled people on this program was just criminal. Who wants a President like Bush who sets his own agenda, ignores laws, and hurts the voting, taxpaying citizens in this country?
Outwardly, Mayor Reed isn’t the warmest, most charismatic person, but he has a loving heart, and a great deal of dedication and concern for our City. He makes me feel safe too. You can’t say that about too many politicians these days.
In today’s Merc there’s a very good article on how the Mayor is fighting special interest groups, and working with large companies on park maintenance. You might want to read it SG.
Just for the record, I think Rudy did a great job in New York, especially during 911.
#18- On that I’ll agree, even though he wouldn’t allow a scheduled Mayoral election to take place.
Aside from exploiting the tragedy of 9/11 for personal political gain, what did he do that was so great? It seems to me that without 9/11 he would have no platform on which to run for president and if that is his claim to fame how does that qualify him to be president?
He allowed an under-equipped fire department to march to their deaths in the towers, he has offended many families and police and firefighters with his grandstanding, etc. It seems shameful to be running as the 9/11 candidate.
“The Tipping Point“ stated that it was many small changes not large changes that tipped balance resulting in NYC’s crime rate reduction and improved quality of life
New York’s Transit Police Chief first implemented zero tolerance small crimes policy based on belief that ignoring small crimes increases crime by both people who normally do not commit crimes and habitual criminals who are responsible for large number of crimes ( “law of few“ or 80/20 rule ) since when they are not arrested crime dramatically increases
Transit police started to strictly enforce existing graffiti, littering and transit fare non payment laws resulting in legally arresting many habitual criminals who were wanted felons, parolees or had illegal weapons or drugs so they were sent to jail for long periods of time. This removed criminals from streets or discouraging people from committing crimes resulting in significant crime decrease on transit system He was later appointed NYC Police Chief and applied the same zero tolerance crime policy citywide
San Jose Police have recently started to strictly enforce downtown quality of life small crimes that were routinely ignored: public intoxication, underage drinking, curfew violations, open liquor containers, public urination, reckless driving primarily by 21-30 years old party goers who for years will committing small crimes have driven other customers away from downtown
Police have continued their highly successful decade long city wide effort with community volunteers to wipe out graffiti
New York City then implemented zero tolerance building and fire code violations and illegal alcohol sales to minors that resulted in their problem clubs and Times Square being cleaned up and more customers coming downtown
San Jose Council should as second part of downtown clean up plan implement similar zero tolerance building and fire code violations policy and work with state to reduce illegal alcohol sales to minors which would clean up San Jose’s problem clubs
There also needs to be increased cooperation by downtown clubs and businesses to work with city and community groups to develop workable downtown plan and have clubs pay for increased downtown public safety and cleanup costs caused by their customers
Everyone should be able to enjoy downtown rather than what has been going on for years which is ignoring problem clubs and people which drives away other downtown customers and businnesses
#20 I don’t feel 911 qualifies him to run for president. If you’d carefully read my #15 blog you would have realized that.
#20- So true! Go see Sicko, if you want to see how these 911 heros are being treated.
#21- Every time people complain about the irresponsible way club owners in downtown act, the club owners come out screaming, too much Police brutality, and racial profiling! It’s just outrageous. I’m pretty sick and tired of these club owners attracting these kinds of youthful offenders just for profit, and acting as if they have no responsibility, or accountability in creating these problems.
The media isn’t helping the problem with one sided reporting of the facts either~
Single Gal:
I completely agree. My wife and I visited New York after Rudy cleaned up the city and made it safer. We could actually walk the streets at night, late at night and not feel threatened. We did not have the same feeling when we were there 5 years earlier. I did not have to look over my shoulder or cross the street to avoid homeless or undesirables. I do not get the same sense of safety in downtown San Jose at night. I feel I need to be on a higher level of alert when walking here at night, even just going a few blocks from the Shark Tank to the parking lot downtown. I believe Rudy did an outstanding job in New York and we need that type of strong personality type as Mayor of San Jose. Like you, I hope Chuck Reed is that person. But, while I do not know him personally, his public persona does not give off that strong, critics be damned, feeling of confidence that is needed for this type of a job. Some day…..
Actually, Giuliani is remembered in New York primarily as an egotistical tyrant who rode a national wave of crime reduction to a reputation as a crime-buster.
The intervening years have exposed that the opinion of him that existed on September 10, 2001, was the accurate one: that he fulfilled the Peter Principle completely. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle )
In that regard, you’re right – he’s likely a perfect role model for Chuck.
Dream on SG. This entire term is going to be a major snoozer for the people of SJ.
Single Gal, leave the guy alone! He did not create the picnic that brought the criters.
What you propose scares me more than the Gonzogon methods.
The guy behind Fallon
Single Gal writes: “Mayor Reed needs to empower the police chief to get rid of cruising and hooliganism for good, without regard for being politically correct (or find a chief that will carry out what needs to be done).”
The police chief has the power; always has. What he lacks is either the will or the courage to exercise his authority. Rob Davis, who spent his entry-level years running errands and pouring coffee for the brass instead of working the street, was appointed chief because city hall was assured that he does what he’s told. And, as promised, in a profession rife with risk, he has demonstrated he will take none. Whereas working cops willing put at risk their bodies and careers in service to the public, the police chief, who even if fired would walk away guaranteed about what we pay our state attorney general, will put at risk only the finger with which he tests the political wind.
He is not San Jose’s top cop; he’s San Jose’s safest cop.
I don’t think Gonzo will be remembered for in-creasing affordable housing or even unaffordable housing, but he will be the guy remembered for the so-called City Hall—too huge to be just an eysore (but it was done by the guy who did the Getty, so how can it be bad??)(only if “the Client” is an idiot). In-your-face-fascist-albino-architecture for centuries. A billion to build and STILL city bureaucrats are spread out all over town. The debt on that white elephant will go on for years, sucking $$ out of the downtown and neighborhoods for decades. Chuck Reed won’t be remembered for some thoughtless monument to political ego at the expense of the taxpayers and the citizenry. Guaranteed. Most coins have another side. What we won’t get from Chuck is as valuable as what we will get. No crap. My take is that, though the really short list of accomplishments by previous mayors is not impressive, some are a start. NONE of them have had a vision or a plan for San Jose, not even Tom (who is bigger on the past than the future, or even the present). If Chuck leaves a Great Plan for SJ that it will be more than all the rest have done. Every one of them has had a “General Plan” that could be the center of a comedy (and was, when Trounstine had his satire going). Sam might very well help. PO is a bit young but certainly has potential for helping with a plan. With all those cute kids, maybe even Pete will pitch in since it’s obvious he has to be thinking of the future.
The union folks will need to go since they’re just into NOW—what’s in it for me today—at the prevailing wage, of course. George Green
Ed Rast, finfan and others have a good point regarding problem clubs. Some of the clubs downtown are a problem and need a lot of police standing outside to “keep the peace”. Two are in north san pedro, Taste Ultra lounge and cucini’s.
Both are supposed to be restaurants that serve food with late night entertainment. They have licenses that state this from the Alcoholic Beverage Control. They basically have licenses that are the same as Gordon Biersh and Paragon. They are supposed to have food avialable if they are serving alcohol.
But both don’t serve food, they only operate late night uses. Not serving food is against their liquor permit.
We need a number of people to call the ABC and complain (408-277-1200). that is one way to clean up problem places or at least force them to do more of the “right thing” when they operate!
#14 If you want to break the union stranglehold, please don’t recommend the Sunnyvale model. Their Public Safety Officers make more than either Police or Fire Fighters. Their union is so powerful that they essentially control the election of the City Council in Sunnyvale. The union is by far the biggest contributor to municipal elections.
Are we talking about soon to be Ex-Mayor Chuck Greed?
Mayor Reed is making the right moves. A visionary needs money in the bank. He was handed a empty check book and loads of debt.
San Jose needs a reformer at this time, someone that can hold the line and make those close calls that are hard to make.
Don`t confuse Mayor Giuliani with Mayor Koch of New York. There are a number of similar issues between New York City`s condition in 1987 and San Jose`s condition in 2007. Koch was a reformer and paved the way for Giuliani. Look at the two histories.
In 1987 NY had the worst roads in the USA, in 2007 SJ has the worst roads in the US. NY sales tax income was on the decline as was their loss of jobs to New Jersy. Fiscally NY was upside down as SJ is today.
Mayor Koch`s vision was for a healthier NY City, his vision called for belt tighting. By 1989 Koch achieved his goals. Lets support Mayor Reed and hope he does too.
#29- I agree with you 100%! Go Mayor Reed!