On this Election Day 2006, as I sit here with my fingers crossed, I hope that things will turn out for the best for San Jose today. When I cast my vote this morning, I tried not to think of all that is wrong with politics today and tried to be proud of my own decisions and support other voters who have their own convictions about who they were supporting today. I tried to look at all candidates as worthy, competent and honorable because they were giving of themselves to serve others. I tried to see all the candidates’ good qualities and commendable campaigning strategies.
Well, I tried. I just couldn’t do it.
As I cast my vote this morning, I was proud of my decisions but had this feeling in my gut that I didn’t trust everyone else out there to separate the wheat from the chaff. Conscientious voting is hard because everyone is fed so much garbage (No NorCal jokes needed here) to sift through in order to make an honest and educated opinion. Take the Democratic Party for an example. The Democratic Party has come out in full support of both Manny Diaz in District 3 and Cindy Chavez for the mayor’s race. Why? Both Chuck Reed and Sam Liccardo are Democrats. They are both highly qualified and educated men who have impressive resumes. Yet, the Democratic Party has chosen to support the inferior Chavez and the sleazy Diaz. What kind of political party is it that doesn’t have room for people like Reed and Liccardo?
Chavez and Diaz are highly tied to the labor unions. Is that the reason they get the endorsement? What are they promising that Reed and Liccardo are not? I think the average voter, especially if they are a registered Democrat, looks at the endorsement of their party as a huge reason to vote for a candidate. I am just not impressed by who they have chosen to support.
So hopefully voters have enough sense to ignore the choices of their party and vote on credentials and common sense. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.
But, as this day passes and the figures start rolling in, I will cross my fingers that voters will make the right choices for San Jose.
SG…
Hard working, loyal, experienced… all great qualities and essential in a political party’s choice when it selects someone to back for office.
Hard working, loyal, experienced… all great qualities for doctors, politicians, soldiers… even used car salesmen and drug dealers.
A good listener, collaborative, great vision, know how to get things done; all great qualities for a CEO, Mayor, general, religious leader and yes, a mob boss.
People invested billions during the dot-com boom because they followed the vision and loved what they were told. Those that invested in companies whose leadership was based on open, ethical and financially responsible leadership had the best chance of surviving the implosion that followed.
Asking the hard questions, building from the bottom up, maintaining a strong balance sheet and treating every dollar like it was hard earned and not a gift or chump change… those are the qualities that built companies that survive the hard times and companies that people trust for the long haul.
The unions and the democratic party care nothing about san jose or for that matter anything else except there narrow special interests. It is a sad commentary on what’s happening in our country. It is completely divided and not because of what is right or good for the country or our city in your case, but for themselves. You see it everywhere it is about what’s good for their interests and not what’s good for the whole. The best example of this is retirement and benefits of public emplyoyees unions. The employees unions have become so powerful in this city that the next generation of san joseans will be paying double to support both present emoloyees and past at same time. We can’t afford it people we’ll go broke unless it is changed.
It is not a day to be proud of being a Democrat in Santa Clara County. The local party no longer bases its endorsement on who is the best candidate for San Jose, but on who is the best candidate for labor.
The local labor organization no longer represents the ideals on which the unions were formed. When my grandfather came to this country, the unions were an important vehicle for protecting workers. Now, they are no longer concerned with workers, but only in collecting dues and amassing political power.
As a Democrat I have ignored the party recommendations and researched the issues and the candidates and made my own conclusions. Hopefully, along with SG, others are doing the same. If they do they will see that Reed is our only choice to change the way business is done in City Hall. Labor won’t like having to play on a level playing field, but it is long past time for that to occur.
Let’s hope tomorrow’s headline reads, “Reed Wins!”
The Democratic party in this state is nothing but a bunch of sheep. They supported Angelides while polls had Westly beating Arnold. They supported Angelides because he’s schmoozed with them for years and they are all buddies and there was no way they could tell Phil he was already toast, that he couldn’t win, and that for the good of the state and the self-image of the party, they needed to support Westly. Noooooo, politics doesn’t work that way. Politics doesn’t work, period. The process is broken when the candidate who can win is denied the support of his own party.
On a local level it’s the same thing. Well connected schmoozers snagging an endorsement for candidates party leadership has never even met and whose voting records and overall performance they have not even bothered to research.
I TOL YOU, I TOL YOU, i TOL YOU!
I hope that everyone read the front page of our daily fish wrapper that told us that the City is going to have to fund ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS per year to cover the retiree medical costs!
No pot hole fixing, no building maintainance, not park up keep, no nothing but taking care of the retired union members that Cindy backs!
J
Let’s see, Cindy has been tied to Ron Gonzales, the Republican Party, Coyote Developers, Lobbyists, Labor, and now Manny Diaz.
I guess her ties to Bill Clinton, both U.S. Senators, Norm Mineta, Susan Hammer, Zoe Lofgren, Mike Honda, Law Enforcement Organizations and neighborhood groups don’t count?
I guess worthy, competent and honorable are in the eyes of the beholder.
But, fundamentally, I wanted to wish everyone good luck today. Regardless of how this turns out and, I hope it is Cindy, we must all move forward together.
Again, good luck to all.
It used to be understood that if, when casting your vote, your mind was awhirl in a fantasy world of endless possibilities, perfect heroes, and happy endings, where you were was sprawled across your bed, what you were doing was filling out a movie magazine survey, and who you were was a bubble-gum chewing, star-struck teenage girl.
Today all it means is that you’re a drone who votes along party lines.
For some voters the fantasy is “staying the course” and pretending that the good guys always win. For others it’s “voting for change” and pretending that vague promises lead to happy endings.
If you, like Single Gal, have seen enough dirty business to leave you unhappy with your local party, know that the problem is not one of locale, it is one of values—a word that means right and wrong to the public but power and cash to politicians. The major issues of our time, no matter what you think them to be, are mostly props used to attract and entertain us while our politicians feed at the lobbyist’s trough. Washington, DC is the new Hollywood, producing enough lighthearted and dramatic fare to keep us all in the dark, mesmerized by the actors on the screen.
If you thought “Shock and Awe in Bagdad” made a splash at the political box office, you may be surprised to know that, according to a research paper by John J. Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) and Stephen M.Walt (Harvard), the responsibility for our cockeyed Middle East policy belongs not to anyone you voted for (or against), but to the very powerful Israeli lobby. These two scholars seem to think your political party (whatever it is) has abandoned you. You can read their scholarship at:
http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/Research/wpaper.nsf/rwp/RWP06-011
Of course the authors were attacked as anti-Semites, their scholarship all but ignored by the American press, and their public speaking venues threatened, but that’s nothing new. Read about that at:
http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_11_06/feature.html
And lastly, for those who don’t have time to do the reading—and especially those of you salivating at the thought of Nancy Pelosi as our Speaker, Google: Nancy Pelosi Iran, notice the first two hits, then prepare yourself for more war.
Let’s see, RR has told us that those of us who think Cindy’s vote on Norcal was wrong are too stupid to vote, that people don’t care about process, just results (in reference to Grand Prix vote) and has justified misleading flyers about Chuck Reed (“still refuses to release deductions”) yet now wishes everyone good luck. Nice.
Today’s Merc month’s late disclosure that San Jose will now pay $100 million per year instead of $15 million for city employee and retiree medical benefits bring up the question – What is the total yearly cost of city employee and retirees salaries, medial and pensions? What is cost on employee basis and how does it compare to other cities?
Where is City Council’s finnacial and public accountability? Why do we put up with city budget surprises and hide budget game playing ?
Where will San Jose cut additional maintenance and services to pay for the additional $85 million employee and retiree costs per year? Non city spending ( Grand Prix, non profits Rep developer and corporate subsidies ) is where the taxpayers should see immediate cuts not more city services How much do we spend on non city services and tax subsidies?
What other budget surprises are hidden from taxpayers?
We need to stop giving San Jose tax money to questionable long term regional projects, mismananged non profits, entertainment, special interest groups, politicians until we get San Jose finances in order and spend our taxes on San Jose city services
RR:
Bill Clinton? Worthy, competent and honorable?
Guess you are like all other democrats worshiping this hired gun who will put his name on anything democrat for the right price. I would use the words sleazy, bumbling and arrogant.
SG et al:
Here’s a good question——When the primary was over, the order of finish was Reed # 1, Chavez # 2. This being the case, one would think that the local “Democratic Party” would back and support the person in the # 1 slot. Otherwise, the other course would be to back no-one in the election thus remaining neutral in their support.
Think about it, since both candidates are Democrats—why support the person who was # 2 in the primary——gives one a lot of room for taught.
Concerned Citizen
#6 Mark T
That kind of stupidity is not the monopoly of the Democratic Party. Barbara Boxer would not be a senator today only if the Republican party refrained from pitting her against ultra right wing wackos. Somehow, the objective in running for office doesn’t seem like winning anymore. What it is, I don’t know.
In a cave full of moonbats even Mister Rodgers looks like an ultra right wing Wacko.
Re: the $100M cost for retiree benefits, can someone advise if city employees are covered by PERS?
I know two people, one who currently works for the state, the other who used to work for the county. The one working for the state did so reluctantly, but when she found out she could put in 5 years and then have full benefits for life, she decided to stick it out. She will go back to her high paying, high flying glam occupation after she’s got those benefits sewn up.
The other friend quit the county to go into private practice, again after putting in the 5 years and getting full benefits.
Seems to me that there is something wrong with a system that only requires 5 years of paying into it in exchange for several times that amount in years of retirement coverage.
The problem isn’t necessarily one that the council can fix or would even be willing to, but somehow this nearly-free ride needs to stop ASAP at the city, county and state level because it’s people like you and me who end up footing the bill.
$100 million a year for retirement…and people thought Arnold was crazy for wanting a defined contribution instead of the current defined benefit.
The truth is that overtime, the SEIU and other unions will slowly continue to erode the quality of life in San Jose and other California cities.
“Seems to me that there is something wrong with a system that only requires 5 years of paying into it in exchange for several times that amount in years of retirement coverage. “
How about a system where California teachers get tenure after 2 years?
Apparently the ‘progressives’ in Cali, a state that consistently bumps along at the bottom wrt national education rankings, thinks that’s A-ok.
The takeaway from last year’s prop 74?
Teachers union first. School children last.
# 11,
there are many additional questions that will need to be explored. For example; I invite everyone to take a ride to the corner of Delmas Ave and West Virginia St. just south of downtown between Bird Ave and highway 87.
There is a Mom & Pop store on the noth east corner. The facade (only) was painted with the standard Beige and Kelly green colors used on all RDA districts. A Canvas awning was also installed across the front of the store. The frame of the awning is standard 1.5 inch square tubing painted black and a Kelly green canvas.
I have asked several contractors how much they would charge to do the work I just described. The entire project was quoted anywhere from $4,000.00 to $7,000.00. The RDA is claiming they spent $28,000.00 on the project. My question is: Where’s the other $21,000.00?
I’m sure there’s a good explanation. But, is it good enough?
Here is my thought on Cindy or Chuck. It appears to me that most if not all of their fellow members are standing behind Cindy. I think if we want the City to run better it’s best to have those that have to work together get the leader they want!!!!!!
John
Our solders in Irag get 50% retirement after 20 years and have to wait until age 65 to collect
California public safety officers have by political action now get 90% retirement after 30 years and get it in early / mid 50’s upon retirement
Mercury had article that 76% public safety in San Jose get disability which was highest in state
Does this sound right or in the public interest especially since most taxpayers who pay for this get little or no retirement
Regarding PERS….
I do not think the City of San Jose is a PERS agency. Though I could be wrong. They have a retirement plan, but (if I recall correctly) it is not PERS. If anyone has better info on that, please feel free to correct me. But that’s what I can recall.
Also, I have worked for the state with PERS and now work for another agency with PERS. It simply does not work that you work for 5 years and get full benefits for life. You earn a certain percent per year you work. So if you have a 2% plan and you worked for 5 years, you’d receive 10% of your highest rate of pay over a period of time depending on your contract (single highest year, 36 months average, etc). It’s a bit complicated and varies by contract, but that’s the general idea.
And teachers tenures is different from their retirement plan. My boyfriend is a teacher and his STRS plan works much the same way as my PERS plan (as described above). However, for him I think it’s way more than deserved. Teachers are way underpaid and way undervalued. The problems in our schools are way, way, way more complex than the teachers and their pensions.
I don’t want to get into the debate over public pensions and labor unions and whatnot, mainly because I’m too biased (my family has been a union family for years, even fighting Walmart). But I also didn’t want to leave the misconceptions out there.
Think about it, since both candidates are Democrats—why support the person who was # 2 in the primary
chavez will be spending millions city taxes on her political career and non San Jose democratic party things while Reed is for San Jose
chavez owes a lot of democratic politicans for political endorsements and campaign money
It is politics and city tax money stupid
#18. Novice. It’s not enough to hash out this year’s ballots, you want to return to last year for a prop that went down 45% to 55%? Perhaps it lost by 10% because people recognized:
1. Teachers aren’t the problem. Adequate funding is.
2. Tenure doesn’t stop bad teachers from getting fired, it just means an administrator can’t do it arbitrarily.
Finally, why in God’s name would anyone want to teach in this environment when:
1. They don’t get paid enough
2. Parents don’t accept responsibility for their children’s behavior, instead blame teachers
3. Governors feel the way to fix the education system is to dump on teachers
4. Right wing blowhards who would never get in a classroom themselves love going around saying “teachers unions first. School children last”.
I have only respect for those who choose to go into that often thankless profession.
The Democratic Party did NOT actually endorse Manny Diaz. (Ironic, as Diaz talks almost exclusively about his 20+ years in public service that those in his own party didn’t even want to endorse him.)
There is a juicy back-story involving intimidation of the Democratic Central Committee members at our endorsement meeting early in the year—but the Party itself stayed neutral—despite the desire of many in the room to endorse Liccardo or at least endorse both. I think the feeling in the (tense) room was that endorsing both would’ve benefit Liccado too much—or at least that was what the powers-that-be were saying.
RDA is claiming they spent $28,000.00 on the project. My question is: Where’s the other $21,000.00?
RDA staff overhead and meetings – 10,000
Planning fees – 1,000
Contractor charges for lobbyists to get contract, redos, many meetings and trips to city hall. prevailing wages and political contributions – Contract cost not 4-7000 at least 2 times probably 15,000 or they lost money
CH Insider
#24.. oops, should have read:
1. Teachers aren’t the problem. Inadequate funding is.
Things we won’t see after today:
1. RR’s resume including the phrase, “advisor for Cindy Chavez campaign”
2. Democratic Party ever again throwing so much money at Cindy Chavez after she gets spanked
3. Manny Diaz
4. Phil Angelides
5. Technical quality of ads as bad as those used for Chuck Poochigian
6. Chuck Poochigian
7. Cruz Bustamante in a Jenny Craig commercial
If I were Nany P. on this evening, I would strongly advise all Democrat winners to dampen the celebration, cool the noise, and instruct those who worked so hard for this moment and those of the press that this is not a time for celebration. This is a time for coming together, ending the bloodshed and building a more civilized world.
David
# 21
In war, there are riches for those who risk their capital.
In war, there are promotions for those who risk their career.
In war, there are ribons for those who risk their lives.
#24 ABC
Why pay teachers more and educate our young.
Do that and they my grow up to be enlightened voters.
Enlightened voters able to read and reason for themselves… O M G; that could really srew things up.
O M G That could really be a problem.
Something that needs to be recognized about the political activities of public safety employees: it wasn’t always so. Decades ago such organizations had close to no bargaining power and their organized efforts were mainly in the areas of standards and training. Taking what was offered was a strategy that kept wages low and retirement benefits modest.
What changed everything was the increasing cost of living (especially during the inflationary 70’s) and the hardheaded attitude of municipal managers (suppressing wages was a measure of success). Contract negotiation stalemates became a preferred tactic (for as long as three years in some cases), even during the years of double-digit inflation. The dire circumstances employees found themselves in did not, by the way, arouse any level of the public concern we now see.
Not surprisingly strikes and sickouts followed, as desperation made these previously impotent organizations militant and took them into the political arena, where they sought to gain the political power necessary to counter hard ass management tactics. The results were positive, to a reasonable degree, as politicians showed themselves willing to use their power to nudge negotiators in exchange for the unions political endorsement. Fairness set in, but then, well, politicians will be politicians.
And guess what happens when ambitious politicians figure out the relationship between big promises and the level of special interest support provided? You got it, gross aberrations such as the correctional officers—the lowest rung on the public safety ladder—hitting the wages and benefits jackpot after propelling Gray Davis to office. Very quickly across the state spread the “me too” chorus and, well, here we are—thanks to the tough, shortsighted policies of managers, and the win-at-all-costs attitude of our elected officials.
Whaddya know – another post of mine is confirmed yet somehow doesn’t show up at SJI. What to do…
I got it. From know on I’ll end each post with “Viva Fidel!” to appease the SJI editorial board.
Viva Fidel!
JMO, I think most of us here have seen the contrasting scenarios you’ve described in #27.
I wonder if part of the problem is that there’s no incentive for public employees, like stock options and bonuses. I think people will work harder when there’s potential for a larger paycheck out of the deal. With public employees they generally don’t have any motivation to be efficient.
I work for a company that employs a vast number of union workers across the country. I was a union member until I moved into management, and must say it’s the first job I ever had where I felt I needed a union to go to bat for me. Very adversarial relationship despite the facade of union and management working together to move the company forward.
As a manager I now see that the union’s leadership is all about its membership getting paid the most money to do as little work as possible.
It’s no wonder the off-shoring is out of control in corporate America. What company would pass on a deal where you had better performance for less money?
The sad thing is, thousands of union jobs with my company are in jeopardy in California but the union leaders have their head in the sand. One by one, offices are closing and the union isn’t seeing the handwriting on the wall, its membership is blindly thinking they are secure, and the percentage of workers out on benefits remains high with this false sense of security. One manager even spoke of “when” their office would be closing, not “if” and said simply, the company is not going to continue paying people not to come to work. A case of Rome burning and all the Romans doing the fiddling. This isn’t what I would describe as leadership by the big shots at the union hall.
Novice
We did not censor a comment from you so I don’t know why it didn’t appear. We upgraded our software yesterday and have had several problems associated with the upgrade and are still debugging. I apologize if your comment was lost.
For the record, our comments are not vetted by the editorial board but are read before posting by a moderator who is not one of the columnists to weed out the ads and porn site links. A bona fide comment is rarely censored (it’s only happened 4 or 5 times) and only according to our posted guidelines.
To Just Wondering II,
(This is great, like talking to a twin!)
Contractors who work on City jobs (by state law) have to pay prevailing wages. Private contractors don’t. Also the costs to design, bid, inspect etc. are all added to the cost of construction.
So your estimated cost is based only on the construction cost, not what it cost to administer the project. And, as previously mentioned, if you have to pay prevailing wage, labor costs can double or triple.
That said, the cost differerences are not surprising.
Novice, yes I’m sure the editorial board censors your comments because your insights are so coherent and reasoned that the editors are afraid people might be persuaded by your obvious wit and clever insights
abc,
I suspect it’s related more along the lines of the behaviour of students at those bastions of free speech colleges like Berkeley and Columbia where they steal newspapers with different points of view or storm the stage to prevent speakers with alternative points of view from exercising their freedom of speech.
But I appreciate your kind words and flattery nonetheless.
If I reach 1 bay area koolaid drinker – my interdiction work will be a success.
Viva Fidel!
Here in San Ohaze we have city streets and city parks that resemble something one would expect to find in a third world country.
But we have a lot of feel good programs that suck up dollars but produce no results.
Labor has a grip on our throats. I sat bemused for a half hour last week as a crew of six guys strung Christmas ornaments around the plaza surrounding the Rep and Hawgs. SIX GUYS, a cherry picker, a scissor lift (two guys on it—one operating and one watching) and a forklift that sat idle. Speaking of sitting idle, there was a supervisor there who did nothing but watch the two guys who were actually working. He basically smoked all the time, and contributed zero to the job. And he’s the highest paid. One guy did nothing but hold a stepladder on the very rare occasion that someone used it instead of the scissor lift or the cherry picker. Their job took ALL DAY for that one small plaza, since they were moving in slow motion. I don’t even want to speculate what their combined wages and benefits were.
As I walked back to my office I spent some time watching about thirty men working in the private sector busting their butts working in the hole that will be the parking/basement of the new CIM condo tower on San Fernando between Second and Third. These guys were working—-all of them.
Next day I watched the crew @ Tamien Station onramp to 87 northbound—a public job. Slow motion, just like the ornament hangers.
No-one working for the government—whether they be private employees contracted to do government jobs, or public employees—seems to do half the work in a day that purely private sector workers do. But just try to get anything like performanced based accountability in any union job—-GOOD LUCK.
It’s time for another Boston Tea Party, folks!
Are Novice and Bridget one in the same? They both spell it “behaviour”.