I know that Mayor Reed has not been in office for very long, but when will we start to see his impact? It’s true that he has brought back a lot of respect, integrity and honesty to the position of mayor, but as a lifelong resident who feels that watching our local politicians make decisions is like watching paint dry, I want to see some vision—now!
Large-scale projects that change a city, like the Arena for example, take years to come to fruition. However, such ideas need to be proposed by the mayor so plans can be developed. What will Mayor Reed’s big-impact project be? What will people remember him for? As I see it now, I don’t know if we will get a new, exciting project from Reed. And if we do, it will probably be bogged down in studies and more studies. It’s great that Mr. Reed is so fiscally responsible, but he shouldn’t let that get in the way of visionary planning for the future.
I am not saying that the mayor should make rash decisions, but it is time for him to make his mark on our city. Even though four years may seem like a long time, in the grand scheme of things, it isn’t. We need him to come out “guns blazing” with bold, new ideas. Safe never gets anything done in this town.
Nothing big has happened to San Jose since the Arena measure went to a vote, and that was 20 years ago. You can’t tell me that that is all we have in us.
A question to Mayor Reed: What do you want to be remembered for?
If you look back on this time of the Gonzales administration, he was going through tough times personally…divorce, etc.
But he still had vision. He worked around a stubborn Board of Supervisors and placed a historic measure on the ballot to bring BART to San Jose.
You can hate the project or pretend you thought it was doomed from the get go—but it passed and it was visionary.
Et tu Chuck?
#1 Someone needs to trim that red lacquered “tree” recently installed in St. James Park. Ooops, the tree trimming dept. has been obliterated in the latest budget. But we still have a 16 person Office of Cultural Affairs (proably the folks who conceived of, studied, commissioned, and installed that bit of idiocy.)
#2—two Gonzo boondoggle—Bart nd his Taj.
For now, I’d prefer a dull but fiscally responsible mayor and council. Dull, hhmm, let’s bring Jim Beall back to SJ.
My thanks to Mayor Chuck Reed for making steady progress towards improving the quality of life in San Jose. I wouldn’t worry about the criticism of not being flashy. Remember when Dan W. Gray was mayor of San Jose back in the 1920’s. Mayor Gray was criticized for working at the W.B. Ward Undertaking Co., but he moved San Jose forward.
Single Gal,
Maybe it is exactly a return to fiscal responsibility that will allow the next Mayor (or Reed in his 2nd term) to pursue visionary ideas – you can’t do expensive things when you’re broke.
I’d also take exception with your statement that nothing big has happened in the last 20 years. MLK library, moving city hall downtown, downtown highrise housing, guadalupe river park, and renovation of the airport were/are all big projects. The proposed soccer stadium and surrounding development also represent a big project and have a chance to significantly improve the area around the airport.
His impact on me is that I can now read the notes of City Council meetings without getting angry, and without wondering what City Hall is lying about this week.
San Jose voters stated LOUD and CLEAR that given the choice between getting things done through city processes and process improvements, and circumventing obstacles (obstacles = rules), we prefer the processes. As a result, we have to expect it so take time to resolve some of our structural deficit problems and fix the way we do business.
Nothing big since the arena? There is a long list of initiatives that Gonzales promoted. You may not like them all, but you have to say he had a vision of where the city should go.
– New libraries throughout the city. Gonzales proposed, promoted, and convinced the voters to pass a bond to rebuild every branch library and add several new ones. (And this was during his first 2 years.) Drive around the city and you will see the impact. Also, San Jose residents supported libraries through the Parcel Tax. Much is being said about branch libraries closing on Sundays in the latest budget crisis. Everyone forgets it was Gonzales who pushed to open them on Sundays in the first place.
– BART to San Jose. Agree or disagree, but Gonzales made this part of his vision.
– New City Hall. Most think this was a waste, but Gonzales felt that having a showpiece city hall is part of a city’s identity and made this another priority.
– Expanding San Jose’s airport. The fruits of that initiative will finally pay off next year.
– Expanding the convention center. All we got so far was the ugly blue tent, but the Gonzales administration did show some vision in this area.
– Community center expansions and additions around the city. Check out the Almaden Community Center/Library.
And how about the new MLK library? The first major City/University project of its type anywhere in the country was certainly something big to happen in the past 20 years.
I do agree though that Mayor Reed has so far not articulated a vision on where he wants the city to go in the next decade. The first two years of a new administration are the time to announce bold initiatives and start promoting them. There is only one more year before the reelection campaign begins. I do give him credit for his solar vision, which is a great initiative in San Jose.
#4
Remember when Dan W. Gray was mayor of San Jose back in the 1920’s.
Oh yes. Everyone remembers that as if it were yesterday.
We could see Mayor Reed’s “impact” in 2012. If he, along with Mr. McEnery, could bring A’s owner Lew Wolff, new Giants GMP Bill Neukum and Major League Baseball to the table, then perhaps we could all be singing “Take me out to the ballgame!” in our very own downtown in 2012! I know I’ve stated this ad nauseum, but Cisco Field belongs in downtown San Jose, not an empty field in southern Fremont. FREE SAN JOSE Mr. Reed!
#2 Et tu: Here’s a “vision” of a headline you will never read:
“Governor Ron Gonzales was hit by a BART Train today outside the downtown San Jose baseball stadium…”
So much promised. So little follow-through.
Personally I’d much prefer good old dull Chuck and his constant nattering about fiscal responsibility and open government over the go-go-Gonzo administration and all that came with it. If I want to be entertained I’ll go to the circus.
SG- I agree with many of the comments above. Mayor Reed will be remembered for things like solar energy, open government, integrity, allowing and encouraging community participation in the budget, and on how to reduce it. He’ll be remembered for helping animal rescuers reduce the kill rate in shelters because he was the first to open his community center to allow pet adoptions and education. He has worked to cut wasteful spending, he is trying to find ways to become much more business friendly, and many other badly needed services. He makes sure that as little time wasted in pushing things forward occurs whilst observing the law and Charter. Something previous Mayors didn’t do!
Mayor Reed has done more for this City in terms of respecting its citizen’s needs than any other Mayor I remember. Flashy, no he can’t be called that, thank God! But I will remember his love for this City, and the way that he allows Council Members to express their visions and needs without punishing them with the control of the budget.
Whenever i’m in the sj city limits and i hear the words ‘big,’ ‘bold,’ ‘new,’ ‘idea’ and ‘government’ in the same paragraph i reach for my wallet.
S.G.:
“I want to see some vision-now!” ???
Reed is mathematically challenged. He inherited a significant budget deficit and is still outnumbered by the labor-union backed members of council. San Jose will keep limping along unless, and until, one of these three things happens:
1) we have another “dot-com” like economic expansion. 2) Prop 13 is reversed 3) The city employee unions are busted.
I doubt that any of these three things will happen. In the meantime, I think that Reed will put San Jose on the map with his “green vision” programs. Things may not get much better, but thanks to Reed, things won’t be allowed to get any worse.
Pete Campbell
#8—too bad that those who do remember the Gray admin. like it was yesterday probably can’t remember yesterday.
Where are those Reed Reforms? I haven’t heard anything on them since the Mercury News ran an article calling them a “success”, yet pointing out that most or many of them were either unconstitutional or unable by law to be implemented. The rest were “in process”.
That’s what happens when you try to turn a piece of campaign literature into policy.
But I don’t begrudge Chuck for his lack of vision. That’ what he ran he campaign on. . .
He was going to be the anti-Gonzales—no vision, no screw-ups, no drama, no big ideas, no mistresses.
So far he’s done the job just as he said he would—
Besides, if folks wanted vision they would have voted for Cindy.
Single Gal,
The answer to your question is simple:
Never.
The Honorable Chuck Reed possesses great managerial skills, but he is no leader. I’m afraid this runs throughout the city government. The people involved in running the city are too concerned about political correctness. They are afraid of every decision they make will turn into an outcry from some vocal group that in no way represents the majority of San Joseans.
The mayor and much of the council are political cowards.
Single Gal,
The mark of a Mayor’s success shouldn’t be based upon flashy downtown projects. C’mon, look at Gonzo – he spent more than half a billion of our tax dollars for that pig of a City Hall. That legacy will, for many years, live in the minds of our citizenry.
Instead, what we need is a Mayor who will pay attention to the needs of his constituency. By that, I mean safe neighborhoods, adequate roads, libraries and parks, and basic services such as street sweeping, sidewalk maintenance and trimming of city-owned trees.
I, for one, am tired of seeing our tax dollars funneled into all manner of frivolous projects, while ignoring our service infrastructure.
Mayor Reed is a necessary and welcome transition from the Gonzalez administration. He has his faults (zzzz) but he seems to really want to create a more transparent government. If that is his legacy, I think he will be well regarded historically, even if he doesn’t have a convention center named after him.
At the risk of being branded a Reed apologist, I’d like to pose the following question: Would you trade Reed for Gavin Newsom or Ron Dellums? (I wouldn’t)
Pete Campbell
Not only would I trade Reed for Gavin or Ron,
I would give them several politicians to be named later.
This is not a knock on Chuck.
But comparing Reed to Newsom and Dellums is like comparing Alex Smith to Joe Montana and Steve Young.
Yes, they are all quarterbacks, but that is where the similarity ends.
Good God, Rich! Newsom has abandoned all reason in his quest for higher office. Taxes, taxes and more taxes, along with every kook, liberal program and policy imaginable.
His recent bad press revealed that illegal aliens convicted of a felony, who would otherwise be deported, are being housed in Central California at a cost of $7000 per month, per inmate.
So the “sanctuary city” quietly avoids cooperating with ICE and SF looks like it’s run by a cadre of fools. I think Gavin’s fantasy about being elected Governor is down the tubes.
Hmmm, Oakland… well, I guess we don’t want to discuss a City with one of the highest crime rates in the nation. Doing so would, of course be politically incorrect. Just driving the freeways should require that residents be compensated with combat pay.
But, Rich, you’re entitled to your opinion. Gosh, I’m sure you’d be happier than a pig in sh*t were you to move to SF or Oakland.
Yeah, Rich, if Gavin & Ron are soooo hot, why don’t you move to Baghda-by-the-Bay or Oaktown?
You must be kidding. Only local yokals can compare Reed, a glorified Councilmember, to real big City Mayors.
While SJ fiddled, Gavin has been luring businesses including biotech and hitech to the City. Sure he has to contend with a few nuts in his city, but their neighborhood NIMBY groups are colorful, ours are just NIMBY groups.
Dellums invites Arnold to a photo shoot and gets a big time commitment to fund his programs. When was the last time we saw Chuck with Arnold?
He couldn’t get an appointment, let alone State funding for special projects.
Dellums and Newsom are professionals and until San Jose gets a strong Mayor form of government, we will stay that way.
As for moving. . .maybe someday. But I’m having a lot of fun in the Southbay right now.
Rich,
I’m still waiting for an answer to my question to you about why you think Mayor Reed should be held responsible for the Chambers mailers about Cindy, given that they had not endorsed him at the time.
Secondly, I think you’re very wrong about Mayor Reed’s ability to effectively represent San Jose properly and effectively. He has met with the Gov. on many occasions, as well as with others Mayors to discuss ways of working together on increasing revenue and other vital issues. May be you ought to go back and look at the Mayor’s calander since he’s been in office.