“Too Much Public Participation” Say Williams and Campos
Calling for more secrecy in government and saying they want to encourage less public participation, San Jose City Council members Forrest Williams and Nora Campos are proposing a series of “sunset” reforms.
Included among the dozen or so ideas is expanding the power of lobbyists, widening fundraising loopholes and hiding any links to their contributors, less frequent dissemination of public records requests, repeal of the Brown Act and the absence of any review of the effectiveness of city services.
“‘Clean government’ is a nice buzzword,” said Ms. Campos, “but it just doesn’t work. Unnecessary public meddling slows down our momentum. Need I say Norcal?”
Mr. Williams admitted that they have received little support for their “sunset” reforms from the rest of the council. He believes it is due to the fact that they are in an election year. “The candidates can’t vote their conscience right now,” he said, “the voters just wouldn’t support them.”
Tom Saggau and Dustin DeRollo, former city employees and partners in a lobbying firm, say that if the two council members are unsuccessful with their reforms, they will fund a special election. “This sunset law is critical to the future of success-based fees,” he said, “and I believe it is in the interest of all citizens of our great San Jose community to put their trust in their elected officials and us.”
The new sunset reforms were authored Tuesday at 12:30 p.m., distributed to council members at 12:45 p.m., and released to the public at 12:55 p.m. in plenty of time for the 1:00 p.m. council session.
San Jose Inside Community Theme Song
(Adapted by San Jose Songster from Grandpa, tell me ‘bout the good old days by The Judds)
San Jose Inside, tell me ‘bout the good old days
Sometimes it feels like
This world and San Jose
This article brings up a good point…What the hell were Nora and Forrest thinking on their vote for lobbyists rights the other day! Are they just COMPLETELY clueless?
#3 Yes, they are clueless. Forrest and Nora are the new John Diquisto and Manny Diaz. I guess every Council has to have one (or two)?
Dear San Jose:
The answer #3’s question is YES!
I find it comical that some of the councilmembers that are calling for “reforms” are the very same people who voted to end the special investigation on the Norcal Scandal. Anyone who read any portion of the investigator’s report would have found that there was A LOT of work left unfinished. To not pursue the investigation was outrageous!
By the way, has the mayor’s budget director apologized yet?
Pete Campbell
p.s. If we want real reform, why not limit the councilmembers to two minutes like the rest of us mere mortals?
#3 Yea! That shows you how clueless they both are. Even if you don’t agree with it – vote yes or you look like an idiot!
It’s just classic how these council members are proposing “sunshine” rules now, after certain “outsider” mayoral candidates have made it an issue. And coincidentally (not) Chavez is aligning herself with the cause. Someone should ask her “where was all this when Mayor Gonzo was pulling his closed door sessions??”
Everyone should GET IT and stop making excuses –
City Council is NOT CLUELESS but very bright people who DO NOT WANT strong reforms and an open city government
All their excuses, reasons to delay, study it, did not understand , Rick wrote it wrong etc are just DELAYS.
DELAY is a well know politcal game followed by the PASS A FEW MEANLESS REFORMS and then CLAIM we have passed reforms hoping the public will be satified with their weak reform efforts get tired, stop bothering them or go away
IF we force them to pass strong reforms the next political game is the well known San Jose DELAY REFORM IMPLEMENTATION while giving more exciuses or reasons since Rick will discover many legal reasions why they can not implement the reforms
Also watch for the hidden REFORM LOOPHOLES political game
San Jose City Council wants the LEAST REFORM POSSIBLE so they can go back to – business as usual special interest city government – not actually representing the public who elected them and to who they should be accountable for spending our taxes for the public good
City Council has the votes necessary to pass real reforms if they wanted them – Reforms could be passed in a week – so all the DELAYS means They DO NOT WANT REFORMS
Forrest Wliiams proclaimed he just didn’t understand what all the fuss about lobbyists was, proving once again that compared to him, his namesake, Forrest Gump, was a genius.
What does that say about the folks that elected him.
Look up “clueless” in the dictionary, and Forrest’s picture is underneath.
They are clueless AND they don’t want reform. We all know where Cindy was during all of those closed door sessions with Gonz0—carrying Labor’s water. You don’t think Gonzo cut the NorCal deal without an assist from Cindy, do you?
As for her new interest in “sunshine” laws—it’s interesting that the person who is famous for dumping memos on the dais at the last minute (Cindy) is now saying she wants memos on time. Which Cindy is running for mayor???
The comedy team of Nora and Forrest needs no comment—their actions speak for themselves.
MS CAMPOS I THINK NOT TRY AGAIN
From a CH insider – here are some other amendments that were added to the bill at 12:32 pm.
– Public comments are to be reduced from 2 minutes to 9 seconds
– Lockheed was awarded a contract to refinish the exterior of the new CH and rotunda with the same cloaking materials as used on Stealth fighters.
– Funding for the streetlight changing budget will be slashed by 50%, reducing the department to 1 employee. Cost savings will be used to install velvet roped reserved seating with super-comfy chairs for lobbyists.
Where is the outrage at the DA? That scandal seems to have gone away? Where are the reforms for our Justice System? Where are the calls for investigation?
The “white silence” is deafening. Those of you who are playing gotcha politics and those self-rightious individuals looking for purity in their politicians ought to turn their attention to a relevant cause.
“It’s the DAs Office stupid.”
From what I have heard, Nora Campos is married to Neil Struthers, CEO of the Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council. His organization, it appears, represents labor unions, some of which are involved with work projects, including some in the City of San Jose, including a few in Nora’s own council district. Also, rumor has it that his organization does political campaigning and makes political contributions to local political people, including Nora. Is any of this true? If so, would Nora and Neil, under strict sunshine rules, need to report additional activities, potentially? If so, should Nora be involved in making the sunshine rules, given her personal situation?
Why have San Jose DA candidates ( Sam & David ) and DA office not been leaders in fixing local ethics, Brown Act / public meeting and public records problems?
Are they just – More Go along to Get along Politicians?
No Ethics and Sunshine Solutions – No Votes
Rich wouldn’t be continually trying to attack the DA’s office because he fears the DA’s investigation of the NorCal scandal will implicate Cindy, would he? Maybe I’m just too cynical but I doubt it.
LL, if your information is correct about Nora Campos that would explain a lot. She’s Gonzo’s #1 lapdog on the council and needs to go.
Still waiting for a warm body to represent district 9.
Dear Wondering,
Given the credibility of the DA, who will believe the results of their investigation?
If they find wrongdoing, is it simply for political puposes, as the Mercury News documented? If they don’t find wrongdoing, won’t people on this board be disappoionted and accuse them of a whitewash?
As the Council has been investigated ad naseum, who will investigate the investigators?
My observation is that we make a mountain out of a molehill at City Hall’s alleged abuses. Yet, when a system convicts innocent people, real abuse of power is uncovered that affects peoples lives and political decisions are the hallmark of our justice system—this crew is remarkably silent.
Call me cynical, but methinks the credibility of this board is at issue. If you are going to reform politics, start where the abuse is most apparent.
No, I’m not Rich, but I bet he wishes he could use my name since that is what he is.
The abuse is most apparent when
– our elected politicians routinely do back room deals for special interest groups, ignore existing laws ( Brown, Open Meeting, Public records etc) and give tax money to special interest groups or campaign supporters, have conflicts of interest like Neil wanting tax subsidy for the Grand Prix for labor jobs and our politicians fighting every reform proposal, weaking them or proposing fake reforms or not folowing what is the law
– DA’s office and all the DA candidates not enforcing the existing laws or proposing how to fix the well known abuses of ethics and DA’s office waiting months after Civil Grand Jury Report to start an investigation as well as all the issues brought in the Mercury’s articles
Santa Clara County DA’s office ( 205 ) has double staff of San Francisco’s DA (110 ) for the same workload ( 9,000 cases ) so there is no excuse just lack of willingness to fix problems
SEE
http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/controller/reports/dareview/DAResponse.PDF
Rich’s – me thinks the credibility of this board is at issue – comment – is not the issue it is the credibility of all our local elected officals especially San Jose and the DA
All this begs the obvious question: Who do you think would be good replacements for Forrest and Nora on the council in their respective districts?
Eugene # 21: As for Forrest, anyone with a brain that is engaged on a regular basis would be a huge improvement.
As for Nora, I know too little about her to comment.
Eugene # 21: As to a replacement for Nora Campos, how about that guy who is the temporary superintendent of the Alum Rock School District? A year or so ago, he came out of retirement and stepped in to stabilize that out-of-control administration and its $200 million budget, having success fairly quickly.
Or how about one of the retired state assembly members who possibly still live in Nora’s district (and I do not mean Nora’s former boss Manny Diaz, who lives and is running in District 2)?
You would suspect someone would stand up and run against Nora. Even after six years, Nora’s district has plenty of rush-hour traffic messes, poorly policed neighborhoods, some of the lowest performing schools in northern California, a low number of accessible parks, terrible housing and shopping opportunities, limited job growth other than low-wage openings, etc. Probably no one is interested in putting up the $20 thousand or so it might take to run against an incumbent and any political assistance her husband’s organization might give her—unfortunately.
It is distressing, if not plain depressing, †hat no one is opposing Nora. She is pleasant enough but doesn’t that district, and the City, deserve a bright Councilmember? Too bad they (and we) won’t get one.