The mayor’s annual State of the City speech just seems to get smaller and smaller. Where will it stop? When I moved from the old Parkside Hall to the new Fairmont in 1989—for what I hoped was a new, new State-of-the-City era—I thought it was going to be a great day; and it was, for a bit. After the Unity Breakfast, as we used to call it, the fire marshal—in a fit of pique—cited the event for overcrowding; not quite the ending I had hoped for. (The citation inspired a few negative articles and cartoons, including one depicting a dog with my head on it urinating on a fire hydrant labeled “FIRE CODE.”)
From the Center for the Performing Arts to the Convention Center to the new California Theatre, the location of the speech during the Gonzales years has been moving like a deadbeat peddler avoiding creditors. At this rate a phone booth, or the back booth at the McDonald’s on Fourth Street, might be a future home. But that will be for another mayor to determine; this is Ron Gonzales’s last speech laying out the guidelines, opportunities, hopes and dilemmas of our city. It is time for the straight scoop.
The state of our city is not as strong as we would like. There are daunting prospects facing all of us and those who would like the honor of leading us. And make no mistake about it—the Rotunda of City Hall is the least of the issues facing us in the years ahead. The quality of our lives, economic opportunities, and basic safety are the key issues that we must grapple with immediately. It is not sufficient to mouth the shibboleth of “Coyote for our economic survival” or “we are the safest city in America.”
We all know the future is very uncertain. The next era will demand a much more thoughtful approach than we have seen so far. In this approach, downtown must become a key component, not an afterthought to be plied with subsidized restaurants and circular firing squads—ah races. The future must be about ideas and values, not bankrupt public relations slogans and profiteering. Only such a set of ideas and values is worthy of the wonderful place we all call home.
How can you equate downtown housing with Coyote sprawl. The first, if done right has to potential to reduce auto trips since DSJ is somewhat served by transit with potential for improvements if we don’t piss all of our money away on an ill-conceived BART extension. Coyote, on the other hand, is a stupid idea that will replace more pristine countryside with obnoxious sprawl.
Greg – there are ways to grow thoughfully and in a way that allows for economic growth and our children to have a chance to own, the American dream, a home. It involved good planning, an absence of special interests, and rational infilling. I live in a neighborhood that has seen high density and high rise projects. I welcome those new neighbors to enliven our area, use already built parks & libraries, and benefit from the police beats already here. Downtown and good projects are a key to our future. Selfishness and sell outs are the road to damnation—- or LA. TMcE
It is still enjoyable to ride south out of town into the Coyote Valley. Whether the ride is on the old Monterey Highway or Santa Theresa Blvd, it is still ejoyable to see open areas and hillsides covered with native oaks, and fields, orchards and crops. Why is it necessary to cover these areas with pavement and structures? Maybe to fatten the purses of the developers and land owners? Are we not going to keep any legacy of our agricultural past?
Tom, that’s great… I like thoughtful growth. Does that mean you no longer BBQ and have replaced your lawn with astroturf?
Dan:
I think that the city or county, where ever you live or work should pass a law that forbids you to ever sell your house, or dispose of any property that you might own, just because someone thinks it is looks nice!
Not to worry about Coyote Valley and traffic.
I have inside information from someone who works at a VTA skunkworks project where VTA is secretly working on a ‘bullet’ lightrail extension – the project codename is “RoadRunner”.
Early tests have shown that the “RoadRunner” can actually outpace small coyotes over short distances.
“Spare the air” days are special occasions that should be celebrated by heading down to 7-11 in your SUV to pick up some lighter fluid and a carton of cigarettes to enjoy whilst your kid mows the yard and you ‘cue up some steaks.
Novice,
I’ve heard the inside info. In fact before Ron Gonzales got yanked off the VTA Board he cut a secret deal with the Acme Corp. to build the bullet train…using real bullets.
The leadership in this town has been in bed with developers since the annexation blitz of the 50’s and 60’s. Janet Hayes and a couple of more recent mayors have tried to change this pattern but the developers always seem to get what they want: more sprawl and traffic at a crawl.
Nobody should expect things to go any differently with Coyote Valley than they have with the rest of town. The track record over the past five decades speaks for itself.
Only a mayor and council who will stand up to developers can fix this. And I don’t see a group like that in this town’s future based on the bulk of the candidates for mayor and council positions that are currently up for grabs.
Absolutely disgusting.
I cannot believe Ronny G is still sitting in his office in City Hall. What is wrong with politics when you can censure him, he can be totally ridculed and still have the cajones to stay in office and waste away the rest of his term.
Pathetic!
We need a new addition to our municipal code: censured mayors cannot give the state of the city address. I cannot think of anything more depressing than listening to Ron tell everybody: “the state of our city is great!”
#11, it’s the SJ electorate that needs to get the cajones to achieve a voter revolt. But the apathetic suburbanites with their heads in all of their respective sandboxes far outnumber those of us who are fed up with this town’s perpetual identity crisis and inept (the stem cell application is a good example of that) and corrupt (glaring examples abound) leadership.
Jack Nicholson had a great line as The Riddler in the original Batman movie, when he emphatically stated, “This town needs an enema!”
Some people might mistakenly think that this treatment has already taken place in SJ considering the stench coming out of City Hall lately.
Novice, in reply to #8 above, I like your style! Let’s make sure that we invite Tom to the BBQ. We need to make it clear that packing San Jose with more and more people does not foster quality of life. If the politicians had their way, we’d need to get a City permit to kindle up a couple of briquettes.
Dear #12,
Da Mayor needs da money, and will hang on until the very end.
Da State of the City will be ok, as long as Da Mayor stays in his office watching da calendar reach December 31, 2006.
Da rest of us will need to act like we care in June when we get out and vote to elect a new, and hopefully ethical Mayor to lead our great city.
Where’s the picture of Ron’s head on that dog urinating on the people of San Jose???
As I read todays paper I wondered what the heck was the mercury so happy about? The way they were gropping over who’s got more campaign money made me sick to my stomach!
I was so glad to see that the not so known canidates are not worried about what they have gotten so far, GOOD FOR THEM!
I called Larry Flores and asked what he thought about it and the way the paper did not even mention his name! and he laughed about it! He told me, ” I don’t want the peoples money, I want their vote”, then it hit me! thats why I give this guy so much support because he’s got heart about himself, not greed!
Everywhere I go people aren’t talking about the incumbents, but about him.
Could he be the underdog of the group? I think so.
He has a lot of support from people like us, bluecollar workers. He’s going to hurt cindy on June 6th 2006 because he’s a union person and was brought up from those roots. I’ve seen him all over town, shaking hands and getting votes.
His website gets it right! go to it and tell me what you think? http://www.larryfloresformayor.com
I still can’t believe chucky took his slogan!
and is using it on his website.
Remember what happen to beth gonzales?
Just because you get the union endorsements and that big money, doesn’t mean you get their members vote! I’m a union member and I’m voting for Larry Flores!
#15.
I suspect Da Mayor needs Da Negotiating chip of a possible resignation in case Da DA’s investigation results in Da Damn inDictment.
That seems to be how it worked with Terry Gregory.
#12.
You’re right. It’s going to be interesting hearing a censured Mayor give the annual municipal pep talk. That’s probably why they moved the speech to a venue with less seating. Fewer hecklers.
Anybody have any idea about how many building permits have already been issued to build in the Coyote Valley? I notice a lot of new homes going up on the east side of 101 toward Bailey.
I remember the city saying that there would be no building east of 101 from Capitol Expressway south.
But, wait a minute, that was only a ten year plan. Musta been 20 years ago so build, build, build.
Mr. Mayor will go down in history as the worst elected official in San Jose. But nobody cares. Least of all Da Mayor…
Dear San Jose:
I agree that Mayor Corruptus will go down in history as the worst elected official in San Jose. I also agree with the comment that “nobody cares.”
Kudos to the Mercury News for their editorial pushing for sunshine laws and ripping the mayor and council for the last minute $4 million subsidy.
Hey, what ever happened to the mayor’s budget director? How did he get through the garbage scandal unscathed and unapologetic?
Pete Campbell
Tom, I’d love to hear more on your thoughts on the degradadation in the quality of our lives. If you so firmly believe that, you must be a champion of limiting growth here in our valley. Building high density housing in Downtown and adding thousands of homes in Coyote Valley sure as hell won’t improve our quality of life. Think about air quality, availability of water, traffic congestion, etc. How many times have I heard those “spare the air day” warnings, admonishing us to forego barbecues and lawn mowing? Will it get to the point that normal pastimes are outlawed for the sake of increasing the valley’s population?
What have any of you done to change San Jose for the better or elect good people who care more about San Jose than being another career politician or enriching themselves and their friends to the determent of San Jose’s residents and families
Much unrealistic talk and suggestions and no or few real actions to change San Jose for the better –
Discouraging
Pete, I find it amazing that the only time in recent memory that the Mercury has printed hardhitting local news stories is when they are teetering on bankruptcy and realize that they may have lost their base audience.
Five years of Bush bashing hasn’t done them any good even if most of the readership agrees with them.
Maybe they will have the backbone to report fairly on ALL candidates in the upcoming mayoral election.
I hope so since I recently re-subscribed after a 12 year hiatus. I got tired of reading about how ethical the Clinton presidency was. And, as an aside, how great San Jose was going to be with all of the computer and IT stuff going on out on N. First Street.
San Jose can and will be great someday but it is going to take politicians who care more about the city and its citizens than about feathering their own nests for future runs as governors, senators or presidents… Imagine if you can, President Gonzales,,.
Tom:
There is an often used word by the younger generation that you should become familiar with. That word is “hater”.
The Urban Dictionary defines a Hater as:
Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesnt really want to be the person he or she hates, rather the hater wants to knock somelse down a notch.
When it comes to Ron Gonzales, Mr. McEnery, you are a HATER.
Tom,
When are you gonna run for mayor?
Is such a thing allowed, since you were already mayor before?
We do not know how long Les White will last as City Manager under the Reed administration. Well, if the city, as several people that come before the City Council are told by Reed’s handler, Victor, as long as they hire the firm, or leave the hill property of the handler alone, they will do fine.
# 12, you probably mean Duh Mayor. You may be confusing our local guy with San Francisco’s Willie Brown who called himself Da Mayor.
#23 you should know that the mayor gonzo and his cronnies, especially his closest ally Cindy, would never allow the electorate because they think we are too stupid. They hide everything else from us.
Former State Senate President Pro Tem
John Burton said it all “San Jose can’t even hold San Francisco’s jock strap”
and
Gonzo hopefully will retire in some trailer park in San Diego where he belongs.
Gelvey, re: #24
Better Ron than Alberto, I think.
to start san jose need a new name,something like WELCOME TO SAN JOSE CA A SANCTUARY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS would be great .
Fed X,
I think that honor belongs to Salinas. I heard a long time ago that Salinas is the northernmost point in California where pesos are readily accepted as legal tender.
The best thing I do on the City Council is tell everyone how bad they are as I am spotless.
I have a question….do the citizens of San Jose get to vote on the Coyote expansion? It is a decision that would change our City’s long-term future. I would rather have this decision made by the people – not our council.
Am I off base?
Downtown is dead … San Jose is a suburban disaster, and that’s the way alot of San Joseans proclaim to like it. So, stop dreamin’ and wake up with the cup of orange capuccino.
Don’t call it downtown. We should call it old town and not have a downtown anymore, because no really cares about creating a downtown in SJ.
The SJ should also stop plans for North SJ, why try to create a new downtown when the old one does not work and will never work. Face it SJ will never be a centralized city, it is a decentralized city, a suburban city.
Everyone likes to cast stones, but let those who always cast the first stone and assassin people’s good character in public offer solutions instead rather than problems, Mr. McEnery.
#35 – Don’t know who you are referring to, obviously it is not the current mayor, since whatever “good character” he may have left the building long ago.
Again, a negative response without solutions. Very original!
I offered solutions for 14 years – eight as Mayor and six as a Chair of the Planning Commission and member of the Council. I still do. Both in and out of office, there is a responsiblity to participate. People in my family take that responsibility seriously. Thanks for asking. TMcE
#37—The solution, for starters, is getting a new mayor, are real city manager (unlike the last one), and getting councilmembers who are bright enough to understand a city charter, concepts like good government and good public policy, etc.
Many, many solutions have been raised on this board—maybe you need to read more carefully. Just a suggestion.