By Marcela Davison Aviles
Prior to addressing the Mexican Heritage Plaza’s (MHP) sustainability model to operate successfully now and in the future, we believe the community should also ask the following: Is the Plaza making significant improvements and is it better off today than four years ago? The answer lies in the Plaza itself. Four years ago the new board of directors and CEO inherited substantial debt; the Plaza also suffered from six years of deferred maintenance and heavy wear and tear. Critical equipment and systems no longer functioned. The garden was in decay. The administrative offices were unkempt and dirty. The parking lot was rented as a used car sales lot. The Mexican Heritage Corporation’s (MHC) finances were in complete disarray. The Plaza’s reputation, as characterized by one prominent arts program officer, “was a joke.”
Today, the Plaza sparkles. It boasts a $1 million makeover (funded by a grant secured by the MHC from the State of California) with new or refurbished heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, floors, security systems, modern but still inadequate classroom and office space, landscaping, exterior lighting, hardware, and public art. The Plaza’s programs have received critical praise, funding and excellent attendance. The Plaza’s staff is now recognized—both at City Hall and by Plaza stakeholders—for their esprit de corps, ingenuity, quality in program delivery and pride in their care of the Plaza. For the past four years, the board and staff of the Plaza have blended community and regional needs, worked to sustain operations and present exciting Latino-based arts programming of all types. Our work has paid off—the Plaza has re-emerged as a vibrant, cultural center attracting local and regional audiences.
Now, to the recent consultants’ report.
At the outset, two key questions remain unanswered: How much does it cost to operate the Plaza? How can we pay for these expenses?
The report does not provide an answer. It relies on stale historical data, inaccurate financial assumptions and misrepresentations of fact in providing four “options” that are clearly not sustainable in today’s fiscal environment. It implies MHC could do more non-revenue generating programming on less money than what years of experience have shown to be the minimum operations expense. It expects the city to pay 100 percent of these costs. It states 2004 was the “high water mark” for community based programming. Unfortunately, that year left the Plaza on the verge of bankruptcy and unable to program at all the next year. Yet, the consultant dismisses this history and the economic reasons that caused it. The report also leaves unaddressed many innovative solutions to the Plaza’s expense issues, solutions that could provide economic benefits, including tax revenues, for San Jose. Our response provides a concise analysis and suggestions for sustainable reform, including new earned and contributed revenue sources.
The Plaza’s challenges are fundamentally economic. Whether Plaza programming is “community” or “regionally” focused or both, we can’t arrive at this conversation until the basic financial questions are answered.
Achieving a sustainable operating model requires a bold new vision that leaves behind competing programming philosophies. The new operating model must at once secure solid financial support that does not chiefly rely on the city and it must also bring all sectors of the community together. Finally, we believe the single most important community need that could attract the type of “deep pocket” investment necessary to pay for the facility and community programming expenses of the venue is education.
These challenges require a new paradigm for the Plaza—one starting from an accurate knowledge of the present actual cost to maintain the physical plant. From here, we recommend the formation of a new operations model—a “circle of innovative partners” within a new non-profit, joint venture, or other appropriate vehicle. The “shareholders” of the new entity would consist of the Mexican Heritage Corporation and a consortium of non-profit funders and agencies. Any new community program must preserve the Plaza’s regional identity, engage all of San Jose’s diverse community and secure new private and public sector investment.
From the perspective of our board and staff, one solution worth pursuing is the creation of a multicultural institute of music and art, offering a state-of-the-art program that combines music and math into a single curriculum. The venue would also continue as a regional visual and performing arts center generating earned revenue.
The curriculum of the new school would be created by leading educators in the fields of music and math and could involve experts from the city’s educational institutions and other schools, colleges and universities from the region, California and elsewhere. The integration of the two subject matters into a single program addresses a critical need in education by offering math instruction in a creative, engaging environment that leverages the well documented benefits of music instruction to improve student academic achievement. The program would be fee-based, but also provide access regardless of ability to pay. This vision addresses local needs without sacrificing the regional identity of the venue; it’s sustainable because it requires, at the outset, strong contributed and earned revenue components.
Funding for the new model could be secured from monetizing the Plaza’s physical assets, revenue from concerts and other events, and investment from the City of San Jose matched by contributed revenue from arts and education funders, private individuals, corporations and foundations. The shareholders could also create a purchasing and administrative services collaborative, combining back office and administrative functions to save money.
There are still many challenges before us. But our momentum offers an excellent opportunity. Let’s leverage the significant goodwill and return on social investment that the Mexican Heritage Corporation has built and create a new model for action and investment. Together we can resolve the Plaza’s challenges and earn San Jose’s full support as the process unfolds.
Marcela Davison Aviles is the President and CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corporation and the Executive Producer of the San Jose International Mariachi Festival.
Marcela,
Your dedication to evolving the Mexican Heritage Plaza and Gardens by taking the positive high road is very conforting to me,in inspite of all that is known and previous processes that are not talked about, because they may now offend.
Such as the rumor that the previous Director granted the large mural to her Mother who came from Oregon to create. She was paid a very large sum of money. Leaving the local artists to simply look on in disbelief. Is this perhaps why she left so abuptly? My concern is why would the previous board and Director spend that kind of money for such an item when it was ready to go down in bankruptcy?
The other question that arises is where is the money that so much activity in over use of the facility go.
It has become clear to me that we must proceed with some kind of investgation in the reasons why the Plaza was handed to Marcela in such a terrible condition and near bankruptcy, when it was being used so much.
One board member, recently gone, said to me at the first Mayors meeting “The board needs new leadership! I replied,” No. it is you that must go and allow a new board and Marcela to save what so many us have dedicated ourselves too build.
Mayor Reed said to Blanca while on the microphone,” Sit down Blanca, this is not your meeting”, just prior to addressing the packed house of concerned folks that came at the Mayor’s invitation to find a solution to the plaza.
What happened to the Plaza over the past 10 years went completely under the radar, only because the fox was dressed as a chicken. Very much Like this $100.000 dollar report.
I firmly belive as Jack VanZandt stated last week on this site, that the Consultants report be thrown in the trash and the money paid, should be rerturned.
I recommend that the Executive Director and New Board choose an Advisory panel representing Education, Arts, Religion, Business, Social Services, Family Advocacy, and Government to seek council, when there is need to access the community for direction.
My family and I pledge to support this new direction by supporting the venue and it’s programing.
Thanks Marcela for standing tall, you are an excellant role model for my 5 daughters and thousands of our Village daughters, that aspire to find happiness in growing up in this center of diversity and innovation.
The Village Black Smith
http://www.bronzemanufacturer.com
Ms. Aviles wrote:” Four years ago the new board of directors and CEO inherited substantial debt; the Plaza also suffered from six years of deferred maintenance and heavy wear and tear. Critical equipment and systems no longer functioned. The garden was in decay. The administrative offices were unkempt and dirty. The parking lot was rented as a used car sales lot”.
So, where did all the money go?
Once the MHP gets on solid financial footing the City Council needs to fulfill its obligations to the rest of the community. Heritage Plazas for Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Cambodians, Thai, Vietnamese, Ethiopians, Nigerians, Egyptians, Iranians, French, English, Germans, Spanish, Polish, Algerians, Palestinians, Russians, Hungarians, Greeks, Italians, Czechs, Irish, Eskimos, Ohlones, Brazilians, Peruvians, Guatemalans, etc.
The mismanagement comes as no surprise considering the shady deals that have been struck over the past several years.
There is no question that the consultants’ report wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on and the city shouldn’t pay a dime for it.
Leadership with some integrity will go a long way toward fixing the many problems created by those who possessed none.
I was expecting a lot more comments to Marcela’s post but as usual, finfan has summed it all up so well that there’s really no need for further commentary.
– “The community should also ask the following: Is the Plaza making significant improvements and is it better off today than four years ago?”
First of all, what is the point of hypothetically asking the community a question that could only be intelligently answered by someone with expertise in everything from sound engineering to property management to corporate accounting? If we all accept that the state of the Plaza was “a joke” four years ago, then we have no reason to be impressed to hear the claim that it is “better off today.”
– “Today, the Plaza sparkles. It boasts a $1 million makeover (funded by a grant secured by the MHC from the State of California)…”
That a property receiving a million dollar windfall shows improvement qualifies as an assumption, not an achievement. Praise, funding, improved attendance, and esprit de corps are all nice, but the pressing issue is one of profitability. Where is the beef?
– “At the outset, two key questions remain unanswered: How much does it cost to operate the Plaza? How can we pay for these expenses?”
Apparently the taxpayers have received from the consultant a report every bit as problematic as the Plaza itself. Call it the Blanca Effect—the lady’s politics produce results that would make a wrecking crew jealous. Bottom line, we taxpayers have been screwed again.
– “The Plaza’s challenges are fundamentally economic.”
Now this is a conclusion that requires no expertise—even the janitors figured it out. Unfortunately nothing offered in the subsequent paragraphs suggests that relief for the city’s treasury is even on the table. Folks in the ethnicity business just don’t seem capable of comprehending the free government money ever running out. Call it the Empowered Minority Effect.
I suggest that the city cut the strings with the place and pave the damn streets. Let people celebrate their unique cultures on their own dime.
#6 Oh Please. The lack of posts reflects a lack of understanding of the issue and an unwillingness to address the facts presented by Ms. Aviles.
Finfan? He’s just parsing and distorting per usual.
Also per usual…a lot of sound and fury from the SJI Peanut Gallery fueled by rumor, innuendo and closet racism, but not much in the way of useful suggestions for improving the Plaza.
The city should rename the building little siagon and basically make a vietnemese facility.
The viet community is stronge and vocal. They take pride in their heritege. They would make it a interesting place to visit.
The hispanic community in san jose just doesn’t care. Look at how few people from the hispanic community that have posted! Just one!
#8
If the Vietnamese community wants to buy the MHP from the city then I can support your point of view.
In regard to your statement, “The hispanic community in san Jose just doesn’t care” I think this quote from the blog is very telling.
“The parking lot was rented as a used car sales lot.”
As an East San Jose resident for 20 years it amazes me how people continually take a neighborhood with such great potential and run it down. It sometimes seems as if the first thing a new resident does is get a rooster and chickens for their yard.
I have never understood why people say they come to this country to improve their lives, and they immediately try to turn their neighborhood into the third world country they left behind, instead of trying to improve both themselves and their neighborhood.
I realized this during the Tropicana hearings at City Hall where the Tropicana supporters thought they were now living in Beverly Hills, and Tropicana was absolutely fabulous. On the other hand, ESJ residents who were born in this country understood that Tropicana was a run down dump, and tearing it down would greatly improve their neighborhood.
Ah, Zoltar # 7 has upped the ante: when you disagree with someone, now they are not merely a racist, but a closet racist.
I agree with Finfan for the most part. The most critical part of this whole scenario is economics and it has not worked.
“Funding for the new model could be secured from monetizing the Plaza’s physical assets, revenue from concerts and other events, and investment from the City of San Jose…”
In other words, citizens, give us more money so we can try something new. Maybe it will work and maybe it won’t.
So, citizens, how long do we want to support this “new model?” I am not as drastic as Finfan. Don’t pave the streets over just yet. Give them a year to get their act in order and then pave the streets if they don’t. The purse strings have to be cut. Either get your act together financially or go down in flames.
#10. Nice try, but that’s baloney. The racism, closet or otherwise, is evident and obvious from reading enough posts from some of the regulars here.
#11 – Michael Schwerin,
What I meant with my suggestion to “just pave the damn streets” was for the city to spend its money on its basic responsibilities and not on costly and specious projects like the MHP. I should’ve been more specific.
#7 – Zoltar S,
I parse, therefore I distort? Feel free to expand, or, to crawl back into the hate-free world of your imagination. Your choice.
#8 – East San Jose Resident,
I found your post evocative. Noisy roosters, goats being brutally butchered by drunken, backyard caballeros, dismantled cars on the lawn, neighbors urinating in public… a real walk down memory lane.
I’m on board with #9. Having friends who live just above Mt. Hamilton Road off Alum Rock, I am up that way often and find it to be a quiet area with a rural flavor, kind of stuck in a time warp from the old days of the valley with many beautiful old homes. I’d consider living there if it wasn’t for the BS I’d have to deal with that #9 describes.
As for #7, I think we understand the basic issue quite well. It goes something like this:
This facility is a monument to the self-proclaimed entitled masses who refuse to let go of the “we were here first” attitude, and the MHP leadership shares this same sense of entitlement and feels perfectly justified in stating that even more taxpayer dollars should be funneled over to this losing proposition.
Bloggers here tend to disagree with this point of view by an overwhelming margin.
The Vietnamese community would be without a doubt quite capable of coming up with ways to reverse the financial drain that this facility has become. They are industrious people who generally don’t count on their government for any handouts and who make an effort to assimilate—BY LEARNING ENGLISH.
On the other hand, we have the entitled ones mass producing with no concern over how they will feed more hungry mouths since they have the system wired and know they can get more AFDC dollars for each new kid, and who steadfastly enforce Spanish-only which puts their offspring at a serious educational disadvantage. How brilliant is that? And we are supposed to honor them by dumping good money after bad into this multi-million dollar facility?
One group embraces the democratic system while the other is pushing towards socialism, counting on government assistance to make it through life. This appears to be culturally ingrained as the MHP leadership feels that regular handouts from the city that will allow for continued irresponsible behavior is the proper path to take.
Cut ‘em off and if they twist in the wind, so be it. They had their golden opportunity handed to them and they blew it. Plain and simple. And no surprise.
#13. Now let’s get it right: I said that you parse AND distort.
But, oh my, you do turn a phrase:
“Noisy roosters, goats being brutally butchered by drunken, backyard caballeros, dismantled cars on the lawn, neighbors urinating in public…”
There’s obviously no racism, closet or otherwise, inferred that, eh Mr. O’Connor?
#14: “Bloggers here tend to disagree with this point of view by an overwhelming margin.”
You can’t be serious. Are you suggesting that a handful of bloggers here constitute some sort of mandate? Come on Mark, you’re giving megalomania a bad name!
I’d like to respond to some of the points raised by Mr. FinFan:
“First of all, what is the point of hypothetically asking the community a question that could only be intelligently answered by someone with expertise in everything from sound engineering to property management to corporate accounting? If we all accept that the state of the Plaza was “a joke” four years ago, then we have no reason to be impressed to hear the claim that it is “better off today.” “
Mr. Fin Fan rightly points out that the Plaza is a complex facility requiring specialized maintance and service. As the owner of the building, the City should assure adequate maintenance and operations for all of its facilities—this is axiomatic. Expecting non-profit organizations to be able to raise the money to care for brick and morter doesn’t work—philanthropy will not fund maintenance costs. And any promoter will tell you never to count on ticket revenue to pay for 100% of facility maintenance costs. Buildings like the Plaza, if they are not fully funded by their government owners, will need to raise funds from a variety of sources. It’s too bad the consultant’s report does not address these revenue opportunities.
Second, the question is not a hypothetical—it summarizes the facts, well documented in the media and by the City Auditor as to the condition of the facility and the insuffieciency of the model the City created in 1999.
Third, I suspect the reason for the rhetorical question is to point out, correctly, that the reason the facility is now up to speed maintenance-wise is through no effort of the City but through the efforts of the MHC. The $1 million grant was no windfall—as anyone familiar with the state’s prop. 40 funding will tell you (such as the folks at the CDM for example, who also received a similar garnt) those funds could only be secured through a competitive grant process and the disbursement and use of the funds is subject to State supervision and control. The City is fortunate that it had a partner whose stewardship of the building utilized another source of funds to refurbish and complete necessary capital improvements.
As for the question of where to source the funding necessary to maintain the plant—seems to me common sense will provide the answer—the owner of the buidling should provide for its adequate maintenance and operation—if you buy a house, you should know up front what it’s going to cost to pay the mortgage and maintain the residence—you can rent the place to raise the money but ultimately the bank is not going to look to your renter to service your debt.
There are several ways governments raise funds to help care for buildings they own—licensing naming rights, charging for parking, installing electronic sign-boards that sell advertising—the City of Oakland has done all three for its arenas and the City of San Jose has done so with HP—I suspect this is what the MHC means when it discusses “monetizing the physical assets of the Plaza.” All of these things are easy to do and don’t cost the taxpayers a dime.
Zoltar S.
I admitted to parsing, part one of your charge. I invited you to offer proof of part two, that I distort. Thus far, you’ve declined to make your case.
As for the description of my childhood neighborhood, your disapproval of it is interesting, indeed. Let’s crack open that noggin of yours and take a look at that brain that’s been washed so thoroughly. Notice the amazing journey along your cognitive highways as the recollections I shared are redirected away from normal story processing circuits and to a well-ordered series of checkpoints, leading them directly to a socially-sensitized and politically-correct judgement center (packed with feel-good endorphin emitters):
“THESE RECOLLECTIONS ARE RACIST!” (Followed by a satisfying sigh and, perhaps, a cigarette.)
Well, Zoltar, I get your point. In your world one can be guilty of racism without uttering an untruth or even identifying a particular group of people by name. In your world my recollections of childhood are racist and thus unspeakable. Gee, I wonder what other parts of my life (and the lives of others) would have to be suppressed or erased to satisfy the likes of you (and I know that there are many like you).
“FOR YOUR OWN GOOD AND THE GOOD OF SOCIETY, YOUR MEMORY LOBES ARE TO BE ERASED.” Thus spoke Zoltar.
How is it that people with such a strong desire to be good (good beyond the actual capacity of human beings) can be so easily deluded into believing it okay to use totalitarian methods to remake the world according to their doctrine? I certainly don’t understand it, but Lenin and Stalin and the faculty at UC Berkeley have obviously perfected it.
#15 Last time I checked, this blog was titled “San Jose Inside,” not “The Forum to Blog as a Representive of Every Last Citizen of the City of San Jose.”
So in post #7 you reduce the SJI bloggers to a “peanut gallery” (I doubt you are even old enough to know what the original Peanut Gallery was) and complain that no one here has offered any useful solutions. That would include YOU, buddy. All you are doing is exposing the chip of yours that so many of the entitled types are nurtured to grow on their respective shoulders.
And even if every last blogger here agreed on a good solution, according to what you’ve stated in #15 it wouldn’t constitute a mandate (duh) so what exactly is your beef?
Do you have a point to make about solving the MHP mess or a suggestion for a solution? I’ve yet to see any indication that you do. And let me assure you that your opinions do not represent the entire population of SJ any more than those of any other SJI blogger.
#17. Finfan: You expect me to respond to the voices in your head? Sorry, no can do but there are people who can help you with this problem.
I can, however, respond to your silly claim that tossing around phrases such as “drunken, backyard caballeros” is not racist and does not identify any particular group. Therein lies the distortion.
Minister Zoltan S.
I stand charged. I’ve read your indictment. But before I get on the train to Siberia, please tell me, oh sagacious oppressor, what specific group I’ve offended. Lacking your keen insight, I’m sure everyone would like to learn what it is that it is that you have discerned by my use of the word caballeros? Had I instead used the word “men” would my indictment be for a gender crime? Would the word “illegals” have seen me charged with nativism?
Tell me, is there a word besides “rednecks” or “cowboys” that would’ve gotten me off the hook?
You’ve got your thought crimes refined down to requiring only a single word—as interpreted by the head of the Politburo. Uncle Joe would’ve been proud of you.
#18: Gee, did I hit a nerve?
Who was it who posted: “Bloggers here tend to disagree with this point of view by an overwhelming margin”? Hmmm…see the previous comment regarding megalomania, but I can understand why you might want to back away from that comment.
PS – To address your other major point: You are right, I am not old enough to remember days of vaudeville when the phrase “Peanut Gallery” originated as a description of yahoos who sit in the cheap seats and heckle the performers. Some people mistakenly think it originated in the 50’s with the old Howdy Doody Show, but I’m sure you’re not one of them, right?
21- Now you’ve gone too far. The Peanut Gallery on the Howdy Doody Show was not the original?? What’s next, Santa Claus doesn’t really exist. Thanks for ruining my weekend.
Bye, Kids.
Michael #11—a challenge grant sounds better to me—match only the funds the board raises.
#12—if you have a cogent argument to make your point, use it. If not, calling someone a closet racist brings nothing to the discussion except your knee jerk reaction.
Zoltar #15 asked:”“Noisy roosters, goats being brutally butchered by drunken, backyard caballeros, dismantled cars on the lawn, neighbors urinating in public.There’s obviously no racism, closet or otherwise, inferred that, eh Mr. O’Connor? ”
Do you claim that description does not fit some East Side neighborhoods? Well, I don’t know about the butchering of goats, but all the rest is commonplace in some neighborhoods, where English is used, if at all, as a second langauage. Truthful reporting of conditions as they exist is hardly racist.
You people are all IDIOTS! You fight from behind your computers like a bunch of 12 year olds grow up or leave this blog site.
Back to the issue WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO? Marcela Davison Aviles.
We seem to have found a split personality on this site. We have had the crime lab analyze the occurrance and frequency of both Mark T and Frustrated Finfan. Guess what , we have the pointer aimed at the site of a cunning individual, that is locked with in his own denial. On this thread Mark T follows Frustrated Finfan after every post. Curious is it not?
I watched all of Perry Mason’s episodes and I belive that Frustrated Finfan is non other than our previous Mayor.
The tip off came when the word drunken caballeros was spelled with the word drunken not spelled in spanish.
Another case solved by the back yard butchers of Silicon Valley.
El Chevrolet
#25 Taxpayer in down town.
Why do you ask the question that you already know the answer to?
You are either very naive, or very cunning! Or you just could be frusterated Finfan’s other personalities. I heard a rumor that it was buried 25 paces to the southeast and 20 paces north of the Frank Taylor Heritage Palm Tree.
Ah Oh! Didn’t Ginzo take out a bunch of Frank’s palm trees right before he “left” office?
If Susan Hammer is going to be honored with the naming of the Rep. in her and her husband’s name. “THE BLUE HAMMER”Would it be apropriate to name the plaza, after Blanca and call it “THE BLACK AND BLUE CASA BLANCA”?
It would have to be white washed yet again, however by R.D.A.
El Chevrolet
#24
I provided finfan with the rope to hang himself in my post #9 when I said “It sometimes seems as if the first thing a new resident does is get a rooster and chickens for their yard.”.
finfan then came back reminiscing about the past in post #13 with “Noisy roosters, goats being brutally butchered by drunken, backyard caballeros, dismantled cars on the lawn, neighbors urinating in public”. However, he neglected to state when and where this occurred.
In post #24 you state “Well, I don’t know about the butchering of goats, but all the rest is commonplace in some neighborhoods, where English is used, if at all, as a second langauage. Truthful reporting of conditions as they exist is hardly racist. ”.
However, you do not provide any data to support your claim that, other than perhaps goat butchering, these activities are commonplace in some neighborhoods in East San Jose. Please provide us with the specific areas where this is commonplace so that we can verify your claim.
I know in the 20 years I have lived in ESJ I have had to make use of animal control (for roosters), abandoned vehicles, and code enforcement a few times over the years. However, I have to admit, at least in the North Evergreen area (East of Capitol Expressway, South of Alum Rock) of ESJ, I have yet to see urinating in public, even hear of animal slaughtering, let alone see it, and, while there still are the few who like to park on the front yard, and inoperable vehicles do occasionally appear on the street, dismantled cars on the lawn are pretty rare. Not that they do not exist. Just that they are nowhere near commonplace. If they do appear abandoned vehicles and code enforcement will do their job.
The truth is, all-in-all, ESJ is not a bad place to live. Certainly it can be improved, and for anyone looking to get into the housing market it is an ideal location. Of course, it is not (yet) an eastern version of Cupertino, but certainly has the potential. All we need is for a few more concerned individuals of any race or nationality, who care about schools and overall quality of life issues, to move here, and help tilt the scales of this neighborhood to the positive side.
The reason why ESJ is not that bad of a place is that most people, whether they speak English or not, want a better life for their families. They want their children to succeed, and desire a standard of living that consists of peace, quiet, and safety for their families. I have seen this over and over with my neighbors, at SNI meetings, City Hall meetings, and at Board of Supervisors meetings.
The problem is it only takes a couple of houses per street to drag down the neighborhood. From my perspective, the majority of the problem residencies are rentals. You get rid of one group, and another group moves in. It appears ESJ landlords are more interested in collecting their rent check than in the appearance of their properties, and the behavior of their tenants.
For crime data go to SJPD crime report web-site and you can see that crime is no worse here than other parts of the city, and is less than some parts.
http://www.sjpd.org/Crime_stats/CrimeReportsFAQ.html
Just for the record, our “beloved” downtown San Jose is FAR worse than the East Side as far as quality of life…
Bums, hobos, mental patients, halfways houses, parolees, sex offenders, crazies, combat ready police (because of all of the above)
and they wonder why downtown is the way that it is?
CLEAN IT UP!
Goats? I don’t got to show you no stinking goats!
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0905/p02s01-ussc.html
#23—FinFan can’t possibly be our former mayor—Gonzo couldn’t spell adios, let alone caballero.
#26—does d/t in #25 stand for downtown, or -de-tox?
I think #29 is the closest to the truth.
#29
Just for the record, our “beloved” downtown San Jose is FAR worse than the East Side as far as quality of life…
Exactly. How many billions have been spent on downtown? How many billions have been spent on the Eastside?
#31, while their actions all too often call their mental capacities into question, councils past and present know a sow’s ear when they see one. Why dump billions into a part of town where all of your neighborhood improvements will end up unappreciated except by taggers, and strewn with trash?
I have a question.
Maribel Alvarez used to live in San Jose, and obviously remains well connected. And I am sure by now that the word has gotten to her about the veracity and ethical questions of her “report”.
So maybe she can post some commentary as well, since Marcela shot her volley, can we get rebuttal?
#2 John Michael O
“Where did all the money go” from the previous boards and Executive Directors under the leadership of Mayor Gonzales. Great question. Now that the City is in command, I would like to see a full accounting of the way this 31 million investment was spent.
The books are there , I strongly recommend the City give us an accounting of this public venue the years prior to Marcela’s intervention!
I’ve got a feeling there may be too much to sweep under the carpet. The Sun rises in the East. Mayor Reed bring on your Sunshine Task Force. This take over is a serious breach to our community confidence. We need answers to the reasons Marcela was given a bankrupt decrepid plaza by it’s old leaders and supporters. If the grand Jury is not sniffing around King and Alum Rock Ave. They perhaps should be.
Just my thoughts on this beautiful Easter weekend on Saturday. morning in our village of San Jose de Guadalupe.
Gil Hernandez