The events of the last few years in municipal affairs have caused me great unease. It is now time for me and those who care about the direction of our city to speak out, for we have held our peace too long.
In both my grandfathers’ and father’s day, ordinary members of the community seized the opportunity to initiate basic reform and fundamental change in San Jose. There have always been such people in our local government; those that were more concerned about the welfare of the citizens than their own political future. I will be speaking out and making suggestions in this forum now and in the future. I hope others will join me.
Our city is in a deepening crisis. For nearly a year it has worsened as the Mayor and City Council have allowed our citizens to twist in the wind of ethical lapses, policy blunders, and perhaps even criminal activities. The politicians at City Hall have dithered and procrastinated in an atmosphere of complete denial. They are now seized by fear: fear of the Mercury News, fear of their colleagues’ ambitions, and fear of the citizens.
The critical question is where will the many good people on the Council and in our local government choose to go in the great divide that is now present at City Hall? It “is” the question that many are anxious to have answered.
Come back Wednesday for Part II.
I know this may sound self serving, but it is meant to chime in with McHenrys criticism of the local government.
My street was raked by machines, to tear up
the old asphalt and patch it. This was done to prepare for a new asphalt road. Many streets in my neighborhood have had the new asphalt
applied to their road. Our street never got the
the new aphalt. Our street was in better condition before they tore it up and then did not finish. I have asked for the work to be completed but my requests are not answered.
The great untold story of San Jose in recent years is how the mayor and city council have moved from being a group of concerned local citizens to a machine-politics controlled bunch of cronies. And the machine was created by Amy Dean and the Central Labor Council.
This arrangement has ruined many cities and is a threat to ruining San Jose. Only Metro has done anything to take on the corrupt power at the center of this group. It has been ignored by our daily newspaper.
Tom, I hope you will address this.
The problem, in my opinion, is that everyone has forgotten that San Jose has a Council/Manager form of government. Unfortunately, the most egregious offender of this fact is the City Manager himself. When the professional administrators neglect their duties, what we now see happening in San Jose is the obvious outcome.
Tom.
I live in Campbell,but heartily endorse your philosophy. You have core values and principles that are too often missing in positions of leadership.
I commend you for your intestinal fortitude and the challenges you are undertaking. It’s high time! Good luck and God’s Blessings.
Tommy Francois
Tom has seized on the essential element driving our current political culture.
I have often wondered why, after achieving the goal of elected office, a person chooses to err on the side of caution? It is the bold politician who succeeds, not the timid.
Even more astounding is the cause of fear in our public officials.
Here is some free advice for worried politicians; few will note and most will not long remember today’s Mercury News Editorial, the Mayor cannot destroy your life, even if Joe Guerra says he can. The bureaucrats are supposed to implement policy, not make it or thwart it.
Finally, the most powerful you will ever become is when you make the right decision for the right reason, regardless of perceived consequences.
Tom,
You’re great even though you don’t have a jump shot.
Gary
Tom,
The blog looks great and reads well. I hope everyone looks at the links you have created. Each week our Silicon Valley Community Newspapers offers timely community news not found anywhere else.
Regards,
David Cohen
Specific newspapers serving the Almaden, Rose Garden and Willow Glen sections of San Jose can be read at http://www.svcn.com.
Tom,
Good luck with the new forum. I’m looking forward to the wit and wisdom we have all come to love. Let the fun begin!
ken
The absence of leadership in city hall has finally come to the surface with your insightful comments. It is clear the current administration lacks the “know-how” to further advance this great city to notoriety. Keep up the good fight and your civic pride.
Hey Michael about your street you haven’t learned from these articles< HIRE A LOBBYIST.
To Steve Malone, haven’t you been keeping up with things. Labor is controlling almost everything. Look at MLB nice steriod policy, look at Grey Davis and the unions that were breaking the state, and look at the pensions at city hall, they are all a joke and set that way only for the weak, no backbone councils and legislatures that set those give away pensions for votes and the money and backing of those unions, and the hell with the public.