It is always a good question to ponder: where do you find the state of the City? I think it is fair to say that it sometimes can be found in the rhetoric of the Mayor. That person can often synthesize and verbalize the hopes and aspirations and dreams of the people of San Jose. It is a wonderful thing to watch, just as it is on the national level – when it connects.
The most telling and inspirational moment of any such speech is when the audience in the room and the larger and more important group of listeners out in the real city hear and embrace a shared set of values and a clear goal or set of clear goals.
In the recent past, the people of our City have felt that we were on a path to those shared goals into a better and more prosperous future – that’s our City, and that is the essence of America too.
The most important ingredient of this year’s State of the City event will be to see if that is still the case. It has been a traumatic year at City Hall, with scandals and crises eroding much of the inherent confidence that we always seem to have in our community.
The response to these crises in this most trying of times in our City’s modern history will be compelling to observe. It is necessary for the Mayor to summon the best in our City as we reach for that future. I do not know if he will do it; I don’t know if the reception out in the neighborhoods of San Jose will be positive. Only those who propel our economy and drive their kids to school and then put in a long workday will be able to answer that question. There is much at stake in this next year. The real state of our City is our citizens, and for them, this is a very critical year.
How can anyone believe anything this Mayor says when he is hiding from the Cisco scandel. What would make a office holder take a free trip from Cisco when they are in the middle of trying to get a giant contract from the city. How many times did he play golf with those guys?
I’ve often critisized the Mayor and his office. I’ve also come to their defense when I he was doing the right thing.
It is difficult to be in city government right now. The Bush economy has killed us, government revenues are down and little thought is given to big ideas because we can’t afford them.
This Mayor didn’t let that stop him, he decided to go with the big idea to bring baseball to San Jose. It has been tried before, by other Mayors. But I, for one, applaud the effort.
As a lameduck, Gonzales could simply put the clubs in the car and go golfing. But he’s decided to leave it all on the field—a metaphor from the West Wing. He’s decided to try and move heaven and earth to bring baseball to San Jose.
I love baseball and if he can do it and bring BART to downtown—his legacy for this city will be secure. Only voters and critics ask “what have you done for me lately?” It is history that is the final judge on one’s ultimate contributions.
If I ever hear the words “play ball” on a warm summer day in San Jose, neither my critisism nor anybody else’s will be long remembered.
It may be the bottom of the ninth, but Ron is still batting—and politics like baseball is never over till it’s over.
Rich
Gotta love your optimism. I am in favor of baseball for San Jose. I would be more enthused about Ron Gonzales’ efforts if he had spoken to the neighbors, the owner of the A’s, MLB, or Baseball San Jose as a warm up. I applaud effort but it’s performance that counts. This is not for amateurs. San Jose has struck out big time in the past, 1992 comes to mind, w. timid efforts, delusion, and political grandstanding – how much would you like to wager on this effort’s success, w. winnings going to local charities? I’ll give you the next swing. TMcE
Ronny is up for Baseball for San Jose when it can’t really hurt him politically…..the timing is a little fishy. Where was he a year ago?
Tom,
There won’t be any betting on my part. However, if Ron wants to throw a ‘Hail Mary’, I’ll root for the effort.
The obstacles are many and it does take strategic planning, a first-rate team to move the agenda, community buy-in and inclusion. Historically, not Ron’s strong suits.
But who knows how much secret negotiation by Joe Guerra has already taken place?
Would this Mayor simply hype an idea, for political reasons with no real effort or plan to accomplish the goal?
I hope not. His entire legacy is predicated on BART to San Jose and, now, baseball in San Jose.
His only other major accomplishment is a Power Plant in Coyote Valley—though he initially opposed the effort.
But I would like to see Ron succeed. It would be good for the City.
Richard,
You were doing fine until you mentioned the power plant in Coyote Valley as a major accomplishment. If memory serves, the Mayor and City Council were against the power plant until the State told them they were going to overrule the City and approve it anyway. The Mayor and Councillors realizing at that point that their continued opposition was no more than a career limiting move, decided to cave. I can understand why they did what they did, but certainly not something that will be remembered as a major accomplishment.
However, I wish him well on his attempts to get Baseball to San Jose, even in the face of what appear to be insurmountable obstacles. When one looks at the development that has been created around PacBell Park (SBC Park), one can certainly imagine a similar development around a ‘close to downtown’ San Jose Park.