The City Council will meet Tuesday to discuss topics that include infrastructure improvement plans, pay cuts for Mayor Chuck Reed and the council, and a settlement in an incident many considered to be police brutality.
The council is expected to approve a $225,000 settlement between the city and Phuong Quang Ho, who was violently taken into custody by officers after they received a report of Ho threatening one of his roommates with a knife. The incident was caught on video by one of Ho’s roommate’s cell phone. Ho and his lawyer were seeking $6 million in damages originally in their complaint, which was filed against the City, and Officers Jeffrey Martin, Steven Payne, Jr., Gabriel Reyes, Kenneth Siegel, and Jerome Smith.
While neither side is admitting fault or that laws were broken in the settlement, the agreement states that the payout is to “purchase peace and to resolve and settle all disputes and potential disputes between them.”
The council will also accept the Valley Transportation Plan 2040 Report after discussing the mayor and councilmembers’ salaries.
Starting June 26, Reed’s salary will go from $127,000 annually to $114,000 , while each councilmember will now be paid $81,000 instead of $90,000.
When did their salary get to $90,000???? When they took a 10% pay cut, last year, that pay cut was from an $86,000 salary. How did their salary jump up to $90,000, since that pay cut? Did they get a raise after they took the pay cut? I’m confused.
Also, the people making the most money do not feel the burden of a pay cut like the lower paid employees do. 10% for them will not affect them much. You think 10% off of Figone’s $250,000+ salary is going to burden her much? A 10% cut from the lower paid employees may be the difference between paying their mortgage and losing their home. I don’t think Figone is going to lose her home. Since Mayor Reed not taking into consideration lower paid versus higher paid. I think the administration should take a 50% cut in salary to make it equal to the burden they are inflicting on lower paid employees. The mayor of Santa Clara gets paid a whopping $7,000, per year. I can’t remember if their council positions are unpaid, or not. Give up YOUR salaries.
Well said! I’ve been calling for a 10% (actually I started at 15%) cut for the “leadership” positions in my school district for specifically the reasons you have stated. They won’t do it – yet are quick to cut hours of all the other employees. They just don’t get it.
The council was making $65,000 in 2000. They had increased their salary to $90,000 by 2007 which is 39.5% raise over a 7 year period. They also increased their other benefits during that period.Why does a council member need lifetime medical after serving for a few years. Other city employees are not even vested during the same period. Why doesn’t the city council that represents “we the people”, pass an initiative to limit the pay of any council member that is a retired employee etc to no more than the pay for city council. That way “we the people” would not pay Pete Constant two salaries or any other council member that is already collecting a check for the city taxpayers twice.
Other info from http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/commissionboard/Salary.asp
Recent Actions regarding Mayor and Council Compensation:
On June 9, 2009, the City Council adopted Ordinance 28589 that set the Mayor’s compensation for the
2009-2011 at $127,000 annually and $90,000 for each member of the City Council. Subsequently, the
Council adopted a voluntary 3.75% salary reduction, which reduced the Mayor’s salary to $122,238
and Council salaries to $86,625 for Fiscal Year 2009 – 2010.
On April 27, 2010, the City Council adopted Resolution 75361, which implemented an additional 4.75%
salary reduction plus changes to benefit plans, which were equivalent to an additional .25
Background detail:
Reed should also insist that his PERSONAL PROTECTION DETAIL be reassigned to patrol. That crazy hypocritical assignment persists and Reed insists it is Moore’s call! Chief Moore, show a shred of courage and do the right thing, for the love of what is RIGHT.
Oh, so now at the last minute the Mayor and the Council volunteer a 10% cut in their pay! They should have done that long ago. Hey Reed…Remember from your military days: Lead by example, Lead from the front!
The Mayor and the Council should do what they have forced other City employees to do -take a 10% pay cut AND have layoffs!
What about Debra Figone”s salary? Looks like ‘holier than thou’ attitude to me !
Another homicide. More Hispanic blood stains the streets of San Jose. Where is La Raza? Where is Roundtable? Where is Raj now? Where is the City Council? (Campos)
Is this still just an ABERRATION as Mayor Reed said? Or are these Hispanic lives an acceptable loss of doing business? You be the judge!
While the fat’s being trimmed, let’s not forget Chuck Reed’s houseboy, Jose Salcido, who’s paid at least 10k a month to provide the mayor law enforcement advice for which taxpayers are already paying more than 100K per month (by way of salaries for police chief, assistant chief, and four deputy chiefs). I can’t imagine what a failed SJPD hire like Salcido could tell the mayor about policing this city that these six command officers (who obviously all made the cut) couldn’t. Who knows, maybe Chuck appreciates having Jose around for those occasions when he wants to out-testosterone the opposition, such as his meetings with Ms. Figone.
In the spirit of sound fiscal management, let’s all hope Victor Ajlouny doesn’t direct our mayor to find make-work for any of the other unemployed politicians in his stable.
BS Monitor,
Your personal attack on Jose Salcido is completely untrue, and unwarranted. It is clear that you have no idea what he does or has done for our City, our community, or how many changes he’s brought about between law enforcement, and our community.
He did an excellent job as a County Sheriff, put his life on the line for us, and deserves respect for his hard work as a Union representative for his fellow Sheriffs.
You are clearly in law enforcement and should show a brother support and respect, not bash him on a public blog~
I have no idea about Salcido’s personal ethics but I will tell you what the rank and file at the SJPD think of him. He is a hired gun for Reed to provide intelligence on the PD and how to deal with them. I would agree with BS Monitors comment about redundancy. Why is it he needs a personal advisor on police matters when the PD command staff would certainly come running to his side for any questions about police issues?
The same people who stole our boots. The same people who want a code 5 on cardboard being stolen. Give me a break
For Kathleen said,” He is a hired gun for Reed to provide intelligence on the PD and how to deal with them.” I don’t know why this accusation keeps being made by you guys on the force, but it is completely untrue, and unfair. If you had attended the SAME numerous community meetings held by cop hating activist groups I have, you would have seen for yourself just how much Jose loves those of you who put your lives on the line for us everyday. He not only defended SJPD’s actions, confronted excessive force and minority targeting allegations made by these groups, but he also took great pains to explain SJPD policies and procedures, and gave them YOUR point of view out in the field.
Having said that, if you are ready to hear the FACTS, I’ll tell you what they are. Mayor Reed hired Jose to build bridges between law enforcement and the community because activist groups like De Bug, The Asian Law Alliance, and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, Jethroe Moore of the NAACP, and our local ACLU spent years at City Hall, and using the media to unfairly bash SJPD. (Two things: NO Chief Davis was not able to build bridges with these cop hating groups because they were ALL demanding his resignation/termination, and if you look at the timing of Jose’s hiring by the Mayor, you will see the timeline bares me out on these facts.)
To answer your question: “Why is it he needs a personal advisor on police matters when the PD command staff would certainly come running to his side for any questions about police issues?”
Answer: Two reasons, Jose is the PRESIDENT of Sacred Heart Community Service Center, a well respected non profit group who assists people in need, and because these community activist groups DO NOT trust law enforcement, nor do they trust Chief Moore.
For Kathleen, “I have no idea about Salcido’s personal ethics..” I know Jose personally and he’s too honest to perjure himself, lie, or be a “hired gun,” for the Mayor or anyone else. He’s loyal to his fellow law enforcement buddies.
Does the Mayor really need a retired deputy, who is on the City payroll, to tell him what to do? Are you kidding? Does Jose Salcido do anything important? SJPD cops are being laid off but the Mayor keeps his boy to advise him on law enforecement matters? Since when did the sherriff do any law enforcement anyway?
Sounds like the 50.00 per month we pay don’t get us much besides your below average attacks. Why don’t you stick to explaining what we as officers go through day to day and work with the public. nobody cares about Salcido.
I’m tired of you. Go Away
BS LOSER said, “Why don’t you stick to explaining what we as officers go through day to day and work with the public.”
Well said! By bashing your brothers and sisters on a public blog, you are only hurting your own cause in wanting the public to know how tough your job is. I personally want to thank you for your dedication and service to us.
@BS LOSER,
Interesting, especially these statements:
“Sounds like the $50 per month we pay doesn’t get us much”
A clear indication of department membership, POA membership, and dissatisfaction with the latter.
“Nobody cares about Salcido”
A glaring contradiction, BSL, for you obviously care; you invested the effort to post about him!
Let’s do the math: public slam at POA + effort to silence Salcido critic + Salcido connection to Victor Ajlouny + Aljouny connection to Fraternal Order of Police + Bobby Lopez’s attack on POA and break to FOP + Bobby’s connection to Salcido + Salcido’s desire to be Sheriff + Bobby’s connection to Sheriff’s Office + Bobby’s own political ambitions =
one big pile of steaming, political slime, with a healthy portion of betrayal on the side.
Mangia
Yeah, I am NO BODY’s Fool either! To claim the things you are in your post is about as true as human beings evolving from apes!
You’re right about one thing though, all this conjecture and BS is, “one big pile of steaming, political slime, with a healthy portion of betrayal on the side.”
Remember: “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” by Herman Melville
So you are a POA puppet. Too bad you couldn’t fight for us as much as you fight the people around you. Watch this contract. As a member of the POA you sure sound scared. You can point so many fingers at others. Your record speaks for itself.
The loss of more officers in our dept history
The largest pay cuts in our history
the loss of rights that took 30 years to gain
The largest loss of morale in Department history
Name one thing the POA has won as posted in the other blog. NOTHING
F.O.P. Tool,
Keep firing. Given your poor aim, there’s no reason for me to duck. Disappointed you couldn’t deny the veracity of any of the connections I listed, as I’m really sick of the stench of betrayal.
Nobody’s Fool,
Let’s not forget that there was a time that all these names were related to a very successful POA. George, Bobby, and Jose were once very good friends. I’m deeply saddened that because of politics, this is not the case any more. All three of these men are wonderful, kind, great leaders. Imagine what a great team they’d make again if politics/egos weren’t in the middle~
I’d like to encourage the Council to think long and hard about the significance of the Phuong Ho lawsuit.
I’d like them to thoughtfully reconsider their politically correct assumption that San Jose is automatically enriched by the presence of huge populations of diverse people from foreign lands.
I would submit that Phuong Ho is more representative of a majority of our recent immigrants than the idealized image that most people have.
Rather than coming to our country because it represents an opportunity for them to work hard and get ahead, the typical immigrant may actually love America because he clearly understands that the generous nature of Americans make us an easy mark for any number of scams, programs, and lawsuits that they can exploit to enrich themselves. Phuong Ho has hit the jackpot. This is HIS American dream.
On average, I’d say that this human leech, Phuong Ho, is more representative of the average immigrant than most kindhearted Americans would like to believe and that they are costing us WAY more than they are giving in return.
And here’s the main point: IT’S NOT OUR DUTY TO ACCOMODATE THEM!
Specifically, City Council, let’s encourage the officers of SJPD to ASSIST our immigration enforcement rather than thwart it. If they’re allowed do that then maybe they’ll actually be earning those generous pensions.
A $225,000 cash reward to a criminal who pulled a knife on his roommate and threatened to kill him! Who says crime doesn’t pay? This is disgusting.
It really IS disgusting, though technically Mr. Ho the Houseguest From Hell is not a criminal. But we’ve already got way too much of this “ooh I was wronged- who can I sue” mentality amongst our own countrymen. The last thing we need is to be importing even more of it from overseas.
Half of the California Lotto winners send their money back home to the country they came from too….
To add to the generous nature of Americans, I read somewhere on a San Jose Inside blog that the vietnamese cafe and restaurants run their businesses on a cash only basis and they cheat the city out of sales taxes. If this is true, We Americans are truly generous(or stupid). Come to think of it, I am seeing a heck of a lot of sidewalk restaurants popping up all over the city. Usually a hotdog cart type but sometimes big trailers. I wonder if they are paying sales tax to the city?
Don’t look for Chuck-O to initiate compliance on the sales tax issue. It would be politically incorrect and would further isolate him from the Vietnamese community. He’ll need their votes in his next political job, whatever that may be.
Perhaps someone will notify the California Franchise Tax Board about the allegations.
I’ve been on the job 22+ years, have a college degree + other certifications/license. I work a 56 hour week and risk my life every shift. The city council members will now be paid $81,000 instead of $90,000…this means they make more than I do and they only work part time and have only put in 2-4 years? No, I am not complaining, but I am shaking my head in confusion and dismay. Debra Figone STILL makes more than ANY city manager before her, even with her so called pay cut. And they have the nerve to say the cops are riding the gravy train and that the firefighters are greedy? Wow, something doesn’t seem quite right here.
It has been mentioned that City Council’s pension is via PERS, not the City of San Jose pension fund… any ballot measures in November would not affect their coverage.
If you have been with the Fire Department for 22 years you must be at least at top step FF, assuming you have not promoted. With your FF base salary, holiday pay, terrorism pay EMT pay etc according to the City charts (even wiht a redcution) you would be at about $100K, which is more than the City Council position of $81k. I would also bet that the Councilmember work more days per week than you for less money!!!!! Not to tske away from the dangers of your job, as shown by the recent incident in SF and the tragedy they are dealing with, but if you qoute pay figures please be accurate.
BS Monitor,
I think you’ve left out some vital facts here. Ann Ravel of County Council blasted the DA’s Office PUBLICALLY, in the Merc, for conducting such a poorly done investigation into this. Mr. Kennedy agreed with her on the issue of conflict of interest! Also, you left out the fact that Jose Salcido voluntarily took a lie detector test and PASSED it. If Jose had truly done what you’ve claimed here, why wasn’t he prosecuted for it? (And please don’t tell me there was some kind of large scale cover up going on at the County, that is unless you have some serious proof to back your story up!)
Secondly, I attended BOTH of the DSA’s forums during the last Sheriff’s election. I must tell you that the way these candidate forums were run and the way a certain candidate’s campaign was conducted should be investigated! Enough said.
I will say this to you again; your personal attacks on Jose leave me wondering exactly what your personal grudge with Jose is. Care to share?
Kathleen,
Regarding what Jose Salcido does for our community, you’re right: I have no idea, perhaps because he occupies a position in city government that did not previously exist, even during the years before the budget crisis. You are also right that my attack has a personal tone, but believe me, it is wholly based on what Mr. Salcido has done, and how his actions reveal his true character.
What the record shows is that Jose Salcido has long wanted to be sheriff of this county. His interest in San Jose, other than his trying and failing to win a job as a San Jose police officer, is nowhere to be found in that record. But what is there is quite disturbing. In 2004 substantial evidence was compiled by a district attorney’s investigator (with impeccable credentials) showing that Mr. Salcido, in his capacity as president of the deputy’s union, committed perjury when questioned about an illegal, back room political deal cut with county administrators. The apparent aim of the deal was two-fold: a wage package for the deputies and the appointment of Salcido to sheriff (to replace Laurie Smith, who was expected to be named CHP commissioner). His wage package turned out to disappoint the deputies—being less than he promised, and Smith never vacated her post, but the perjury charge was left hanging in the air like a big, fat chorizo.
Enter the Rasputin of local politics, Victory Ajlouny, to cast his spell on the powers that be, including clients Salcido, Supervisor McHugh (fingerprints all over the illegal deal), district attorney Kennedy and his wannabe successor, Karyn Sinunu. Abracadabra: Perjury investigation—poof! Coverup of misuse of government money—poof! Deputy Sheriff’s Association—screwed. Jose’s Salcido’s chances in the next election—damaged beyond repair, despite pleas made to Mercury and Metro to “go easy” on him.
So questionable is Salcido’s integrity that:
—he allowed Ajlouny to use his slime-ball network to slander the work and reputation of a career law enforcement professional, one who, unlike himself, actually had a record of integrity.
—a member of his own association, disgusted by Jose’s self-centered agenda, ran for sheriff just to sabotage Salcido’s election chances.
—with his election hopes derailed (by his own record), he threw his support behind another Ajlouny client, a retired SJPD captain and failed chief (of an 8 man department!), who, in a telling assessment of his dismal qualifications, received virtually no support from his former coworkers at SJPD. Patheticaly, Salcido agreed to sacrifice the good of his own agency so that he might keep alive his fading political hopes.
Understand this, the taxpayers of this city are paying Jose Salcido over $10,000 a month so that he can politic under the guise of providing a legitimate service to the people of this city, marking time until the reputation he ruined while at the Sheriff’s Office becomes distant enough to be ignored in his next run for Sheriff. He is stealing from this city, providing expertise already available, and his presence on the payroll a testament to the sorry state of Chuck Reed’s integrity.
Helpful links:
http://www.scccpoa.org/html/members/Newsletters/Newsletter 0905.pdf
http://missioncitylantern.blogspot.com/2007/03/ajlouny-fixer-of-justice.html
Shame, shame on Chuck-O!
A few more facts to add to what to what I already said:
Dan Pulcrano wrote the article and he is a close friend of Laurie Smith.
The Government Attorney’s union asked DSA to join forces with them to obtain Binding Interest Arbitration and when they refused, the investigation started.
Jose Salcido volunteered to take a polygraph exam and passed with flying colors.
Ann Ravel, County Council, challenged the investigation as one sided and poorly done. She eventually left her position as a US Attorney to work in Washington DC, a position requiring ethics and integrity.
The lawsuit submitted by John Diquisto, the Correctional Officers Union and the Nurses Union lost on all fronts except for a finding that chastised Blanca Alvarado for using her county computer to send out e-mails against the initiative.
DA Kennedy decided not to file the report because he did not feel that anything criminal had occurred and that the allegations were more connected with union fighting. Even the Sheriff started an internal affairs investigation and did not find enough evidence to file charges against Salcido. He retired from the Sheriff’s Office after 32 years of service with a perfect personnel record and the rank of Lieutenant. He has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and many awards from Community groups.
I take back what I said earlier. You can’t have a law enforcement background or you would know that your allegations would surely have landed Salcido on a Brady list and that never happened. You really need to get over your hatred of Mr. Salcido and enjoy your expensive law enforcement retirement.
Kathleen,
Without getting into the absolute absurdity of equating a Washington, D.C. appointment with ethics and integrity, it was Ann Ravel’s job as County Council to defend the county officials caught up in this nasty little affair—they were facing legal penalties. By the way, while doing her duty (for the public?) during this investigation Ms. Ravel apparently admitted to providing documents to…. guess who? … yes, Victor Ajlouny, the same political operative who’d flown in to facilitate the coverup.
I doubt that Dan Pulcrano’s alleged friendship with Laurie Smith was a pertinent factor in:
—a deputy D.A. sending the case to an investigator
—the investigator finding evidence of the illegal deal within the transcripts of a Deputy Sheriff’s Association meeting
—John DiQuisto filing a suit on behalf of the other county unions, alleging illegal campaign behavior on the part of county officials
—a judge finding that the actions alleged did in fact constitute illegal acts
Lastly, you mentioned a polygraph. Is that the one that first came to light by way of that bastion of integrity, Victor Ajlouny?
More goodies:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.10.05/salcido-0532.html
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.07.05/fly-0536.html
BS Monitor,
Twisting the facts to re-write history just won’t fly BS.
Again, what’s your personal grudge with Jose?
Kathleen,
FYI,…Jose is NOT well liked/regarded/trusted @ SJPD for many reasons. Many of those have been outlined by BSM. As well, you may rightly reason that one does not get to Reed’s right hand side without having, shall we say, a colorful past. Keep in mind the old adage, “You can judge a man by his foes as well as the friends he keeps”. In this case the “friend” is Reed…
Officer X,
I think you know how much I love and respect you Police Officers out there, but I don’t agree with the perception any of you have about Jose. I met him years ago on the Mayor’s Public Transition Committee. He was in the Sheriff’s Department then.
I have come to know him pretty well, worked him on many issues, and regardless of what some of you in the Sheriff’s or SJPD think of him, I know what an integrity ridden man he is. I also know the great love and respect he carries for all of you in law enforcement; despite the way some of you bash him in private AND in public.
The bottom line for me is this, until you get to know him the way I do, and have the courage to put your names next to your post so you can be a person of your convictions, then I will see your mean spirited comments as ignorant.
I find it odd that Jose and I can strongly disagree on many things, but always have great respect for one another, but you gentlemen can’t. Is a differing opinion really that much of a betrayal to you?
Kathleen,
When members of public directed their wrath towards Bernie Madoff did you question their motives? When local folks turned on Ron Gonzales for his very real indiscretions did you suspect an agenda? My problem with Jose Salcido is simple: I object to our city coffers being used as a cash cow for the feeding of Victor Ajlouny’s herd. I’m angered that a mayor who pretends to have integrity can make-up a pretend job for one of his political comrades and do so without drawing a single complaint from either the city council or local newspaper—both of which pretend to represent the interests of the public.
You see, I’m a real world guy who just happens to believe that integrity, such as that earned during a law enforcement career serving the public, crumbles when cashed in for personal gain at the expense of others (in this case, the public). I don’t need to have a personal relationship with someone to be personally offended by their disgracing something honorable or exploiting the public’s trust.
What the evidence strongly suggests is that Mr. Salcido, a person with whom I have no history, willingly entered into an illegal agreement, duped his own DSA, betrayed other county unions, perjured himself, and then stood by and allowed a proud and distinguished, FELLOW POLICE PROFESSIONAL to have his name unfairly sullied—all in service to his quest to become sheriff. This is a take on the evidence that is shared by many professionals, at several levels of government service, without regard for their previous thoughts regarding Mr. Salcido’s character. Unfortunately, this take on the evidence does not trouble Chuck Reed, didn’t bother Ann Ravel, met with the approval of George Kennedy, was facilitated by Karyn Sinunu, and was deemed not worth the price of ink by Scott Herhold—the political operative doing business as a professional journalist.
It is a sad truism that people especially well-practiced at seeming good often do bad things, and even sadder that our nation’s capitol isn’t big enough to house them all.
BS Monitor,
I know that Jose is being lied about and scapegoated by many in both the Sheriff’s Office and the SJPD because they/you are guided by their own bias personal/political agendas. I saw the filthy mudslinging and politics that came out of many offices when Jose ran for Sheriff. Truly disgusting! (BTW- Most of what you are saying happened DURING an Sheriff’s election!)
You are also basing your dislike of Jose on “guilt by association.” You hate our Mayor because of his stand on reform, so just because Jose was once in law enforcement and now works for the Mayor, you think he must be a rat, a traitor, or be using his position with the Mayor to carry out some “secret agenda!” Also, you claim you don’t know him. Well, I am sorry but I just don’t believe that.
I think you do have to know someone and their motivation before you can truly make statements like you are doing. Especially since you are twisting the facts to win your argument.
I voted for Mayor Reed and I know him, and his heart. I don’t agree with a lot of what he says or does, but I respect him for doing exactly what he said he’d do, fix the budget deficit! Do I agree with his message against City employees, NO! Do I agree that reform needs to happen, YES! Do I think he could choose his words more wisely? YES!
Having said that, I too have connections in government, the media, and law enforcement. I have personally looked into every claim you have made, and I feel you are taking half-truths and touting them as facts. Any one can accuse anyone of anything and get away with it. Again, I respectfully disagree with your presentation of the FACTS, and of your perception of Jose, as I do know him personally.
I also know John Diquisto, and love him dearly, but I don’t agree with him on this issue. I think he was misinformed, and did what he thought was right at that time. The law did not see his or any of the complaints, evidence, or allegations made against Jose as credible, so no charges were filed.
In closing, you said, “You see, I’m a real world guy who just happens to believe that integrity….” Then I suggest you have integrity and sign your true name on your posts. That way I will know you are a person of your convictions and not someone who clearly has a personal axe to grind with Jose.
“You are also basing your dislike of Jose on “guilt by association.” You hate our Mayor because of his stand on reform, so just because Jose was once in law enforcement and now works for the Mayor”
That would probably summarize it to a T Kathleen. The disgust that probably 99% of the SJPD feel towards Chuck Reed is certainly going to rub off on any current or past law enforcement member who chooses to throw in with him. There are those that believe Reed is Satan incarnate. If Salcido is chums with Reed, why wouldn’t his reputation be affected by that choice?
Do you have kids Kathleen? I can’t count how many times I’ve counselled my kids on how critical it is in choosing their friends. I’ve had many talks with them about the damage to a reputation, the potential leading astray that might take place, the perception of others transferring to my kids based on their social circle’s reputation. Why would we toss this concept out just because Salcido has done some good in other arenas? I suppose we should snuggle up to the Hells Angels just because they do a toys for tots charity run now and again too.
Kathleen,
There was no doubt in my mind that your defense of Jose Salcido would ultimately descend into an attack against my anonymity. I’ve been around long enough to know that when a woman’s emotions are aroused you can count on her throwing anything she can get her hands on. As evidence of that: my anonymity became an issue only after I posted more damaging evidence than could be ignored.
You challenge me to prove myself a person of my convictions. My response to that is, given that everything I’ve posted about Jose’s scandalous conduct was based on the findings of others, and exists in public records (hidden here and there), the issue is not my convictions, it’s his personal history. I’m not writing fiction here.
Mr. Salcido’s duty to the DSA that elected him president was clearcut, yet the evidence suggests he chose to violate that trust. You can dispute that and defend Jose to your heart’s delight, but that won’t change the fact that the association he once led broke its political ties with him, its former vice president campaigned vigorously against him, and, in the last election, the DSA endorsed his arch-rival Laurie Smith against the candidate he favored (along with Reed/Aljouny). The men and women he let down were his coworkers; they once elected him their leader and previously supported his candidacy for Sheriff. Then they dropped him—in direct response to the scandal you now accuse me of manufacturing.
As I stated previously, Jose Salcido has always wanted to be sheriff. His first mistake was to throw his lot in with the likes of Victor Ajlouny (I guess he didn’t learn enough about such people while working in the jail). His second mistake was to ever trust the scumbag politicians running the county. His third mistake was to let his ambition get in the way of his professional ethics and sworn duty to his DSA membership. He blew every advantage he had; Chuck Reed is now helping him in his quest to get a second, undeserved chance.
He’d have been better off adhering to his upbringing and trusting his redemption to the magic of the confessional.
BS Monitor,
Thank you for explaining to me why you are ignoring my points and the facts. I never would have guessed my “gender” had anything to do with this discussion. I doubt very seriously that if I were a man you’d pull that diversionary tactic to owning up to who you are. As publicly as you are bashing a decent man on a public blog, you should put your name on your posts as I do, and be willing to be held accountable for your actions.
I post my name on my posts, and have zero fear of being held accountable for it! Or is that just because I’m a woman? I find anonymous posters who spread misinformation like this in an effort to ruin someone’s good reputation to be that of a coward, regardless of your “gender.”
Having said that, just in case you might listen to a supposedly “emotion women who can throw out anything she can get her hands on,” I’m going to challenge your facts once again, just like you are doing to me, but I’ll do it factually instead “like a woman.”
If everything you say about Jose’s betrayal of the DSA is true, why was he re-elected one more term as a Lieutenant and served as PORAC’s Secretary for two more years?
If he was such a horrible representative of his fellow Sheriff’s, how come he spent 6 years as DSA President and obtained 56% in raises during negotiations, plus 3% at 50 and still couldn’t catch up with SJPD?
How did this confidential report make it to the Metro in the first place?
Why do you think the Mercury News refused to print this story? (And please stop making it sound like Herhold had complete control over whether or not the Merc printed a story on this. He is not the owner or Editor of the paper!) Got any ideas?
What proof do you have that the lie detector test that Jose took was false? He was proven innocent by the test. Are you saying it was rigged?
Why was it that the complaint was found not to have credibility?
Why wasn’t Jose prosecuted for his supposed “illegal actions?”
Tell us the relationships of the players to one another who did the investigations, and made the allegations against Jose, and why YOU think George Kennedy admitted a conflict of interest in his office.
Did this happen during an election? If so, which one and who ran, and who was supporting whom?
I look forward to your answers BS.
Kathleen,
First, a response to the points you listed, in order:
—I don’t know what it means to be “elected” a lieutenant, and I’m not sure how Jose’s connection with PORAC has anything to do with the DSA, but what I do know is that Jose Salcido lost the support of the organization he once led, a rare and shocking turn of events in the police profession. What I also know, and what you refuse to accept, is that his once loyal members broke with him over the very events I’ve recapped here. What, do you think they were duped by his enemies?
—A 56% increase in salary during his leadership is indeed impressive, but it pales in comparison to your ability to come up with so precise a figure. The good news is that you deserve kudos for your research, the bad news is the obvious: a leader who put that much money into the member’s pockets must have done something really awful to lose their hearts.
—Ann Ravel gave the 12 page DA’s report, the one Sinunu had already denied existed, to Ajlouny for his use in damage control.
—I think the Mercury failed to cover the story because it is, first and foremost, an influence peddler. The coverup of the county’s illegal behavior involved Karyn Sinunu, the Merc’s choice in the upcoming DA’s race. This was one of several scandals in which the Merc’s preferential treatment of Sinunu spared her reputation and ensured her continuing to deep throat information for its “Tainted Justice” series.
—The claim that Salcido passed a polygraph came from Victor Ajlouny, a peddler of illusions. Looks like you bought one.
—Had the complaint been found credible a number of county officials would’ve faced charges and the county likely sued for big dollars.
—Jose Salcido couldn’t be prosecuted without jeopardizing county officials, otherwise they would’ve roasted his ass on high heat.
—The relationships are all covered in the news stories (for which I provided links). The bottom line is that the county exec (and at least one supervisor) colluded with Salcido with the intent of undermining the efforts of the other county unions to win binding arbitration. When the dirty deal was sniffed out at the DA’s office the county council came in a running, screaming “the sky is falling.” The quivering conspirators put in a call to Victor Ajlouny, and he flew in to see his client George Kennedy—who admitted to the meeting but didn’t really recall the specifics.
—The election most immediately affected was the DA’s race, though the blowback eventually ruined Salcido’s run for sheriff.
Finally, though you may be unaware that your gender influences your posts, it certainly does. You wear your heart on your sleeve (a fact, not a criticism), making it only natural that you would reveal it on issues that strike a nerve. I brought it up not as a diversion, but in response to your sudden objection to my use of a pseudonym.
BS Monitor,
I still stand firm in my assertion that you should put your name on your posts like I do so that the people you attack can hold you accountable for what you say about them. I also think we’ve reached a point where we need to just agree to disagree on this.
As to Jose, I still maintain that he is a good and decent man who doesn’t deserve to be lied about like this. You can think what you want and say what you want, however, I would like to challenge you to call him and meet with him to get his side of the story. After all BS, isn’t that how you’d want to be treated if this was being said about you?
Kathleen,
We reached the “agree to disagree” point long ago… everything since then has been merely a reflection of the fact that bullheadedness is not a gender-specific trait.
As for your opinion of my choice to remain anonymous, I ask that you put your emotions aside and take a good look at the current state of political discourse. The “Free Speech” that our Founders treasured has been so gutted by the culture destroyers that no one in a power position in government or business ever speaks freely. When it comes to wielding corruptive power in America, second only to cold, hard cash is the ability to destroy reputations—through hype, misrepresentation, blackmail, harassment. Having the support of a network of sophisticated cutthroats and practiced liars conveys a level of political power the old boy’s club could only dream about. On this I imagine Delores Carr would agree.
At the state level one only need remember what happened to supporters of Prop 8 who, for the high crime of contributing money to promote their beliefs, had their homes targeted, their businesses boycotted, their characters assailed, their sense of safety rattled. They and others will think twice before publicly opposing the gay stormtroopers, which was the intended message.
For a good example of the state of free speech at the national level I can think of none better than Helen Thomas, the White House correspondent who, despite her more than fifty years as a recognized and celebrated journalist, has been culturally “disappeared” because she had the temerity to voice a criticism of Israel. Ms. Thomas, once a sought after public speaker, one with a prestigious journalism award named in her honor, is now regularly “dis-invited” to engagements and has had her award evaporate—all due to the efforts of stormtroopers more committed to a foreign country than they are to any outmoded American ideal. She would’ve been far safer to have cursed Jesus.
Playing dirty is the name of the game, with rules conveniently twisted to empower the cowards and physical wimps who protect themselves through character assassinations carried out by special interest groups—with members both in and out of the media. Being able “to take it” in politics, which once meant having a skin thick enough to stand up for your beliefs, has been redefined into having a spine flexible enough to bend your every principle and thrive in an atmosphere thick with insult and betrayal.
If you followed the links provided in my posts then you’re aware that a district attorney’s investigator was made a scapegoat by Karyn Sinunu and Ann Ravel, the county council. What you may not have noticed is that there was no mention about this investigator, harshly criticized by two high-profile officials, being disciplined for his allegedly shoddy work. Instead, what was there were comments from George Kennedy indicating that, because of a conflict of interest, he’d shopped the case to a couple of neighboring counties but had found no takers. Really? Conflict of interest on a crime that his own chief claims didn’t occur? Shopped a case that was based on shoddy investigative work? Ever heard of a DA voluntarily exposing to anyone the shoddy work of his own staff?
The point is this: the DA’s investigator, a veteran of command-level politics at SJPD, took one for the team. Sinunu and Ravel played dirty, but then, regrettably, dirty play now constitutes playing within the rules. That’s not a game for me. I’m not about to put myself in a position where some slimy politician or journalist (sorry for the redundancy) mistakes me as someone okay with the new rules. I’m not constructed to trade dollars for principle or take one for anyone’s team, thus my use of a pseudonym makes good sense.
As for getting Jose’s side of the story, the door for that closed back when the allegations first came to light. He had his chance—to confront those actually making the allegations (and I was not one of them). Were he as innocent as you so desperately want to believe, then so too would’ve been his superiors at the county, and with everyone clean there would’ve been no reason for him to hold his tongue. But instead of coming out with the aggressive defense of his personal integrity, as would be expected of a leader of a police association, Salcido turned his defense over to political fixer Victor Aljouny, who worked his connections before emerging from the shadows to hold a public wake (disguised as a press conference) to formally honor Truth’s passing.
BSM,
“It seems there is something about anonymity which brings out the worst in us. If you doubt that, come with me into the often-weird world of Internet chat rooms and message boards.”
~ Pat Sajak
BS monitor
I recently found this site and bringing myself up to speed. I fully understand your reasons for anonymity, to identify yourself would be professional suicide.
Furthermore I find your post credible and your facts verifiable unlike a number of obvious City Hall lackeys, shills and those buying into and/or promoting an agenda which will ultimately bring San Jose to its knees.
Where can I find your post Re “a district attorney’s investigator made a scapegoat”?
BSM thank you for your service to the people and city of San Jose.
SJ resident,
The posts, containing links, are contained above (on this page) as part my exchange with Kathleen. For a quick look at the basis for that conclusion, see:
this 8/10/05 Metro story:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.10.05/salcido-0532.html
Karyn Sinunu responds to questions about the decision not to file charges; in paragraph #11 she cites the investigator’s work as providing the evidence used in deciding not to pursue charges against Salcido, but refuses to say anything further, thus dumping the responsibility for this very questionable and controversial decision on a subordinate who can take it quietly or lose his job (Sinunu’s political advisor, Victor Aljouny, subsequently launched an attack on the investigator’s credibility, making potentially career-destroying allegations that Sinunu, via her silence, let stand).
this 8/17/05 Metro story:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/08.17.05/measurec-0533.html
Ann Ravel, then County Counsel, cites the investigator’s “apparent illegal actions” and “lack of professionalism,” in defense of two county administrators.
When confronted about the allegations made against his office, George Kennedy opted out of the mudslinging by claiming his office was too close to the case—implying a conflict of interest (note: he also defended the investigator, leaving the public to ponder why criminal charges supported by a competent investigation were be allowed to vaporize).