Attack of the Squeegee Men
May 2, 2007 by Tom McEnery Comments (25)
After a long Monday, we could discuss the Sharks’ win over Detroit (third game winners go on to win the series 70 percent of the time) or the strange vote at the San Jose City Council on the Evergreen development—where six members gave the okay to “study” the conversion of over 200 acres of job-creating land to housing—or even the boom in downtown high-rise housing with the optimism that springs from it. No, I will resist all these issues, although it is tempting to ask why six council members wished to give away 200 acres of tax base for more traffic. Old habits—selling out the future—apparently die hard even in the new City Hall.
Single Gal and Where Are All These Single Men?
May 1, 2007 by Single Gal Comments (35)
Well, we’ve really made the big time now: Oprah! The words “San Jose” actually graced her lips as the best place for a single gal to meet men. Now, before you all rant and rave about how superficial I am or that there must be 1,000 things wrong with me and that is why I am still single, let’s talk about where all the throngs of single men are really hiding—unless they are just hiding from me.
Taller Buildings Equal Bigger Parks in North San Jose
Apr 30, 2007 by Pierluigi Oliverio Comments (36)
City Hall Diary
San Jose has opportunities to build tall buildings in North San Jose and create large parks at the same time. I am hopeful that we will take advantage of these opportunities so that we can create great places and huge parks.
Currently in North San Jose, we are in the midst of a “build up” for commercial office and transit village housing. I support this for many reasons: jobs, tax base, light rail, and the Guadalupe River Park Trail, among others. Industry leads housing development; thus, I believe we should move forward with land use incrementally.
Shocking Poll: 79 Percent of San Jose Residents Long for Gonzales Era
Apr 27, 2007 by John McEnery IV Comments (14)
Most Agree Scandal-less City is “Boring”
In a recent poll commissioned by the Mercury News after a dramatic drop in subscription renewals several months ago, 79 percent of those surveyed say that without the sensational news of the scandalous Gonzales administration, there is no reason to read the paper anymore.
Lessons in Presenting Ethnic Arts
Apr 26, 2007 by Jack Van Zandt Comments (12)
This past Sunday, I attended a wonderful concert sponsored by South India Fine Arts (SIFA) at the Center for Employment Training auditorium on Vine Street. Part of a weekend of events celebrating the arts of southern India, the concert presented Chitra Visweswaran, one of the greatest living Indian Bharatanatyam dancers, with a group of master carnatic musicians, led by her husband, R. Visweswaran, on vocals. To sum it up in one word, the performance was sublime.
Pensions and a Billion Here and There
Apr 25, 2007 by Tom McEnery Comments (20)
Close to the hearts of every government watcher from Tom Paine to Howard Jarvis is the inability of government to treat our money as if it were their money. Santa Clara County contracts with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), which invests county contributions and makes pension payments to retirees. To be fully funded, CalPERS needs a rate of return of 7.75 percent. When they do not get that, the county—we, the taxpayers—are responsible; and there, my friends, is the rub.
Single Gal and Flea Market Madness
Apr 24, 2007 by Single Gal Comments (52)
The debate over the San Jose Flea Market is a microcosm of our city and society as a whole. One side represents an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality that can be good for the city. The other side offers a realistic criticism of our inability to preserve anything that could be deemed historical or part of the fabric of our culture. Though I do see merit on both sides of the argument, I support the development of the land around the flea market and think it could be a great thing for our city.
City Hall Diary: Fiscal Accountability for Non-profits
Apr 23, 2007 by Pierluigi Oliverio Comments (38)
Do you remember getting an allowance as a kid? I do and it wasn’t very much, so I had to learn to manage my money very carefully. My chores were visible to my parents and they judged me on my performance. They could clearly see if I was not performing up to par. In addition, my parents would oversee how I spent my money. They wanted to make sure I was not wasting it and that I spent it prudently.
Blackberry Outage Forces Human Contact in Silicon Valley
Apr 20, 2007 by John McEnery IV Comments (13)
“Schmoozer of the Year” Stone Thrives Again
According to research by Joint Venture Silicon Valley Group, the demise of society and the human race could be linked to Blackberry usage. Wednesday’s mobile device outage, although infuriating to many addicts, was hailed as a watershed event that researchers say the valley needed in order to “reconnect with others and thrive into the future.”
Brownstein’s Feeble Gambit
Apr 18, 2007 by Tom McEnery Comments (11)
Hypocritical actions are in full bloom in San Jose. In this case, it is a recommendation to the Sunshine Task Force by one of its members who is exhibiting that most unfortunate characteristic. Labor representative Bob Brownstein is suggesting that the city be required to detail all costs anytime a significant public subsidy is required. The wages of any jobs, impact on neighborhoods, return in taxes, and anything that could reasonably be assumed to be a pertinent part of a project, would have to be expeditiously disclosed. This is just like the joke about not being able to run a two-car funeral. In recent municipal lore, it is known as not being able to give away retail space to Starbuck’s. That’s some business sense—and some funeral.
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