San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio says he didn’t raise campaign money at the end of December out of respect for the holidays. At this point, he’ll also be able to solemnly respect Easter, Passover and Cinco de Mayo. Campaign disclosure forms go public later this week, but Oliverio proudly leaked that he raised the maximum amount of money allowed for the District 6 primary—$121,000—in just the last two and a half months. In addition to tapping contacts he made while working in the high-tech industry, Oliverio says the financial support he’s received mainly comes from his push for pension reform along with Mayor Chuck Reed and others on the council. That clearly got him the endorsement from the San Jose/Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce, which challenger Steve Kline says refused to even grant him an interview. Kline has his own base, though, earning endorsements from the South Bay Labor Council, firefighters and police, and the gay community. But Kline, a private-practice attorney, reports his fundraising total is only a fraction of Oliverio’s. He estimates he’s raised just under $26,000 total, including two loans he made to himself for $15,500. Oliverio’s ability to reach the fundraising ceiling in such a short amount of time is even more impressive considering he is doing it all by himself, without consultants or aides. His current District 6 chief of staff, Denelle Fedor, has her own race in District 10, and while the two traded endorsements for each other, Oliverio says that’s all the help they plan on giving each other.
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Showing Strength in Numbers
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You mean we can wind up with two Oliverio votes on the City Council??
Are they both going to wear Cartier glasses and sweater vests??
KLINE, KLINE, KLINE.
At least his bow ties do not spin like Oliverio’s!
That’s unfortunate news to hear. Kline would make such a great council member. I’ll just have to root for him as the underdog, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
No info on Bill Chew’s fundraising, though?
Really PO, yo state:
Oliverio says the financial support he’s received mainly comes from his push for pension reform along with Mayor Chuck Reed and others on the council. AS much as you hate public safety why do you even sit on the public safety committee?
And yet the city refuses to negoiate with all the unions instead apprving an illegal ballot measure.
Then you say,
“and a police force able to respond to calls for service. Being proactive could eventually enforce the quality-of-life concerns our residents have.”
This police department is now reactive at best, forget proactive. Soon you will not even have a public safety department when they are making 39K a year and in foreclosure on their homes or just leaving SJ for other departments all together.
Raise all the money you want Pierre. You’re still through in D6
I completely support Councilman Oliverio. Although we had never met before his election, I have had many opportunities since to chat with him, discuss city business with him, and guage his temperament, and I find him to be a fabulous person and excellent councilman.
Anyone with the ability to add must admit that, no matter the cause, San Jose’s unfunded pension liabilities are the greatest threat to proper city services over the next decade. You just can’t support 55 year old police and fire personnel retiring and living 20 + years earning 90% pensions. It is fiscally unsustainable because then every street cop and firefighter costs us two; one on the street and one sitting at home, enjoying a decades long city funded rest.
There is no blame for the unions for asking for these unsustainable benefits; that is their right. The mistakes were made by previous city officals who accepted labor piece in exchange for planting a fiscal bomb under the city’s budget, one that they wouldn’t have to deal with since they would be long gone.
Any person who runs for our city’s council saying they are a “labor candidate” it automatically disqualified in my book. Right now the books are stacked in labor’s favor, and Mayor Reed and Councilman Oliverio are just trying to balance the scales.
If we do nothing about these runaway pension costs, you can look forward to a minimal police force, shotterd libraries, and much higher taxes. Doesn’t sound enticing.
“You just can’t support 55 year old police and fire personnel retiring and living 20 + years earning 90% pensions. It is fiscally unsustainable because then every street cop and firefighter costs us two; one on the street and one sitting at home, enjoying a decades long city funded rest” – johnmpisacane
Instead of using inflammatory numbers (like 650 million), could you cite your facts? That would mean that a Police Officer, or a Firefighter would have to be hired at 25 years old, and serve 30 years. If they pay 13% of their pay into the retirement system, and never pay into social security….when they retire, and recieve NO social security, they pay taxes on their retirement income which includes FICA. Doesnt that mean that they are paying INTO social security, but never get the benefit? If you are so fired up about taking what they have earned, why should they be obligated to pay for YOUR retirement?
“one on the street and one sitting at home, enjoying a decades long city funded rest” – johnmpisacane
Again, state the facts. Inflammatory rhetoric is not factual, neither is your opinion. Most retired Firefighters dont live more than 15-20 years after retirement…..they have paid more than enough into the system (interest added, of course) than they take. These are researchable facts.
“Any person who runs for our city’s council saying they are a “labor candidate” it automatically disqualified in my book. Right now the books are stacked in labor’s favor, and Mayor Reed and Councilman Oliverio are just trying to balance the scales” – johnmpisacane
Well, this is just a ridiculous statement. You already dislike “labor” or anyone associated with it. How do you feel about the individual Firefighter or Police Officer? They have kids, mortgages, bills and live a life just like you do…what makes them your enemy? And the Fire and Police Departments have taken a larger percentage of pay cuts than any City in the US. How is the Council “stacked” in their favor? Layoffs in San Jose? First time in City history….even during the Great Depression there were no layoffs. Political posturing, over-inflation and alarmist numbers (in order to sway public opinion), and zero media outlet for opposing viewpoints. I dont recall seeing “shuttered” libraries, and the skeleton force of Police and Fire is a bigger fear than cutting library hours. Taxes HAVE NOT increased, and the increases we are facing are necessary and minimal. Things cost more these days…….including the public services we are used to.
Sorry to disappoint you by “living” too long after i retire, Police Officers and Firefighters are not beholding to you or anyone else to die because they are too expensive. They have earned the right to have their contracts honored, just like the City expects these sworn officers to fulfill THEIR contracts of service. But as your champion (oliverio) fails to understand, honorable and respectful negotiation is needed on both sides.