The Race for Mayor

Feb 15, 2006, by Tom McEnery Comments (58)

Well, here we go—the race for mayor is on. With the addition of David Pandori, the field is now at six. Or is it? 

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Single Gal and Late Night Clubbing

Feb 14, 2006, by Single Gal Comments (30)

After a Friday night out in San Jose that consisted of a Sharks game and a trip to O’Flaherty’s for a few drinks, my group of friends and I decided that we wanted to go dancing.  But, since it was nearly one o’clock in the morning, did the desire to dance in San Jose mean I needed to take my life into my own hands? 

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The First State Legislature

Feb 13, 2006, by Leonard McKay Comments (6)

The “Legislature of a Thousand Drinks” is the unmerited sobriquet remembering the first State Legislature of California held here in San Jose in late1849 and early 1850.  The elected senators and assemblymen were all very young men—most of whom had been in California for less than two years—with little or no training in law, and yet they made some of the most important laws governing our state, most of which are still in effect today.  The total budget for the first year of operation was $348,000.

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Mayoral Exit Exam Not Working Study Shows

Feb 10, 2006, by John McEnery IV Comments (23)

Might Lead to Pandemic of Political Recidivism

A recently released scathing report by San Jose State University found that many of the state’s mayors were not able to pass the California Mayoral Exit Exam now required in cities with a human population that is less than the number of its registered lobbyists.

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State of the City

Feb 09, 2006, by The Editor Comments (39)

Last night, Ron Gonzales gave the final State of the City address of his tenure as mayor. We invite our readers to comment on the text of the speech and reflect on how city politics have changed since Gonzales became mayor. What will be the legacy of the Gonzales years? What is your view of the state of our city and where we should go from here?

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Art for Our Sake

Feb 08, 2006, by Tom McEnery Comments (28)

I know art is often spoken of in phrases like “art for art’s sake,” but when I survey the status of public art in our city, I just scratch my head. I can’t fathom what we are doing.  We all know the sad and bizarre story of the statue of Captain Fallon raising the flag. My fingerprints are on that series of mistakes and I share blame. And the Aztec god in Chavez Plaza is, likewise, a well-known saga. But those are the past and we need to move on.

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