“Civic-minded citizens are not simply born, they must be taught and nurtured,” writes Norman Mineta. In an article published on “Constitution Day,” Mr. Mineta—a former San Jose mayor and US Congressman, who also served in the Cabinet under both Bill Clinton and George Bush—laments the decline in civic engagement, and expresses his concern that the public education system needs to do more.

If you’re a homeowner, most likely you received your property tax bill in the mail last week. I did and I owe $11,854. (If Washington Mutual does not collapse I will pay this amount from my savings.) My parents, who live next door, with the same size lot, will be paying $1,696.

Why the huge difference? A little thing called Proposition 13, which protects my parents and other seniors.

Welcome to Rants and Raves, the weekly SJI thread where the Bloggers Rule! Crank up that Opinionizer and start clicking those keyboards!

Since Metro’s Best Of issue focuses on a year of change, including the visionary thinkers who make it happen, my vote for Best Quantum Hydration Augmentation Utensil goes to the folks over at Quantum Age Water Stirwands.

Kids First Priority in Removal From Roadways

In a bid to clean up California’s dirtiest freeways, the US government agreed Wednesday to: “provide an $85 billion emergency loan to rescue Santa Clara County roads from litter, debris and children.”

Based on several studies, the state would have to supply billions of dollars a year to keep approximately 250 miles of freeways in a “really dirty, but not visible” state. This means that at a minimum, abandoned cars, mattresses and small children would be removed from the shoulders and medians.

Guitar Legend Ry Cooder Joins Latina Singer Ersi Arvizu in San Jose Concert

Ry Cooder, named by Rolling Stone and just about anyone who knows anything about the guitar as one of the top ten best original guitarists of all time, makes a rare live appearance in San Jose on Friday, September 26, backing popular ‘60s and ‘70s Latina singer Ersi Arvizu, who had virtually disappeared off the radar screen in the intervening decades. Arvizu’s big voice is now back and can be heard in a new CD produced by Cooder, who is credited with her rediscovery and coaxing her back into the musical limelight.

There has been much discussion on this blog, and elsewhere in California, about the state government’s so-called raid on redevelopment funds to help balance the budget. A couple of weeks back, Dan Walters, the longtime Sacramento Bee columnist, weighed in, pouncing on local redevelopment agencies (San Jose’s is one of the biggest) as the epitome of waste, and touting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to take $228 million a year from redevelopment agencies.

September just has a feel to it. The weather is changing, the nights are a little colder, school is back in session and summer seems to become a more distant memory as each day passes.

I started thinking about how much I enjoy the end of September and look forward to the beginning of October for many reasons. The weather seems to peak that first week of October before it starts to rain, Sharks season is right around the bend, and into my head popped the San Jose Brew Ha Ha Festival. Then I wondered, “What happened to it?”

Sacramento Bee Columnist Dan Walters wrote a piece that recently appeared in the Mercury News that voiced support for the governor’s plan to take money from the state’s redevelopment agencies to help close the state’s budget deficit.  The article got the attention of San Jose’s Redevelopment Director, Harry Mavrogenes.  Their debate is instructive.  Here’s a second look at some of their arguments.

City Hall Diary

Last week, the council voted on two noteworthy items: a citywide fire station policy and pay for airport personnel. The most important item was the new citywide policy for the closure and consolidation of fire stations. Up until now, San Jose did not have a policy of how or when a fire station could be closed or relocated. The lack of a process was not good for the city. Closing a fire station in any neighborhood of our city that diminishes response time and/or reduces the ability to muster an effective force of fire personnel in the instance of a large fire, natural disaster or terrorist action is bad public policy.

Tell it like it is in this weekly open forum.

Approximately 1.25 Will Be Terminated

In a radical and controversial move, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for 25-percent across-the-board reductions in General Fund programming and county supervisor representation in Santa Clara County.

Silicon Alleys

SOMETIMES one has to go outside the usual stomping ground to look for inspiration. In this latest case, the backdrop was Kansas City, Mo., a place you wouldn’t normally expect to see a thriving live/work arts district with dozens of galleries that attract thousands of people every first Friday of the month. The Crossroads Arts District in K.C. is exactly that and last week I infiltrated the scene, found the muse and expunged the usual ornery ennui from my psyche.

Food for Thought

Over the past 60-plus years since World War II, we have become the throwaway society. Our landscape is littered with plastic and paper wrappers, bags, bottles, containers, etc., and our garbage dumps are filled to the brim with the same. Californians use 50 million plastic bags every day, around 18 billion each year, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the state’s litter. Of course, the main reason plastic is used is its low cost as a packaging material for industry and retail stores, and there is no arguing with its convenience factor.  However, plastic waste is responsible for a long list of costly environmental problems, including the clogging of water and waste systems and the death of wildlife. In addition, plastic is manufactured from oil, takes thousands of years to break down and much of it is not recyclable. At every step of the way from manufacture to end-of-use, plastic bags and containers constitute a major source of pollution.

Despite the recent violent crimes, we are still a very safe city. However, I think it is fair to ask if we are safe enough.  Many would say “no.” When three murders happen over one night; when four knifings happen within a couple of blocks downtown; when more and more people are concerned about the use of police resources in central San Jose; when our murders in one weekend approach Oakland’s, then it is time to carefully monitor the crime situation and make the correct assessments.

Two giants of San Jose’s jazz world died in late August within a week of each other. One was tall and always immaculately dressed, a Bellarmine-educated pianist, raised in the Santa Clara Valley and married into one of its wealthiest and most prominent families. The other was round and simply dressed, a working drummer who kept time for musicians like Cab Calloway and Mike Bloomfield in the hardscrabble clubs of New York and New Orleans. Both were passionate about music. Henry Schiro was the well-dressed impresario who booked performers; Sammy Cohen was the drummer who fought for fair compensation as head of the local musician’s union.