Did you ever have a romantic relationship with someone that tested you in one way or another?  Maybe you or someone you know dated or are dating a person where at first the relationship was great. You were carefree and really enjoying yourself—but suddenly realized that some of your actions have consequences?

As expected, there was much written about San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s gambit to force the Baseball Commissioner’s hand on the A’s move to San Jose. SF Chronicle sportswriter Scott Ostler led with the headline, “Mayor Gives Selig An Old-Time Hotfoot.”

Our political gridlock is creating a potentially disastrous future for the next several generations. And from my perspective things are getting a lot worse. Will we ever be able to extricate ourselves from the monstrous hole we are digging by our partisanship? Isn’t it our obligation to find middle ground in our positions to solve the huge issues of our day?

The Rules Committee allowed my memo on Pension Reform to go before the City Council Tuesday, Aug. 3, to be considered as a ballot measure for San Jose voters this November. At the Rules Committee meeting, members of the public were few compared to the number of paid lobbyists that were in the audience. 

It came as a big surprise to almost everyone, including Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig: Mayor Reed’s decision to go forward on the downtown baseball stadium.  Is Reed’s push a smart move that will demonstrate the city’s commitment to host a major league team, or is it a desperate move that will destroy the chances to bring the A’s to San Jose? UPDATED

Last week in SJI I wrote about the criticality of strong leadership from our candidates running for governor to fix California’s public schools. It will not be the leaders that make the difference, but each of us who are willing to speak out and put our money where our mouth is. The assembly Democrats have a proposal that supports our children and schools, but it will not pass unless we become engaged in the debate right now.

On Tuesday, Aug. 3, the City Council will decide on five possible ballot measures that would go before San Jose voters in November. So far, the Council has budgeted money to place two items on the ballot; therefore the council must choose two of the five. However a group known as Baseball San Jose has offered to pay for the cost of putting the Downtown Baseball Stadium question on the ballot, so three ballot measure may go before voters.

By now, everyone knows about the awful car crash that left a 15-year-old girl dead, and members of her family injured. On July 13, after allegedly running a red light, Bernardino Cuebas sped away from a CHP cruiser, eventually colliding with another vehicle. According to reports, the 15-year-old girl was ejected from the car that Cuebas hit, and died at the hospital the next day.

Where are the bold and courageous leaders that give us the facts and inspire us to new heights? In Attorney General Brown’s website announcement on his candidacy for Governor he says he will speak the truth, yet his three-minute commercial is filled with the platitudes he says he abhors.

My memo below will be discussed, next Wednesday, July 28 at 2pm at the Rules Committee which includes Mayor Reed, Vice-Mayor Judy Chirco, Councilmember Nancy Pyle and Councilmember Pete Constant. This is a public meeting.

Recommendation
Direct City Attorney to prepare legally binding ballot language for a ballot measure to be considered at the August 3, 2010 Council meeting for the November 2010 election allowing residents of San Jose to vote on changing the City charter by removing charter language regarding “minimum benefit” and “contributions/ cost sharing” in regards to pensions (Sections 1504 and 1505). Removing this language would allow the flexibility to negotiate a 2nd Tier pension for new employees whose hiring date is after January 1, 2011. This proposal would not change current legally vested benefits for existing employees. 

This is San Jose Inside’s long-lost weekly open forum, where any topic of local interest is fair game. What’s on your mind?

In an article published by the Mercury News, San Jose State Professor Larry Gerston advanced the argument that huge costs savings could be realized if the county’s many school districts were consolidated.  Great gains could also be achieved if police and fire services were re-aligned countywide.

By Joseph DiSalvo and Pierluigi Oliverio

We are asking San Jose Inside’s readers and bloggers for your generosity.

The devastating fire on July 5 at Trace Elementary School in the San Jose Unified School District has created an extraordinary outpouring of support and giving from across the City of San Jose. According to Karen Fuqua, Director of Public Relations for the district, the citizens of San Jose should be very proud of their contributions to Trace. It is, she says, overwhelming and heartening at the same time.

From time to time I have talked about outsourcing certain city services to save money—so the city can use the money saved on core services we provide to the community. When I first introduced a pilot program for outsourcing park maintenance at the Rose Garden Park in 2007, the council (except for Mayor Reed) shrugged off my idea.  Now, the topic of how to provide services to San Jose residents with limited revenue is being discussed. For example, the city was able to open some of the pools that were due to be closed because the city outsourced to private organizations which are less costly.

Hard to believe that the Mercury News would provide space on its front page (let alone any page) to cover the annual spectacle that is the Nathan’s hot-dog eating contest.  Why would anyone have even the slightest interest in such an exhibition of gluttony?  Unfortunately for us, San Jose gets its name attached to the madness, as the “winner” of the event, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, lives in San Jose.  Why would anyone celebrate this guy?  Is there any way that we can distance ourselves from Mr. Chestnut?

Many times in this weekly post I have opined that the education of all our children is our most important nationally priority. I frequently get chastised on SJI for supporting a system of public education that is perceived as weak and inadequate. There is no doubt in my mind that our public education system is our best path to the ideals that our Founding Fathers dreamed and that we commemorated on Sunday.