San Jose Inside

Three San Jose councilmembers want Mayor Chuck Reed to sign his name on the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry online petition. More than 200 mayors have done so, but Reed, who supports Prop 8, has thus far refused. This prompted councilmembers Ash Kalra, Don Rocha and Kansen Chu to bring the matter before the Rules Committee today with a “you’re not in Kansas anymore” resolution.

Last week Fly speculated on the potential demise of the Mercury News’ weekly political column, Internal Affairs. As it turns out, the column continues to run in print but wasn’t posting consistently online in May.

If “public” education were a patient in the hospital, it would be on life support with a team of expert doctors conversing about its next procedure. During this quadrennial presidential election year we once again have a unique opportunity to frame the issue in ways that demonstrate care for the struggling patient. The conversation on next steps must involve the two presidential contenders, Mitt Romney and President Obama.

On Wednesday, I was interviewed by CBS News to discuss runaways. The day before, Sheriff Laurie Smith held a press conference to announce the arrest of a suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar. During this press conference, Sheriff Smith stated that since January 2011, there were 43 reports of missing children (females) in Santa Clara County that were still open, and pondered, “You wonder if any of those were actually abductions also.” The sentence just hung in the air at the press conference, and no one asked her follow-up questions.

Linda Toeniskoetter is a yoga instructor, Kelley Rubino is a hair stylist, Kristina Campisi is a homemaker, and Lee Brandenburg is retired; but they’re all major contributors to local campaigns. Make no mistake, the contributions are legal and the contributors have every right to engage in the political system. But their listed occupations fail to connect them to interests that normally cause people to become major players in local politics.

The June 5 primary slugfest wages on for two more weeks, but that hasn’t stopped some people from putting out feelers for the 2014 election. Pete Furman, chief of staff for San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, was the first person we heard might be interested in running for the District 3 City Council seat, which will be left vacant by a termed-out Sam Liccardo. Many believe Liccardo plans to continue up the City Hall ladder in a bid for mayor. Furman isn’t alone in weighing a run for the downtown council seat.

Mayor Chuck Reed’s efforts to curb city employee retirement benefits will be his legacy, and despite some reservations with his clumsy bedside manner as well as Measure B’s wording on disability qualifiers for public safety officials, the “pension modification” measure should be approved by voters. Measure B is the best bet to start restoring vital city services that have been cut.

District 4 incumbent Kansen Chu has been a mostly ineffective member of the City Council. It’s time to give someone else a chance.

Robert Braunstein would bring real-world experience to the San Jose City Council District 10 seat, which we think is important because that provides a reality check to an ingrown political culture. City Hall needs an outsider’s perspective to pry loose from the current malaise.

Update: The San Jose City Council voted unanimously to send a minimum wage proposal to voters after it failed to be adopted by San Jose City Council Tuesday night. The motion to immediately adopt a higher minimum wage than surrounding cities failed on an 8-3 vote. The proposal will raise the minimum hourly wage in San Jose from $8 to $10, if passed by voters.

The frenetic pace of the end of the school year means we have entered graduation season. For most of my career as an educator, this time of year has meant I would write down a few things I would want to say at the 8th grade promotion based on words/phrases of wisdom I had heard during the year. As the principal of middle schools for 15 years, each opportunity I had I would try to say something meaningful and memorable at the 8th grade promotion. Of course, I am certain that the thousands of students, parents and relatives who heard my comments through the years—no doubt longer than they should have been—don’t remember any of them.

Tuesday’s City Council agenda includes discussions about entering into an a park renovation project, continuing to suspend bonus payments to retirees, and the city’s revolving door policy.

Last year, I wrote about a parcel of land that was converted from commercial zoning to residential by my council colleagues … some of whom are “friendly” with a certain lobbyist. Many believe this parcel was converted as a “quid pro quo” so AT&T would sell their land for a potential baseball stadium. I opposed this rezoning since I wanted to retain all of the land for jobs, thus a better tax base to pay for city services.

Robert Braunstein, a TV sports broadcaster and candidate for District 10’s City Council seat, returned a $500 contribution from Brian Bumb this week, after San Jose Inside notified his campaign that Bumb and his company, Bumb & Associates, hold a management stake in Bay 101 Casino. According to ethics provisions listed in Title 12.06 (Municipal Campaign and Officeholder Contributions) under the city’s code of ordinances, candidates for elected office are not allowed to accept money from San Jose’s card rooms, as well as anyone in a management role in those businesses or their spouses.

By Scott Knies and Matthew Mahood

Rather than allow San Jose voters to decide in November, we hear some San Jose City Council members will push on Tuesday to increase the city’s minimum wage 25 percent, from $8 to $10 an hour, to take effect 90 days after passage. For a city that moves at a deliberate pace on major decisions, it’s mind-boggling that the council has held next to zero public outreach and has neither analyzed nor debated the serious citywide impacts from such a law before considering it. What’s the hurry?