Last year, way back in 2012, Gov. Jerry Brown broke a state record by signing more bills into law during his three terms than any other governor since 1967. (Take that, Reagan.) In 2012 alone, Brown signed an astounding 876 regular-session bills. Here’s a select overview of some of the more relevant laws now in effect.
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Bridging the Gap for Disconnected Youth
The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on Dec. 18 a new initiative for addressing homeless young adults ages 18-24, usually referred to as “transition-age youth.” According to the NY Times, the Obama administration is focusing on this new and growing homeless population. While the recession hit all age groups, young adults were particularly hard hit with unemployment.
How to Save the General Fund $10 MIllion
A housing report revealed last week at the oversight board meeting for the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency (SARA) shows that the city has $10 million in funds that have yet to be allocated. While some people would like to direct these funds to affordable housing, which isn’t taxable and doesn’t create revenue, a better plan would be to direct the $10 million toward RDA debt. If this occurs, the exact same amount can then go toward the general fund, which pays for police, libraries and other community services.
Council to Discuss IPA Pay, Nguyen Reappointment as Vice Mayor
In its last meeting of 2012, the City Council on Tuesday will discuss issues varying from lease agreements and property sales to pay increases for the independent police auditor and council/board appointments for 2013.
Park in the Sky or Pie in the Sky?
Planning departments across the USA commonly create “specific plans” and/or “master plans” for certain streets and neighborhoods within a city. San Jose, not unlike other cities, has many of these same plans. Most of the time these plans are put together with the best of intentions, but they end up sitting on a shelf due to their inherent lack of practicality or feasibility.
Nonprofit Mergers Will Help the Homeless
Nonprofit agencies are expected to serve the public good, be mission-driven and operate like a business. We nonprofits need to be compassionate, yet focused on obtaining successful outcomes. To end homelessness, the direction is clear: Move the homeless into housing quickly and provide ongoing support services. However, emergency services are still needed for homeless individuals—a meal when someone is hungry, warm clothes and a bed during cold winter months.
County Children’s Shelter Needed to Go
With the recent sale of the Santa Clara County Children’s Shelter, we have come to the end of an era of using large institutions to serve abused and neglected children.
How the Council Set Its Priorities
The San Jose City Council met last week to discuss and prioritize certain ordinances the city should pursue in the coming year. Creating an ordinance requires staff time from the department that the ordinance will affect and, as always, time from the City Attorney’s office. In many cases, outreach for ordinances must be done to garner resident and stakeholder input which takes time and staff facilitating the public meetings.
Turning the Corner on Condo Debacle
I am very embarrassed. Through an unfortunate set of circumstances, I have contributed to diluting the critical conversation about the quality of public education in Santa Clara County. The debate on how to ensure a high quality public education experience for every child in the county is too important to have it held hostage to a serious error of judgment. The focus of far too many articles in the San Jose Mercury News has been about a condo and contract debacle that I have tried to own for personal naivety. And not asking the right questions of legal counsel when the new superintendent’s contract was negotiated in March 2012.
A Potential Charter School Crisis
A comprehensive plan must be developed to chart the best course for the ever-expanding charter school movement—before it is too late. Like urban sprawl, the unplanned process will be disastrous. I believe there is still time for a win for our students, a win for the teachers and a win for our region.
Community Marches Against Prostitution
Prostitutes, look out. One of San Jose’s downtown neighborhoods is coming for you. A press release sent out by Councilmember Sam Liccardo’s office says that at 6:30pm tonight, community members of the Guadalupe-Washington neighborhood and Santa Maria Urban Ministry will march along South First Street in front of Biblioteca Latinoamericana, located at 921 S. 1st Street.
County Has Call to Make on Condo
Outraged! Angry! These two emotions were prevalent last week after Mercury News reporter Sharon Noguchi broke the story that former county superintendent Dr. Chalres Weis wants the county to take back a condo the Board of Education loaned him money to buy in 2008. It is conceivable that this loan might cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet, as I said last week, I feel strongly that “the primary interest in this matter is to guard the financial interests of the taxpayer, and the fiscal integrity of the organization.”
Story of the Week: How Candidates Make Their Money
On the same day presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced he will release his 2011 tax returns, we take a look at how the remaining four candidates for two San Jose City Council seats made their money last year.
San Jose Not Immune from Teacher Strike
What does the Chicago teacher strike and standoff with the city’s Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, portend for the future of public education? Could a teachers’ strike be in San Jose’s future? Let’s examine the facts as they relate to this struggle for improving public schools.
CEQA Needs Urgent Reform
It saddens many tree huggers that the once heralded California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is being so abused by NIMBY groups that simple justice, common sense and economic progress demands its reform.
Campos Appointed Speaker Pro Tempore
Nora Campos took a considerable step up in stature Wednesday when State Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) unveiled his list of new appointments for leadership and committee chair positions. Campos (D-San Jose), who just completed her freshman term in the Assembly after serving two terms on the San Jose City Council, was appointed speaker pro tempore.
