In an effort to keep readers better informed about and involved with community issues, San Jose Inside is unveiling several new features in the coming weeks. Our Q&A series allows readers to become reporters and ask questions. If you’ve ever wondered why a certain question wasn’t posed, this will be your opportunity to step forward and ask. This week, Santa Clara Valley Water District CEO Beau Goldie has agreed to answer your questions.
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Want to Get Paid? Get in Line
The San Jose Redevelopment Agency’s financial obligations were discussed and voted on last week. The final chapter of RDA will be decided by the State Supreme court sometime before Jan. 15, 2012. Should RDA ultimately end, the state wants to know all of the enforceable obligations. Everything needs to be listed, from bond to lines of credit to legally binding contracts not yet paid out, including debt for affordable housing.
Council to Hold $24M Bond Hearing
Tuesday’s city council session, the second of the new fiscal year, will feature a hearing regarding the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) and a separate item giving City Manager Debra Figone the ability to accept a federal grant for public safety.
Ex-Councilmember John Diquisto Dies at 83
Former San Jose city councilmember John Diquisto died of a congestive heart failure Monday morning. He was 83. Diquisto was a Cambrian Park native who worked as a San Jose firefighter for 31 years before serving two terms as the city council’s District 9 representative. He was termed out of office in 2002.
Closed Door Vote Revealed
As I have shared in prior blogs, issues that are discussed in closed session meetings are suppose to remain confidential until the City Attorney reports out at a public council meeting. Well, that is the way it is supposed to work anyway.
The Times They Are A-Changin’
What do Mark Zuckerberg, John Doerr and Reed Hastings have in common? They were all in Burlingame on May 18 headlining the NewSchools Venture Fund Summit. They each have access to billions of dollars to help transform public education. Entrepreneurs with billions of dollars are changing the educational landscape like this educator has never seen before, even if they are 27 years old and wear hooded sweatshirts.
Child Welfare Community Meeting Tonight
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Santa Clara Valley and co-sponsor Kansen Chu, a San Jose city councilmember, will be holding a community meeting at 6pm tonight at San Jose City Hall (200 E. Santa Clara St.) in the Council Chambers. The meeting will will focus on child welfare.
Borrow or Pay Out of Pocket?
The Council last week made the second SERAF payment to the state. SERAF is where the State raided all RDA coffers in California—again—in our case taking $75 million from San Jose.
Bring On the Civil Discourse
Last week’s column, “Let The Education Conversation Begin,” gives me hope. Thank you to all that responded, especially Mr. Stampolis and SierraSpartan for their agreement on a key issue that the education community must address.
Let the Education Conversation Begin
Respondents to this weekly column sometimes refer to my writings and beliefs as socialistic due to my general support of teacher unions, targeted use of additional money, and progressive education precepts. Is Rush Limbaugh a socialist? Have we all succumbed to the opinion of Jonathan Mahler in his recent New York Times article, “The Deadlocked Debate Over Education Reform,” that “false dichotomies have replaced fruitful conversations?” I truly hope not.
$1 Million in RDA Money
In my opinion, the Council made two great investments two weeks ago for our tax base and jobs. The Council provided $500,000 of Redevelopment Agency (RDA) funds each to Sunpower and Maxim, totaling a one million dollar investment for economic development. These two companies compete globally, therefore they could have chosen any other location in the world.
Rosen’s Last Stand
In a small courtroom on the fifth floor of the Hall of Justice, Jeff Rosen made the final arguments of his last trial as a hands-on prosecutor on Tuesday. With thin fingers, he karate-chopped the air like a symphony conductor cueing the string, brass and percussion sections, except the players here were three accused murderers. “The buyer, the middleman, the hit man,” he called them.
Blakeslee and Laird Finally Meet
The 15th California State Senate District stretches over strategic portions of Santa Clara County, Monterey County, Santa Cruz County, San Benito County and Santa Barbara County. And for many, including the Democratic former Assemblymember running to represent the district, it’s also a perfect illustration of everything that’s wrong with California politics.
Potential City Ballot Measures
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.
East Side Race On
Though he’s yet to decide whom he’s endorsing in the District 5 runoff, J. Manuel Herrera will indeed be running to retain his long-held East Side Union High School District Board Trustee seat next fall.
When Herrera hoofed it to the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters Office to pull his papers earlier this month, however, whom did he discover in line ahead of him? None other than former East Side Superintendent Bob Nuñez.
Four Election Night Parties in Three Minutes
San Jose Inside’s mad dash through Santa Clara County’s primary night parties. VIDEO
