In contrast to the nearly $1.2 million spent by and for the top three candidates in the initial four-month campaign for the coveted downtown council seat, spending for the campaigns of Gabby Chavez-Lopez and Anthony Tordillos has totalled just over $70,000 since the April 8 vote.

Despite passionate and eloquent pleas from the City Hall audience, the Dec. 5 San Jose City Council decision wasn’t about taxpayers’ money, or voters’ rights. Cash, political power and private conversations not streamed on Zoom won the night.