Cupertino City Council is bracing for bad financial news, at their 11/03 meeting they adjusted their budget by $1 million -- anticipating the closure of Mervyns, tax shortfalls, and investment losses. The Cupertino Council has live video of meetings, perhaps this explains why the audience seats were empty as Director of Administrative Services Carol Atwood reeled off the litany of depressing financial news.
In a surprise even to the candidate, Dolores Marquez won a seat on the Alum Rock Union School Board. Apparently talking to voters and direct mail weren't useful for the incumbent Lalo Morales. It will be interesting to watch Marquez who has been banned from District property and agreed never to talk to district employees during school hours. Watch Dog predicts this will be an entertaining District to keep an eye on.
Local cartoonist Steven DeCinzo had fun at the expense of San Jose's Police Chief Rob Davis, Mayor Chuck Reed, and Councilman Pete Constant with this cartoon posted on San Jose Inside after they unceremoniously fired Independent Police Auditor Barbara Attard late October with a 6-4 vote with Vice Mayor Dave Cortese and Councilmembers Sam Liccardo, Madison Nguyen, and Kansen Chu voting against the decision. (Councilwoman Nora Campos remained away on maternity leave.)
In an online poll from the Mercury News 54% of those responding said the San Jose City Council was wrong to let Attard's contract expire. It was only 10 days earlier when San Joseans learned their Police Department had the dubious distinction of the highest number of arrests for public intoxication in the state with nearly 60% of which were Latinos in a city with a Latino population of roughly 30%.
The hangover that won't let go continued to give Mayor Reed and Chief Davis a headache a few days after Attard was let go at a press conference hosted by the La Raza Roundtable with its Chief Victor Garza at the helm. San Jose's lone Latino Councilmember, Nora Campos was not at the press conference and indicated a concern that Sunshine Mayor Reed is addressing the issue behind closed doors. The money quote from Campos: "By not having a public process you are sending a message that our city's commitment to transparency and open government is being bypassed."
Vice Mayor Dave Cortese, elected Tuesday to fill County Supervisor Pete McHugh's seat, will have the opportunity to continue the investigation as the County analyzes the problem. Cortese, along with San Jose Councilmembers Nora Campos and Sam Liccardo, expressed concern about the arrest numbers.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
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