Monday, November 10, 2008

Morning Round-up -- 11.10.08: What Changes are in Store...

Post election weekends are normally filled with football games, kids soccer matches, and dinner with friends. Not this past weekend. Outrage over remarks by Palo Alto's Police Chief Lynne Johnson saw marchers taking to the streets, even in toney Palo Alto.

Watch Dog San Mateo has reported the troubles of Palo Alto Police Chief Lynne Johnson, this weekend the Chief was likely dismayed by the hundreds wearing t-shirts asking "Am I a suspect?" who marched on City Hall Sunday. The Mercury News video of the march shows teachers, students, and business people wondering what is happening in their community. What's happening in your community? Your Police Chief needs to step down...and Watch Dog San Mateo called it first.

Hot topic in San Jose, Monday at 1:00 p.m. San Jose's City Council will check in on efforts to craft a citywide affordable housing policy requiring developers to set aside a portion of all new units for below-market-rate buyers. San Jose's Councilman Sam Liccardo got this hot potato rolling earlier this year. Within Watch Dog's world, many Bay Area communities have "inclusionary zoning" polices including: San Francisco, Gilroy, Sunnyvale, Sacramento, Livermore, Napa, and Benicia. Also, San Mateo upped their ante a few weeks ago to increase the percentage required for affordable. The Mercury News weighed in to support an affordable housing policy noting that in private, developers admit that similar policies are common in other cities and don't cause problems. I guess that will teach them to open their mouths to reporters and editors...

Mountain View's El Camino Hospital District is considering $25 Million in tax exempt financing to lease all imaging equipment for the new hospital from Siemens Public, which it would then sublease to El Camino Hospital. Learn more Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. in the El Camino hospital cafeteria, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View.

Santa Clara Councilman Dominic Caserta can't catch a break. First his loss to now Assemblyman-elect Paul Fong in the June primary and now Santa Clara activist Kirk Vartan has pushed the Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate an allegation that Caserta neglected to step aside during a 2004 Council vote regarding his historic home. Santa Clara did not video tape meetings at the time, Mayor Mahan expressed doubt that Caserta participated in the vote. Here's the bit Watch Dog likes best, Mahan said that minutes often would fail to record when a council member left the dais during meetings -- and they elect their City Clerk in that Town...what is RJD2 doing if he isn't keeping track of who is actually AT the meetings?

San Jose Revealed chimes in on Mike Fox, Jr. being named to head Goodwill. I guess the campaign betting took its toll -- our friends at Revealed haven't posted since the 6th...

San Jose Inside brings back Rants and Raves, when something interesting starts happening over there again, we'll bring it to you...

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