Morning News Round-Up -- 6.8.09: Watch Dog in the news...again

Well, well, well... Watch Dog actually made it into (another) Scott Herhold article in the Merc. This time because we were observant enough in the San Jose City Council discussion about a pay cut to point out that San Jose City Councilmember calling himself a "recent" immigrant may not have been completely accurate and for linking folks with some public finance information that shows that Chu is probably better off financially than many of his colleagues. Thanks for the hat tip Scott. (Herhold's column is all about the political spin coming out of San Jose City Hall. Aside from Chu's spin, Herhold points to DA Dolores Carr's spin about the highly-guarded 9-1-1 tapes, VTA's spin about a recent Civil Grand Jury report, and San Jose Pension Board member David Bacigalupi's insistence on taking junkets...)

In another late-Friday-afternoon press event, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed released a new budget proposal that protects most "core services" like police officers and police stations, fire fighters and fire stations, and parks and libraries. To do this, the Mayor is banking on increased property tax assessments (wishful thinking?), reserves, employee pay freezes, and presumably spending cuts elsewhere in the City budget. Watch Dog expects that this plan will get wide support on the Council. This plan seems reasonable, but what happens when the State steals even more money from San Jose?

One local government has declared a "fiscal emergency" in an attempt to thwart the State's raids...

The Merc's Internal Affairs recaps Video Gate (the POA/Anti-De-Bug video and its response). (Watch Dog did that already...)

But it seems the POA is freaked out by De-Bug...

Because an interesting outcome of Video Gate is that the POA launched its own blog, complete with a first post from POA Chief Bobby Lopez. But even more interesting that that is that Protect San Jose is a place where the POA are going to "defend themselves" against the 'attacks' they have been facing. Two folks that will be coming to POA's defense are Ed Rast and Kathleen Flynn. Kathleen Flynn? Is this the same 'Kathleen' of prolific blogging fame (check out some of Kathleen's greatest hits)?

In other Internal Affairs news, the political folks at the Merc. delve into the 2-faced-ness (if that's a word) of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's pitch to Santa Clara voters in the 49ers deal, a County car audit that was wrong, and San Jose Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio getting booed/heckled off-stage at an Organized Labor rally at City Hall. Councilmember Oliverio, what did you think was going to happen?

The Chronicle's version of Internal Affairs, Matier and Ross (actually, it is the other way around) also has a piece about Newsom and the 49ers. The 49ers had some serious concerns with the stadium deal in San Francisco, specifically the lack of highway access and Newsom's insistence that the stadium be LEED certified, have solar panels to power the stadium, and have showers for folks who bike-commute to the game... Watch Dog would have to agree about fans showering, but actually AT the game?

Also getting in on the Santa Clara/49ers action is the Chronicle's (most angry/spurned lover) sports columnist Ray Ratto... he has some advice for the City of Santa Clara.

And...

Willie Brown chimes in too, suggesting that if Mayor Newsom is really pissed about the 49ers move, he will funnel campaign cash to the Santa Clara-based opponents of the 49ers. Watch Dog thinks that probably won't help his chances of becoming Governor much.

Shifting gears to some crime/police stuff:

• A local swim coach is accused of molesting young girls for 30 years. A steady string of victims seem to be coming forward in this case...
• Palo Alto Police and San Mateo County Sheriffs are beefing up their patrols of Caltrain tracks, which have been the scene of two teen suicides and one attempted suicide in the past month alone.
• No doubt you heard about a 15-year-old girl who was "abducted" from over the weekend... well, she actually ran away.

And controversy is brewing in Los Gatos over spending, libraries, and a petition circulating around town. The Merc's Patty Fisher weighs in, so does Mission City Lantern... Watch Dog thinks this is small town politics at its best/worst...

A busy week around local governments this week as most agencies begin to wind down their work for June for a July break...

• The County Board of Supervisors will look at development recommendations at the County Fairgrounds. Again?
• The Cupertino Union School District will look at the 2009-2010 budget, which should be a lot easier now that they passed a parcel tax...
• The Los Gatos Union School District will hear an update on the State budget... that ought to be fun.
• Ah, and never a slow week in San Jose: The City Council will once again look decreasing their pay. (We'll see how Councilmember Chu votes... and the City Council will also look at approving concessions in some union contracts.
• But the real work in San Jose City Hall will be in the Elections Commission... they'll talk about independent expenditures and changing the limits of campaign contributions.

Finally, a big day for Cisco Systems. Today, San Jose's Cisco Systems will join the Dow Jones industrial average. You go John!