Morning News Round-Up -- 10.19.09: Mayor Reed doesn't feel much like dancing...

The (apparent) Word of the Week in San Jose is Sunshine. And Mayor Chuck Reed is apparently joining in with Jonathan Edwards in singing, "Sunshine go away today, I don't feel much like dancing..." San Jose’s Sunshine Reform Task Force, created by Mayor Chuck Reed as a call for open government, saw its final recommendation for open Police records (apparently) squashed by the Mayor’s Rules Committee. Sunshine Chair/ Protect San Jose’s Ed Rast seemed unable to use his statistical prowess to convince his blogging-buddies that Sunshine was good. The Merc’s Editorial Board calls the Tuesday meeting a “major test of San Jose’s commitment to open government…” The Mayor's antagonists (unsurprisingly) on this issue are Councilmembers Ash Kalra, Nora Campos, and Kansen Chu, which Councilmember Sam Liccardo also coming down closer to the side opposite the Mayor. This should be interesting...

And if limiting Sunshine sounds like something Mayor Chuck Reed would be against (but seems to be for), then safeguarding gambling would certainly be something Mayor Reed would be against... right? Wrong. It's funny how $14 million a year to the General Fund can sway a Mayor's position...

A passionate San Jose Councilmember Madison Nguyen is what the Merc’s Scott Herhold misses in the tragic Police shooting of mentally ill Daniel Pham. Nguyen told Herhold she didn’t cede leadership to colleague Kansen Chu because she owes San Jose Police, but rather because the shooting happened in Chu's District. Hmmmm....

Keeping up with local elections, the Merc’s Editorial Board sends props to Cupertino Council candidates Mayor Orrin Mahoney, Housing Commissioner Mahesh Nihalani, and Recreation Commissioner Darcy Paul.

And while there are politics happening this month, the much more interesting stuff will happen next year... the Merc’s Internal Affairs calls Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rosen “the real McCoy” in Rosen’s efforts to oust District Attorney Dolores Carr after Rosen hired political consultant Leo Briones. IA also reports Supervisorial wannabe/ Mayor Mike Wasserman landed in (a little) hot water after posting photos of people not endorsing him.

Before the San Jose Flea Market closes the doors permanently, a festive 50th anniversary is planned according to the Merc’s Sal Pizarro. Also celebrating a golden anniversary the American GI Forum with Damian Trujillo, dinner, and dancing. Perhaps even dancing WITH Damian Trujillo...

For all your governmental Watch Dog pleasure, the week to come…

• San Jose’s City Council keeps busy with discussions of outsourcing city employee jobs, more on campaign finance, gambling, and limiting (or expanding) Sunshine.
• The Santa Clara County Office of Education School Board considers charter schools and test results.
• The East Side Union High School District also focuses on sunshine with a solar project.
• The Cupertino High School plan is on the table for the Cupertino High School District.
• San Jose Unified School District gets the lowdown on (swine) flu shots and budget transfers.