Thursday, December 22, 2005
Does Gonzales' Criminal Investigation Taint BART?
SJ Mayor May Get Booted | Gilroy Dispatch
That question has to be on the minds of BART's supporters and critics alike. Other investigations have been launched into Ron Gonzales' activities before.
This cannot look good to those who wish to see BART completed. It certainly doesn't look good to those opposed to it. What other dirty little secrets is Ron Gonzales hiding?
Whatever they are, the San Jose City Council is trying to distance itself and perform damage control by seriously considering removing Ron Gonzales from his position on the VTA board. They should. He is bad for transportation policy in Santa Clara County.
How can someone involved in shady campaign financing and backroom contracts with city funds be trusted?
That question has to be on the minds of BART's supporters and critics alike. Other investigations have been launched into Ron Gonzales' activities before.
Mr. Gonzales has two official charges pending against him. He has been campaining for re-election using individual donations of as much as $5,000. San Jose's campaign laws limit such donations to $500 in an election year. His only response to these charges is that he needs them to push BART, using the ends to justify the means.That is from my own report on May 11, 2004. Now he is under investigation for making backroom deals with garbage collectors.
This cannot look good to those who wish to see BART completed. It certainly doesn't look good to those opposed to it. What other dirty little secrets is Ron Gonzales hiding?
Whatever they are, the San Jose City Council is trying to distance itself and perform damage control by seriously considering removing Ron Gonzales from his position on the VTA board. They should. He is bad for transportation policy in Santa Clara County.
How can someone involved in shady campaign financing and backroom contracts with city funds be trusted?
Saturday, December 10, 2005
VTA Stops Seeking Federal BART Funding
Setback for BART extension | Mercury News
Rather than be cut by the administration, Burns decided instead to drop out first.
But that isn't stopping these people from forging ahead. They still believe they can fool the voters into giving them more money next year when they place their sales tax initiative on the local ballot.
What will really be interesting is to see what they do if the voters turn down the initiative. Will they listen? Or will they see it as "just another hurdle that will have to be overcome," as an unnamed spokesperson for Gonzales was quoted as saying in the article?
Friday, December 02, 2005
"Straight" Is Not a Dirty Word
VTA delays vote on tax priorities
But being straight with the voters is a problem for you isn't it:
You did dupe the voters in 2000. You lied about what would happen with the tax money they voted for. You mis-managed VTA's funds so badly that the Santa Clara County Grand Jury investigated you and recomended disbanding the Board all-together!
And you continue to pretend that it's all just a public relations problem, that if you can just communicate better to the public that everything will be alright. Well, it won't, because it isn't a public relations problem; it's a gross mis-management problem. You are the problem!
But being straight with the voters is a problem for you isn't it:
"Don, they don't care what you think," said David Casas of Los Altos, sitting next to Gonzales but not looking at the San Jose mayor as he spoke. "They don't care what I think. I'm not sure they care what voters think." ...The lack of trust is not what is disturbing—what is disturbing is that the only thing this board cares about is how they are perceived, rather than caring about doing the right thing for Santa Clara County.
... "There is a lack of trust that is disturbing," said San Jose Vice Mayor and mayoral candidate Cindy Chavez, who will take over as VTA chairwoman next month. "If people feel duped, we have to deal with those perceptions and feelings that they have."
You did dupe the voters in 2000. You lied about what would happen with the tax money they voted for. You mis-managed VTA's funds so badly that the Santa Clara County Grand Jury investigated you and recomended disbanding the Board all-together!
And you continue to pretend that it's all just a public relations problem, that if you can just communicate better to the public that everything will be alright. Well, it won't, because it isn't a public relations problem; it's a gross mis-management problem. You are the problem!
