The new Mayor of San Jose will face a number of different obstacles upon taking the oath of office. He will have a demoralized work force, a rising crime problem, a polarized political atmosphere and a new City Council. It is the new City Council that will determine whether San Jose moves forward or stays mired in its current malaise.
District 5 has already seen a change. Xavier Campos was a terrific advocate for working families. Magdalena Carrasco comes with some trepidation for many progressive advocates, but she can lay those concerns to rest quickly by advocating for the values she has long held. Carrasco is a personable leader with a long history supporting values we all share and her ex-husband is also the new majority leader in the State Senate; the two remain close.
Carrasco may be end up being a strong advocate for moving San Jose forward. She certainly has that opportunity. Her strong ties to state government should give her district a boost, just as Campos had ties to his more powerful sister, Nora.
District 1 will see former Assemblyman Paul Fong take on Charles “Chappie” Jones. Fong is the prohibitive favorite. He has long worked in the community, made very positive decisions for his constituents. He is especially adept at working behind the scenes to build coalitions. If victorious, he will be a strong advocate for District 1.
Chappie Jones is very inexperienced. He would have a steep learning curve. He has no relationship with Sacramento. Assemblyman Fong, on the other hand, like Carrasco in 5 has extensive relationships, which could be helpful to his district.
Fong is clearly the better choice.
Raul Peralez is a rising star in District 3. The police officer turned candidate has a clear vision for what he wants to accomplish and simply outworks his opponents. He has a secret political weapon in his camp who keeps him grounded and on task. His first place finish was a surprise to some, but the belief is he will get the majority of support in the progressive 3rd district, which represents the influential downtown of San Jose.
District 7 will be an interesting race between two different ethnic communities. Maya Esparza is the better known of the two candidates and has a progressive agenda that fits well with the majority of the district. Tam Nguyen’s election would not be a catastrophe, but he seems more interested in international politics than local issues.
District 9–welcome back Don Rocha. Though sometimes frustrated with the current City Council, Rocha has been a strong presence in trying to bring both sides together. He has sometimes suffered for his efforts. But for those who wish to progress in San Jose, they have no better ally than Rocha.
Finally, the Mayor’s race. Dave Cortese is a natural coalition builder. While progressive he is not antithetical to business interests and promises to bring everyone to the table to solve problems. Sheriff Laurie Smith, four former San Jose Police Chiefs and a majority of law enforcement advocates endorse him.
Despite carping from a local media that tends to present complex issues as a simple choice between labor and business, Cortese understands nuance. He is a policy wonk who has gained credibility on both sides of the political divide.
Sam Liccardo is also a likable personality with some progressive positives on issues such as housing and the environment. But the anchor around his neck continues to be the court dismissed pension reform known as measure B.
As lawyers, Liccardo and Mayor Chuck Reed knew their imposed solution would not pass constitutional muster. They went ahead and passed it for political reasons. Now the consequences of that political decision are directly responsible for the current lack of morale, political divide and increase in crime that will make the new Mayor’s job so difficult.
Still powerful forces have lined up behind him, including the Mercury News, Silicon Valley CEO’s and the deal to have many of his primary rivals endorse him was cut before his colleagues entered the race. As all of his rivals, with the exception of Cortese, were a part of the Measure B debacle.
While the Mayor’s race is the biggest office, it will be the coalition of six councilmembers who will determine the future of San Jose. Fired up and ready to go.
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