MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
SAN JOSE,
CALIFORNIA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2003
The Council of the City of San Jose convened at 5:30
P.M. at the Center for Performing Arts in San Jose, California to hear the
Mayor’s 2003 State of the City Address.
PRESENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Campos, Chavez, Chirco, Cortese, Dando, Gregory, LeZotte,
Reed, Williams, Yeager; Gonzales
ABSENT: COUNCIL
MEMBERS: None.
WELCOME
Damian Trujillo, NBC 11, Program Host, welcomed the
assembly and called the Meeting to order.
COLOR GUARD PRESENTATION AND NATIONAL ANTHEM
The audience stood to welcome the San Jose Police
Department Honor Guard and San Jose Fire Department Honor Guard and Megan
Woodruff, San Jose Children’s Musical Theater, who sang the National Anthem.
INVOCATION
Bishop Bawai Soro, Western California & General
Secretary, Assyrian Church of the East gave the Invocation.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL SWEARING IN CEREMONY
The Honorable Judge Paul R. Bernal administered the
Oath of Office to Mayor Ron Gonzales.
City Clerk Patricia L. O’Hearn administered the Oath
of Office to Council Members Linda LeZotte, District 1, Forrest Williams,
District 2, Cindy Chavez, District 3, Chuck Reed, District 4, Nora Campos,
District 5, Ken Yeager, District 6, Terry Gregory, District 7, David Cortese,
District 8, Judy Chirco, District 9 and
Pat Dando, District 10.
GOOD NEIGHBOR RECOGNITION AWARDS AND PRIDE OF SAN
JOSE AWARDS
Jennifer Sandretto-Hull, Executive Director, San Jose
Children’s Musical Theater, announced the Good Neighbor Recognition Awards and
the Pride of San Jose Awards. Each honoree was asked to stand to be recognized
following a recitation and video presentation of the honoree’s contributions to
the community.
GOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD RECOGNITION AWARDS
Mayor
Ron Gonzales
Smart
Start San Jose Partners
Council
District 1
Pastor
Bill Rushing and Dale Rushing
Central
Church of the Nazarene
Council
District 2
Silver
Leaf Neighborhood Association
Council
District 3
City
Year San Jose/Silicon Valley
Council
District 4
Liem
Nguyen
Council
District 5
Aaron
Resendez
Council
District 6
Shasta/Hanchett
Park Neighborhood Association
Council
District 7
Isabel
Nannini
Council
District 8
Meadowfair
Action Team
Council
District 9
Almaden
Oaks Action Committee
Council
District 10
The
Youth of “The Spot” Youth Center Advisory Board Committee
PRIDE OF SAN JOSE AWARDS
Michael
(Mick) Brown, Park Maintenance, General Services
Ofelia
Hsieh, Supervising Accountant, Finance
Vivian-Frelix-Hart,
Housing Policy and Planning Administrator, Housing
Morris
Ridgeway, Maintenance Supervisor, Airport
Strong
Neighborhoods Initiative Legal Team:
Angelique
Gaeta, Brande Gex, Caren Hare, Tom Jensen,
Glenda
Lucas, Carol Overton, Shannon Smyth-Mendoza,
Barbara
Wrighte
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SPONSORS
Program Host Damian Trujilollo, noted the generosity
of sponsors Pacific Gas and Electric Company, SBC, Jerry and Janet Strangis,
Rob Bettencourt, Morley Bros, LLC, Ampco System Parking, City Year, Personal
Telephone Answering Service, San Jose Conservation Corps, Yellow Checker Cab.
INTRODUCTION OF MAYOR RON GONZALES
Bart Fisher, Chair, Strong Neighborhoods Initiative
Project Area Committee, introduced Mayor Ron Gonzales who presented the 2003
State of the City Address.
STATE OF
THE CITY ADDRESS
Documents Filed: 1) 2003 State of the City Address Program; 2)
City of San Jose, 2003 Annual Report, “A City of Solutions”; and (3) Complete Text of “2003 State of the
City Address.”
Mayor Gonzales thanked those in attendance,
acknowledged Council Members, and extended his congratulations and warm wishes
to incoming Council Members Terry Gregory and Judy Chirco, to as now-introduced
Vice Mayor Pat Dando, returning Members just elected, Linda LeZotte, Cindy
Chavez and Nora Campos and to those continuing their terms, Forrest Williams,
Chuck Reed, Ken Yeager and David Cortese.
Mayor Gonzales presented his fifth State of the City
Address and emphasized it is the toughest he has had to prepare for. He stated San Jose is a strong, confident
City even in the face of a nation on the edge of war, a national recession, and
huge deficits. With the use of videoclips
he presented a short review of the City’s past, and referenced the hopes of the
people arriving from all parts of the world, the Gold Rush, the Almaden
quicksilver mines, growing the nation’s fruit in the “Valley of Heart’s
Delight”, the advancement of amazing technologies, the orchards, the canneries,
the aerospace and defense industries, and waves of new technologies. Mayor Gonzales stated he is proud of the
vision shared by San Joseans, but the uncertainties of today are serious and as
the Mayor and Council consider difficult choices, they will work with city
employees as partners for fair and equitable solutions, and to keep police and
fire fighters, and to continue to use Redevelopment to build affordable homes.
Mayor Gonzales stated he had joined the Mayor’s of
California’s big cities in Sacramento last week to tell the Governor and
legislative leaders that harming cities harms the state and that an economic
recovery in San Jose and Silicon Valley means recovery for California and jobs
in Silicon Valley. He stated he will
focus on three areas to help create and sustain those jobs. He stated thanks to the voters, San Jose has
$600 million in park, library, and public safety construction projects in the
pipeline and the City will expedite construction strategically, to create jobs,
reduce costs and renovate parks and libraries.
Secondly, he asked voters to approve Measure A on the March 4, 2003
ballot, the Airport Security and Traffic Relief Act, in order to finish traffic
relief projects and move ahead quickly to complete the buildout of the airport,
creating some 1,700 new jobs and upgrading the global center from which some
$30 billion in products are shipped annually.
Third, Mayor Gonzales stated the city must continue to be a city that
helps businesses achieve success and create new opportunities and jobs for
residents. Mayor Gonzales said with an
economic recovery will come increased traffic congestion and that there are two
vital transportation priorities, BART to San Jose and the Coleman/880 freeway
interchange near the airport.
He stated as he looks to the future, the residents
can help in so many ways, give of their time, join a neighborhood association,
sign up to scrub out graffiti or pick up litter in a park, work with an arts or
cultural group, read to a child, or keep a senior company - become a volunteer. He stated memories of difficult times and
good times, too, motivate San Jose to fight for the vision of the great city at
it will continue to be, and that he will continue to fight for affordable
house, for strong neighborhoods, and for good jobs in a diverse and resilient
economy.
Mayor Gonzales concluded by stating San Jose is a
City of hope and of dreams, a city of solutions which transforms challenge into
opportunity, loss into victory and dreams into reality, and a unique and
special place to call home, with pride.
CLOSING
Mayor Gonzales thanked the audience and extended an
invitation to everyone to attend a dessert Reception featuring the San Jose
Jazz Society Youth Combo in the Ridder Lounge and on the concourse level.
ADJOURNMENT
The 2003 State of the City Meeting adjourned at 6:45
P.M. to a reception on the concourse level.
RON GONZALES
MAYOR
Attest:
Patricia
L. O’Hearn
City
Clerk