S.J. mayor rushes from stage (during state of city speech - Minor stroke suspected)

Mercury News ^ | 1/28/04 | Aaron C. Davis

[NormsRevenge]

Mayor Ron Gonzales abruptly left the stage in the middle of his State of the City speech Wednesday night.

According to council members, the mayor stumbled as he approached the podium for his speech.

When the lights went down for a taped speech, he reportedly leaned on the lectern, took off his glasses, slumped and then walked off the stage. He was nauseated and perspiring profusely.

[NormsRevenge]

food poisoning or maybe he got sick as he realized the state of the city ain't too healthy?

major budget cuts lie ahead while overruns on a white elephant city center project have surfaced recently.

[Mo1]

Hey .. at least he didn't throw up on anyone

[Byron_the_Aussie]

[CounterCounterCulture]

Latest...

Mayor Ron Gonzales suffered what a hospital official called a ``minor stroke'' while delivering his State of the City speech Wednesday night.

(snip)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/7821618.htm

[Jim Robinson]

Ooops. Heads are gonna roll in the food tasters department.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks. That would mean Dando would be in line to run things should he need a little time off. She is one of the few more "conservative" types around the valley and on the city council, .. could be interesting.

[NormsRevenge]

wanna bet he had sushi and saki for lunch? ;-]

[CounterCounterCulture]

I even contemplated going to this thing.

[NormsRevenge]

Mayor Gonzales suffers `minor stroke'
S.J. LEADER IS HOSPITALIZED AFTER BECOMING ILL WHILE GIVING SPEECH
By Aaron C. Davis and Mike Zapler
Mercury News

Mayor Ron Gonzales suffered what a hospital official called a ``minor stroke'' while delivering his State of the City speech Wednesday night.

Sweating profusely and at one point stumbling on stage, Gonzales, 52, left the stage about halfway through his speech and was unable to return.

Paramedics treated Gonzales with oxygen, monitored his heart and, about 40 minutes after he left the stage, wheeled him out on a stretcher surrounded by two dozen aides, firefighters, police and paramedics. He was taken to San Jose Medical Center for testing, accompanied by his girlfriend, Guisselle Nuñez.

``He was awake, he was alert and he was joking,'' mayoral spokesman David Vossbrink said.

Gonzales was evaluated in the emergency room, where he was given a CAT scan and other tests, and was to be admitted to the hospital at least for the night. Leslie Kelsay, spokeswoman for San Jose Medical Center, said that Gonzales was given medicine for nausea. She called his condition fair to good.

Chief of Staff Rebecca Dishotsky said that the city will run as usual while the mayor is recuperating, under the leadership of City Manager Del Borgstorff.

About 20 minutes into his speech at the Center for Performing Arts before more than 1,000 people including his mother, the lights went down for taped testimonials from U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell, and Assemblyman John Dutra, D-Fremont. At that point, Gonzales reportedly leaned on the lectern, took off his glasses, slumped and then walked off the stage. He was nauseated and perspiring profusely.

Unable to go on

Vice Mayor Pat Dando came on stage minutes later and said, ``The mayor would like to return, but we don't believe he will be able to. We believe he may be suffering from food poisoning.''

Dando said it appeared to be a severe case of food poisoning because the mayor vomited repeatedly.

The incident created a surreal scene at the downtown performing arts center. As aides and paramedics huddled around Gonzales backstage, audience members were encouraged to proceed to a lounge to nosh on refreshments and listen to a student jazz band.

After he left the stage, according to Dishotsky, Gonzales was determined to come back, even as he vomited. But he was simply too sick to continue, Dishotsky said.

Start of speech

Gonzales began his speech on a note of determination. In the face of a second year of record budget deficits, Gonzales proposed doubling the size of the city's convention center and attracting more residential housing to downtown, and promised to stick to his guns this year to protect public safety and affordable housing initiatives.

Gonzales focused on the city's accomplishments since he took office in 1999 and optimistic figures for an economic recovery. Gonzales said he remained upbeat and energetic about San Jose's future, as he laid out his vision for the coming years, including his belief that BART will come to San Jose. Among the more innovative ideas he proposed was to help expand the San Jose Museum of Art by moving it to the former main library next to the convention center.

``The state of the city is bright!'' he declared to an audience of at least 1,000. ``We're rapidly moving forward, building upon our success and transforming San Jose into a better city, each and every day.''

Gonzales vowed to protect police and fire services -- a pledge that could spell big cuts for library, park and other city services, as the city's budget deficit still exceeds $85 million.

Gonzales said a $1.6 billion venture capital investment last quarter in Silicon Valley companies signaled new life to investment in software, bioscience and nanotechnology that will be critical to the city's future. The mayor also praised eBay, BEA Systems, iS³ and Adobe Systems for expanding their businesses in San Jose.

Gonzales said the city's unemployment rate had fallen from ``nearly 10 percent to 6.4 percent,'' based on county and Silicon Valley regional data. Federal statistics put the city's unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, down from a high of 8.9 percent in October 2002.

``Companies are beginning to hire and people are getting back to work,'' said Gonzales.

But, he said, there is much left to do.

In a text released before the speech, Gonzales proposed to:

• Recommit to the city's goal of building 6,000 new affordable homes over the next five years;

• Attract more visitors to the city by adding 150,000 square feet to the convention center by building a temporary structure now, which would allow the city to compete for bigger events;

• Expand the San Jose Museum of Art by moving it to the former main library next to the convention center. In turn, Gonzales said, the museum would be able to host larger exhibits and shows.

• Attract more residents downtown -- about 6,700 -- by building an additional 3,000 homes over the next five years.

``We're finally achieving a goal that had eluded San Jose for over 20 years of downtown revitalization -- getting people to live downtown,'' Gonzales said.

Gonzales vaguely referred to the city's recent acknowledgment that some new furniture costs and technology expenses will raise the cost of the new City Hall by $45 million.

``I look forward to joining the other 2,000 employees -- with their furniture -- who will fill our new City Hall and boost downtown's economic vitality.''

[NormsRevenge]

they were showing taped testimonials from Honda and Dutra..

That explains it. :-\

[CounterCounterCulture]

From link at #4...

Start of speech

Gonzales began his speech on a note of determination. In the face of a second year of record budget deficits, Gonzales proposed doubling the size of the city's convention center and attracting more residential housing to downtown, and promised to stick to his guns this year to protect public safety and affordable housing initiatives.

Gonzales focused on the city's accomplishments since he took office in 1999 and optimistic figures for an economic recovery. Gonzales said he remained upbeat and energetic about San Jose's future, as he laid out his vision for the coming years, including his belief that BART will come to San Jose. Among the more innovative ideas he proposed was to help expand the San Jose Museum of Art by moving it to the former main library next to the convention center.

``The state of the city is bright!'' he declared to an audience of at least 1,000. ``We're rapidly moving forward, building upon our success and transforming San Jose into a better city, each and every day.''

Gonzales vowed to protect police and fire services -- a pledge that could spell big cuts for library, park and other city services, as the city's budget deficit still exceeds $85 million.

Gonzales said a $1.6 billion venture capital investment last quarter in Silicon Valley companies signaled new life to investment in software, bioscience and nanotechnology that will be critical to the city's future. The mayor also praised eBay, BEA Systems, iS³ and Adobe Systems for expanding their businesses in San Jose.

Gonzales said the city's unemployment rate had fallen from ``nearly 10 percent to 6.4 percent,'' based on county and Silicon Valley regional data. Federal statistics put the city's unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, down from a high of 8.9 percent in October 2002.

``Companies are beginning to hire and people are getting back to work,'' said Gonzales.

But, he said, there is much left to do.

In a text released before the speech, Gonzales proposed to:

• Recommit to the city's goal of building 6,000 new affordable homes over the next five years;

• Attract more visitors to the city by adding 150,000 square feet to the convention center by building a temporary structure now, which would allow the city to compete for bigger events;

• Expand the San Jose Museum of Art by moving it to the former main library next to the convention center. In turn, Gonzales said, the museum would be able to host larger exhibits and shows.

• Attract more residents downtown -- about 6,700 -- by building an additional 3,000 homes over the next five years.

``We're finally achieving a goal that had eluded San Jose for over 20 years of downtown revitalization -- getting people to live downtown,'' Gonzales said.

Gonzales vaguely referred to the city's recent acknowledgment that some new furniture costs and technology expenses will raise the cost of the new City Hall by $45 million.

``I look forward to joining the other 2,000 employees -- with their furniture -- who will fill our new City Hall and boost downtown's economic vitality.''

[NormsRevenge]

I even contemplated going to this thing.

My my .. no problem with your stomach ... LOL ;-}

[CounterCounterCulture]

Cindy Chavez usually has that effect on me...Zoe Lofgren too.

[NormsRevenge]

Gonzales vaguely referred to the city's recent acknowledgment that some new furniture costs and technology expenses will raise the cost of the new City Hall by $45 million.

``I look forward to joining the other 2,000 employees -- with their furniture -- who will fill our new City Hall and boost downtown's economic vitality.''

---

Now my tummy is rumbling... :-|

[CounterCounterCulture]

I got to shake his hand once (before a debate for his last mayoral run)...maybe I have that delayed Hillary!^TM effect.

Even though I'm not fond of the man, we should pray for him nonetheless.

[NormsRevenge]

LMAO .. Zoeeeeee ... yeeeck

[capitan_refugio]

This reminds me of the story about the three old, retired nuns who were sitting on a bench in Central Park, NYC. A flasher came up to them and exposed himself.

Well, the first old nun had a stroke, and the second old nun had a stroke, but the third old nun was too slow.

[NormsRevenge]

Yes, pray for all liberals ,, I agree,, and the rest of us. :-]

[CounterCounterCulture]

Pat Dando is a stroke survivor herself according to KNTV-11

[ATCNavyRetiree]

He kept referring to someone named "Ralphhhh" in his speech...