SJ City Council censures mayor

AP ^ | 12/13/5 | Carolyn Jones

[SmithL]

After four hours of impassioned debate, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to impose its most severe punishment on Mayor Ron Gonzales for misleading the council over a contract with Norcal Waste Systems.

The council voted 10-0 to censure Gonzales, who repeatedly apologized and said he would spend the final year of his term "earning back the city's trust."

The city also voted 9-2 to drop an independent investigation into the affair. The three-month, $100,000 independent probe essentially backed up a Santa Clara County grand jury report from June that said Gonzales cut a deal with Norcal that increased the city's garbage collectors' pay by $11.25 million.

Gonzales sat impassively during the proceedings and excused himself from the censure vote.

"I express my sincere apologies to the city council and the people of San Jose," he said before the debate began. "I'm sorry I disappointed you."

Gonzales is in the final year of his second four-year term as mayor. He earns $105,000 a year.

Gonzales said he brokered the deal -- without the city council's knowledge -- because he "always tried to carry myself as a get-it-done mayor. I tried to solve this problem on my own.... I'm sorry. I failed your expectations and my own."

[SmithL]

They don't mention his political party

Here's a hint:

RAT

[Gordongekko909]

No kidding. If this guy were GOP, his party affiliation would be all over the story, along with quotes from various moonbats about the "culture of corruption" in the Republican party, with name-dropping from DeLay to Bush and all points in between.

[martin_fierro]

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[glasseye]

They don't mention his political party

Come to think of it, the whole government around here are RATS.

Our mayor just happens to be a rat and a con man.

We have the local government we deserve, IMHO.

[SteveH]

The simple fact is that the in-power liberal politicos all across the state do not hold themselves accountable for any messes they create. It is a one-way street, and the public gets s****ed.

In the Bay Area, BTW, all Democrat nominations are vetted by the local unions-- teacher, public trans., etc.-- and liberal activist groups, such as the Sierra Club and the "rainbow coalition" folks. The local officeholders flow from one elected position to another-- a form of political incest which seems to have flourished under term limits. Agenda, agenda, agenda. And at least one former mayor went to work for the local media. That is, there is effectively a lock on the political affiliation of the folks who cover the local elections. This knowledge can be of use in interpreting the media coverage that the local politics receives. In general, the news can be counted on to be worse in actuality than what makes it to print.

[Sunnyvale CA Eng.]

...The city also voted 9-2 to drop an independent investigation into the affair...

So ol' Ron actually got off easily. He can't run again because of term limits and cut himself a little retirement package with the garbage haulers on his way out.

...The district attorney is considering whether to pursue a criminal investigation....

Translation: where's my cut Ron?

[SteveH]

BTW folks can respond to John McEnery's blog
about the Mayor Gonzales situation here:

http://sanjoseinside.com/sji/blog/entries/the_sanjoseinsidecom_poll/

(BTW, John seems to be the nephew of former SJ Mayor Tom McEnery... Did I mention "incest" in describing the relationship between the local politicians and the local media?)

[river rat]

"......said he would spend the final year of his term "earning back the city's trust."

WoW! I'm not impressed...

The corrupt bastard should have been asked to resign, at the very least -- or referred to a prosecutor.

Semper Fi