The Wall Street Journal has a very informative interview with Chuck Reed, the mayor of San Jose, in the weekend edition. I learned a lot about the man and like him even more than I did before reading it.
The piece goes into some detail about his efforts to reign in pension and benefit costs in SJ. In June of 2012, he "quarterbacked a city ballot initiative to limit pensions for new hires and scale back future benefits for existing workers....It got a big boost from the Bay Area Council, whose executive committee includes the chief executives of Virgin America, the SF Giants and 49ers, Safeway, Webcor and the SF Federal Reserve."
It goes on to discuss how most big businesses tend to stay out of such discussions, but the situation is dire and is starting to suck infrastructure dollars (a recurring theme here at the Voice especially regarding high-cost rail). Then comes the quotable quote:
"Driving a Tesla over pot-holed roads is no fun."
Good one. If you have a Journal subscription the whole piece is well worth a reed.
I don't want to leave the impression the quote is Reed's. It's part of the write up of the interview by Journal reporter Allysia Finley who we have quoted before.
I do like one direct quote that is also in the piece. He said when he got elected he had "about 200 items on my to-do list....and pension costs never crossed my mind."
Posted by: Joe | December 01, 2013 at 06:55 PM
Posted by: Joe | January 26, 2014 at 10:45 PM
The City of San Jose is an incredible organization!
They invited me to meet with them to discuss innovative concepts to generate new revenue...
They loved my ideas so much, they decided to pursue them...on their own without paying me.
Their biggest challenge is that you can only do so much wealth redistribution before individuals and corporations that created the wealth decide to move.
Posted by: perpetual wealth redistribution machine | January 27, 2014 at 02:52 PM
Perpetual Spam Machine, I gotta tell ya, you have got to 'up' the content value of these posts. Bruce Dickinson knows what captivates crowds and what doesn't, and from my perspective, posts like these are about as effective as a bag of hammers. How about being in the solutions business for a change? Provide a prescription for how to improve things. If it's broken tell, us how you're gonna fix it..and make it compelling. My friends, I have seen some dynamite posts on this site with real insight and deliverables and I try to contribute productively when I feel I can. And I must admit, I seem to have developed what appears to be a cult following. But please, anyone, if you think my posts are out of line or content lite, do me a favor: tell me to stop! Last thing I would want is Bruce Dickinson being a part of the problems of this great city rather than a part of the solutions!
Since we are into quoting, and I would be remiss if I didn't add something of value, let me quote another Chuck, my good friend from N.W.A, Chuck D: "There are too many leaders anointed because they have a public voice - television, radio, or record, or whatever. That even includes myself. In the past, I'd say, 'Don't anoint me when you can anoint yourself.'"
Sage and thoughtful words to chew on from a legend in the biz!
Posted by: Bruce Dickinson | January 27, 2014 at 05:50 PM
Bruce, that's a good liberal, silence the dissenters.
Your made up identity is really not that funny or informative.
Posted by: perpetual wealth redistribution machine | January 28, 2014 at 09:03 AM
Wow, not spam.
PS: Chuck D is from Public Enemy not NWA.
Posted by: fred | January 28, 2014 at 01:35 PM