San Jose City Hall lies between S. 4th and S. 6th streets on Santa Clara St. in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)
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S.J. must continue
tradition of democracy
Re. “Let voters choose replacements for San Jose council,” Page A6, Dec. 1:
Two vacancies were created on the San Jose City Council, leaving the residents of Districts 8 and 10 in limbo. In January, Sylvia Arenas vacates her council seat for county supervisor and Matt Mahan vacates his council seat for San Jose mayor.
The residents of those two districts deserve the opportunity to vote for their next representative. However, San Jose council members are being pressured to fill the seats through special appointments and not through the democratic process of special elections.
Historically, San Jose has held special elections to fill vacant seats. Nora Campos was elected as District 5 Councilmember in 2001, Madison Nguyen for District 7 in 2005, and Manh Nguyen for District 4 in 2015, among others. We must continue this long-standing tradition of democracy and allow the people, not the politicians, to decide. For those that argue about the costs involved, there is no price tag for democracy.
Lisa Faria
Board President, Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS®
San Jose
Cost is not the issue
for special election
As reported in the story “San Jose mayor-elect seeks special election to fill vacant council seats,” (Page A1, Nov. 29) the last special election to be held in the city was in 2015 and cost roughly $1.2 million. Now it is projected to be a potential taxpayer cost of up to $11 million.
In eight years, the projected cost of a special election has increased by nearly ten-fold. Where is the benefit in this cost increase that inflation can’t begin to explain? The argument against a special election, because of the cost, is misguided. What needs to be addressed is the absurd cost, not the merits of a special election. The costs of these elections can be influenced in ways that the votes can’t. And shouldn’t be.
Jim Mielke
San Jose
Appointments to council
an affront to democracy
The San Jose City Council will soon be down two members and is actually discussing appointing two replacements without a vote. I’m appalled. This is not democracy in action.
The City Council, across all districts, votes on issues that impact residents’ everyday lives. If this happens it is not only an affront to democracy but will create a precedent for future similar actions. The current reasoning is time and money. What if that reasoning was used for any other seat that needs to be filled?
Help us get the word out. This is not okay and should not be tolerated by San Jose residents or anyone who is participating in a representative democracy.
Natalie Lopez
San Jose
City would set precedent
without council election
It is essential that voters have the opportunity to elect their representatives. It’s a right we need to protect now and for the future.
Special elections have been used for decades to fill vacant positions. Special elections resulted in more diversity on the council (Pat Dando, Madison Nguyen, Nora Campos, Kansen Chu and Manh Nguyen). Cindy Chavez was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in a special election.
If the current council appoints instead of holding an election, it will create a dangerous new precedent that would be used to deny future generations – including my infant daughter – the right to vote. Any decision taken by the council tainted by disregard for the current precedent of special elections would lack legitimacy and undermine current and future rights.
I demand the right to vote not only for me. but for my daughter.
Alexandra Froehlich Hankinson
San Jose
Special election worth
every dollar spent
State Sen. Dave Cortese once wrote, “BEWARE. Any movement in the direction of a quick appointment should be met with a huge public outcry. That may well be the only thing that will stop it.”
A faction on San Jose’s City Council would like to usurp the voting rights of residents of Districts 8 and 10 by appointing people to their vacated council seats. They argue that the low turnout and high costs of special elections justify appointments. We believe the thousands of voters of each district who will vote in a special election know better who should represent them than the 11 members of the City Council. As to the cost … that is the cost of protecting our voting rights, and worth every dollar.
Article II of the California Constitution begins “all political power is inherent in the people.” A special election leaves that power where it belongs. Let us vote.
Pat Waite
San Jose