As the world now knows, the SF 49ers are the NFC Champions and second-best team in football. Congratulations on a terrific year and bringing us one of the greatest Super Bowls in football history.
Brock Purdy did his job, was on his game and came close to dethroning Patrick Mahomes as the best quarterback in the NFL.
Withstanding the disappointment, we now return to issues on the Santa Clara burner. The upcoming election on March 5th will be a super bowl election for the City.
Will you vote to kneel to the money and award the Chief of Police job to any candidate who is endorsed by the Police Officers Association? They are spending a lot of cash to convince you an elected chief is in your best interest.
Really?
If maintaining a union stranglehold on the police department is so critical to the public welfare, why do they need to spend a wheelbarrow of dollars to maintain an elected chief? Wouldn’t the merits of electing the police chief be self-evident and well-known?
Mayor Lisa Gillmor’s defiant position is simple. Her favorite union, the POA, should be allowed to run the City beyond the reach of accountability, with voters being allowed to participate in a banana republic election every four years.
As Shakespeare once penned, “Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much.”
Currently, Gillmor is in command of the Santa Clara POA and its Chief. She scratches their backside, and they return the favor by funding her campaigns for office.
Take a minute and follow this. During one period in Santa Clara’s recent history, Gillmor led the charge for three salary increases for the police over an 18-month period. These increases totaled 17%. Which, in turn, has made SCPD the second highest-paid police department in the state.
Sound familiar? This happened when Mayor Gillmor had control of the City Council. It was also during this time she hired Deanna Santana as City Manager, who eventually had a nearly $800,000 compensation package before she was terminated.
Isn’t it interesting that Mayor Gillmor can be so generous with your tax dollars?
Voters have had enough and it’s time to return sanity to Santa Clara.
This is why this election is important. It is not about salaries, benefits, vacations or promotions. It is about leadership and responsibility.
As we have learned as voters…times change, people change and candidates change. Our city managers and city councils require flexibility and authority to oversee, commend or reprimand any city employee as required.
Vote for an appointed Chief of Police.
Previous Milestones:
Big Game Time!
They Don’t Want You to Pay Attention!