February 11, 2005

Evergreen’s Councilmember Cortese joins 2006 mayoral race

By Bea Baechle
Editor

District 8 Councilmember Dave Cortese officially announced his candidacy for mayor of San Jose in the 2006 election.

Cortese’s wife Pattie and his son David, Jr. stand with Cortese as he speaks.

Surrounded by about 300 supporters, he shared his vision of a more collaborative approach in government, better two-way communication between City Hall and the people of San Jose and more effectively positioning San Jose as an international city.

“For me, openness is very personal—and a way of doing business,” said Cortese, noting that this has been and will continue to be his style, whether he’s working with his constituents in Evergreen or serving on committees and boards for the city and county. “I have found that some of the best solutions to the challenges we face come directly from the community.”

Cortese stressed that his idea of open government implies that “ethics should be a pre-requisite to public service, not a platform on which to run. In my view, if you do not aspire to the highest level of ethics and open government, then you should not be seeking elective office in the first place.”

Receiving a response from a letter he wrote to his congressman in fourth grade ignited a spark of political activism that Cortese has carried throughout his life, from walking precincts for his father Dominic and ultimately pursuing 12 years of public service as a local elected official himself.

Cortese views his candidacy for mayor as a calling and a deeper commitment to that public service. “I believe that one person who cares right here in City Hall can make a difference,” said Cortese. “I believe that one man who cares about San Jose here in the mayor’s office is more important than 10 in Sacramento, or five in Washington DC.”

Leveraging international flare
Cortese recognizes that a mayor must carry the vision for the community, but in his view, “it’s a collective vision, based on input from people I’ve engaged with in the process. It’s a vision I believe will bring about positive change—a vision that together we can build a city of light by lighting one torch at a time,” he said.

He feels that San Jose’s historical roots as “The Garden City” or “The Valley of Hearts Delight” was never lost, just underutilized. “Let’s revitalize that. Let’s restore that image, but on an international level. Let’s remind the world that we have really become The International Valley of Hearts Delight.”

Teens from the Vietnamese-American Center performed the Lion Dance on the eve of the Lunar New Year—the Year of the Rooster—to help kick off Councilmember Dave Cortese’s candidacy for mayor on Feb. 8.

As the preeminent multicultural melting pot in the world, Cortese feels that San Jose has not leveraged upon that enough. “We are an international city now in just about every way —except the way we capture it and market it,” said Cortese.

To further recognize the city’s cultural diversity, Cortese suggested formally adopting “a new protocol to assist visitors from all over the world to be recognized, communicated with and properly directed toward our vast social and economic resources.”

He suggested signage and monuments in San Jose that emphasize this new international identity, such as the new Vietnamese cultural monument being planned by District 8. Other examples include building a privately funded, international unity arch downtown, as well as an international shopping district that could become a must-see destination for everyone arriving at the airport just minutes away.

Developing a Smithsonian Institute-West was another idea he presented. The museum could combine San Jose’s history as a city with that of the western United States and the Pacific Rim.

“There is no reason this city shouldn’t be the hub for the Pacific Rim in the arts, history, travel, and entertainment,” said Cortese. “We need to get our passion back for bustle—then the bustle will come back to our city. We need to model ourselves after the best risk-taking cities in the world. Then we can truly become a major-league city.”

Saving middle class roots
Cortese noted that perhaps Silicon Valley’s most profound failing is that despite the area’s affluence, as a local community, it also have the fastest growing gap between haves and have nots anywhere in the world.

“We have not found a way to prioritize this problem, let alone address it, causing us to witness some very negative history in the making,” said Cortese, noting the loss of more than 200,000 jobs in this valley while the cost of living and doing business here has continued to skyrocket.

“Some of us have been around long enough to have watched the destruction of our agricultural roots,” he continued.

“Now we are witnessing the destruction of our middle class American roots. In the vision for a new San Jose, we will take on the responsibility of addressing this phenomenon on the basic principle that if our city can be the model for the problem—then we, as a great city, can certainly be the champion of the solution.”

Collaborative approach
Although Cortese supports bringing BART to the South Bay, he said, “We in San Jose can’t beat our neighbors into submission. And they cannot beat back the mandate of our electorate. We need a new collaborative approach to working together—one that satisfies the interests of all 15 cities in this county.”

He noted the irony of watching the former warring countries of Europe now transformed into a model of economic cooperation, while the governments of our region—one of the most powerful economies in the world—have at times become more competitive and adversarial than ever.

“As president of the Santa Clara County Cities Association, vice president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and a member of the VTA, I see the challenge clearly and I know how to fix it,” said Cortese of the regional bickering.

Cortese said it should start with a renewed fight for fiscal reform accord. “Whether you are a developer or home-buyer, whether you are a labor union member or a business leader, whether you are a teacher or a city employee, whether you an immigrant, or a third-generation citizen—it is in everyone’s best interest to stop the flow of local tax dollars to state government and concentrate those revenues here at home.”

He noted that San Jose can win the fight that began with the passing of Prop 1A in November, but that the city must start planning the next initiative now.

When BART does get underway, Cortese cautioned of the devastating effect a project of this magnitude can have on downtown if local businesses aren’t protected. He said that he began the fight early on as a council member for new construction impact laws to protect property owners and merchants.

“Those laws have been adopted, but that is not enough,” Cortese said. “The next mayor of San Jose will have to enforce those laws, or they won’t be worth anything. In my vision, real business assistance will be doled out based on demonstrated need—and downtown interests will be made 100 percent whole—without a fight.”

Speaking to about 300 supporters, Councilmember Dave Cortese shared his vision of a more collaborative approach in government, better two-way communication between City Hall and the people of San Jose and more effectively positioning San Jose as an international city.

On the subject of downtown, he said it was time to truly advance the goal of building high-rise housing there, instead of just paying it lip service, because “our suburbs are at their limits of growth.”

A city of light
Cortese concluded his remarks with this vision. “In my city of light, good ideas will be encouraged, not stifled. Small businesses will be welcomed, not driven away. All stakeholders will be at the table, helping us shape policy instead of being forced to lobby for it. Working people will be valued, not squeezed. Our values will bring us together, not divide us.

“The city will become a national model of inclusiveness by reaching out door-to-door to its residents on all important issues—and that will be done without adding a single new employee,” he continued.

“I believe that one person who cares can lead us toward a NEW Valley of Hearts Delight, and a NEW San Jose, a city of light whose government keeps pace with the highest and noblest aspirations of its people,” said Cortese. “I am still carrying that same torch I carried when I was 10 years old. Please join me with your own lit torch, and together we will light up City Hall, and all of San Jose.”

About Dave Cortese
Dave Cortese is a city council member who grew up in Evergreen as part of a family that has been active in civic, cultural and business affairs for generations. He places high priority on transportation issues, housing, education, neighborhood business and traffic improvements, and has been a leader in promoting tougher ethical standards at city hall.

Cortese was first elected to the San Jose City Council in the fall of 2000, and was the only councilmember re-elected without opposition to a second four-year term in 2004.

Dominic and Suzanne Cortese, Coun-cilmember Dave Cor-tese’s parents, join Dave’s daughters Gina and Angela in support of his candidacy for mayor.

Soon after his swearing-in, Cortese began establishing himself as a leader on the council by mediating a compromise on one of the thorniest issues ever to face the city of San Jose, a dispute between landlords and tenants rights advocates. In the end, tenants received an innovative program and landlords walked away with an ordinance they could live with.

Cortese has risen to leadership positions in every organization in which he has served. As a council member and a VTA board member he has chaired and co-chaired key transportation committees and has been a strong, vocal advocate for bringing BART to the South Bay—and for freeway interchange improvements along Highway 101 at Tully, Capitol, Yerba Buena and Hellyer.

He was unanimously selected by 15 mayors from the entire county to serve as the president of the Santa Clara County Cities Association (SCCCA). In addition he is the current vice-president of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), a 101 member city/county regional planning body for the entire Bay Area.

As a strong proponent of economic development and job creation, he successfully spearheaded the creation of a Joint Economic Policy Collaborative. This group is a new regional body consisting of representatives of the 15 cities in the county, 15 business leaders in the county, and the CEOs of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group and the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to the city council, Dave served on the East Side Union High School Board of Trustees, where he was elected to two terms from 1992-2000. He served as president of the board on two occasions.

Cortese was educated at Bellarmine College Prep, Santa Clara University, the University of California, Davis and Lincoln University Law School. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a juris doctorate in law with certifications in environmental law and mediation.

He lives with his wife Pattie and four children, David, Gina, Angela and Matthew in Evergreen.

For a complete list of Cortese’s professional affiliations and civic/community activities, visit his Web site at: www.sanjoseca.gov/district8.