Through the walls of City Hall...  

Photo by Ken McCown (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenmccown

The old saying "those who live in glass houses..." can be said to apply to most "city halls".  Here at home, being given the opportunity to "see through the walls" either through Sunshine reform or a positive working relationship with your councilperson may bring about  a consensus where all stakeholders benefit.

The Capital of Silicon Valley California First City

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Connecting the dots creates...

A St. James Historic Vision Project

By Frank Penrose

Perspectives from around the town.  Check out...

SAN JOSE INSIDE

Be an advocate...

& give back to  community

Anyone can be an advocate. You don't have to be an expert in governmental affairs. To have a strong voice in local,state, federal government you have to be active all year round. Election time is not the only time you should be involved in the political process. People who have the most success at any level of government are also those who are the most visible. If you want to be heard & influence decisions about your neighborhood, city or  have legislators contact you for advice- you need to be proactive. 

By volunteering, building relationships, and joining community groups and organizations, this becomes a great way to affect and make change in your community!

  What is Activism?

Depending on what the "issues at hand might be", being an activist is another way of advocating a viewpoint. Here is a site that can help you in your "activism"!

http://www.activistrights.org.au/

The importance of the SJDA

The Other Park and it's Cinema is also about tomorrow

In downtown San jose anything can happen. In spite of these legitimate  inconveniences & nuisances, working closer with law enforcement and the community CAN & WILL improve with each year,   BUT IT IS  UP TO US - the neighborhood and downtown community, to pitch in and pro-actively lend a hand if we are going to make these or any other FREE events, especially events that are created for the "overall  good of downtown" while significantly financed soley by the San Jose Downtown Residents Association continue to give downtown more reason for being.  We feel these events have become annual traditions and are key venues that add life and vibrancy to our downtown as well as "programming" (events) which is critical to the overall redevelopment and future success of historic St. James Park.  We can understand taking a year off for the Park's well over due first  phase makeover, but to consider taking away events "for good"  right after Phase 1 construction -  would be  like giving up on maintenance after spending your hard earned money to finally landscape your front yard!  2010 may be aways off, but the possibility of shelving traditional entertainment after making what (little) strides we do make in the interim in developing a vibrant metropolitan environment will only delay yet again, downtown San Jose's quest to simply be a worthy  destination place for people to come visit. The San Jose Downtown Association is  one of the few independent organizations that truly believes in "what we can be" - for that is why they do exist, but like any other non profit whose intent is for the good of it's cause- it still takes people from the immediate community to really make a difference for this is about...our home.