Make sure your representatives know your opinion

In a September 7, 2007 editorial on Mayor Reed’s first months in office, the San Jose Mercury News asserted that “[Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins] says she still controls a majority of council votes.” Several days later, on September 11, the Merc printed a correction notice. “An editorial Sunday mischaracterized labor leader Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins’ claim of influence over the San Jose City Council. Lamkins says she does not claim to control a majority of council votes. She says she is able to get a majority of support for many of labor’s positions by persuading different combinations of council members.”

I was reminded of these two items by a “Rapid Response” appeal that found its way to my in basket. The email was sent by the South Bay Labor Council and illustrates a persuasion technique that even Joe Taxpayer can use.

The labor council’s call to action is a response to the San Jose City Council’s recent 7-4 vote to force a pay cut on the building inspector’s union. The email appeal notes that the “vote is part of a campaign by the City Manager and the Mayor to shrink city government, cut workers’ wages and benefits, implement a two-tier pension plan, and bust unions.”

They ask the recipient to “thank our allies,” councilmembers Nguyen, Kalra, Campos and Chu, who “are champions for working families in this city.” They also ask people to “tell Rose Herrera and Nancy Pyle that their vote was deeply disappointing.” Apparently the votes of Mayor Reed and councilmembers Oliverio, Constant, Chirco and Liccardo weren’t also deeply disappointing, even though they voted with councilmembers Herrera and Pyle.

The labor council is correct, it is important that our elected officials hear from us. You can find the email addresses of the Mayor and City Council here. Please take the time to let them know what you think.

But, consider this when drafting your message. A search of the 2008 public employee salaries at the Mercury News lists 64 employees under the occupation “Building Inspect/Comb.” The lowest paid person received $29,155 in compensation. The next lowest received $85,011. There were 28 employees who received over $100,000 in compensation, with the highest paid earning $110,247. I’m sure that these employees work diligently to earn their pay, but do they really represent the city’s working families in need of champions? Or do the working families need someone to champion smaller government so that they get to keep more of their hard earned dollars to spend as they see fit?

Please let your representatives know what direction the city ought to head.