San Jose Mayor Sam Ricardo hasn’t washed his car since April 3, 2013, the day he kicked his Chevrolet Volt off the dealer’s lot.
As Ricardo says, it’s one of the few things he hasn’t done since being elected mayor in 2014.
Ricardo, who gave his final address for the city Thursday night under the bright stage lights of the California Theater, used a dirty car as a metaphor for San Jose’s preference for “the long run.”
With conditions worsening, the decrepit bolt became “such a shining model of water conservation” and an antidote to a hoaxed disease he described as “temporary myopia.” “Our long-term quality of life” is linked to things like burning fossil fuels and underinvesting in public education, he said.
“Throughout our history, San Jose has thrived on overcoming temporary shortsightedness and focusing on the future,” Ricardo said. “Saving for the future. Investing in the future. That has been the spirit of generations of immigrants and has shaped the character of San Jose. But it’s about making sacrifices.”
In his speech, the mayor highlighted “key aspects” of the city’s future and praised the achievements of his eight-year tenure.
Despite the 11% surge in homelessness the city experienced during the pandemic, Riccardo said San Jose “finally sees some signs of hope” in housing the unprotected homeless population. I believe that
Since the pandemic began, cities have focused on building prefabricated communities, which are often less expensive and faster to build than apartments. Ricardo said his three micro-housing projects built by the city have removed 686 residents from the streets. Nearly 80% of them are still incarcerated today.
The city is building hundreds more quick-build units with a target of 1,000 developments by the end of the year.
Ricardo also declared victory over the city’s financial situation. When he took office in 2015, the city was “licking its wounds” from the Great Recession and fighting with unions over public pension costs.
The city of San Jose is still working to restore city services, many of which have been affected by pandemic-related budget cuts, but the mayor spoke of recent “promising results.” This includes the opening of libraries on Sunday for the first time in 16 low-income neighborhoods that have been resurfaced or resealed. Run 303 miles down the street and start a free junk he pick up program.
Ricardo said it would not be possible unless the city was able to “fix its finances.” For the first time in 20 years, the San Jose Budget Office projects a modest surplus over the next five years.
In the wake of an epidemic of gun violence that rocked San Jose last year, the city closed its doors to gun violence after a Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority employee killed nine co-workers in a light rail yard and turned a gun on himself. made it a priority to reduce
Ricardo said the city of San Jose recently banned the possession of ghost guns, required stores to videotape transactions, and enacted the nation’s first mandate to require gun owners to have liability insurance. claimed leadership.
“We have encouraged other cities and even the California legislature to propose similar bills,” Riccardo said. “Several groups have also urged us to sue. I will keep fighting for you.”
The evening, hosted by renowned Bay Area radio duo Lisa Kreisler and Sam Van Zandt, marked their first public reunion since KBAY-FM’s morning show aired in 2016.
After Ricardo retired this year, Van Zandt brought along a few items to help him in his future work, including hairspray, self-tanners, and hair gel.
Alderman Matt Mahan, who is running for mayor and whom Riccardo endorses, praised him for his achievement.
“Mayor Ricardo’s legacy includes many accomplishments, from protecting Coyote Valley to tackling gun violence, but none more significant than his tireless efforts to financially fix the ship. “This has been a long and difficult process, but we will all benefit in the years to come from Sam’s careful management of the city’s finances.”
Mahan’s opponent, Santa Clara County Superintendent Cindy Chavez, also congratulated Ricardo in a statement for his “years of service to San Jose residents.”
“There is still much work to be done to address the homeless and make San Jose safer, cleaner and livable, but Mayor Ricardo is backing big projects that will continue beyond his term, such as the extension of BART. “We continued the tradition of a mayor who would stop at San Jose’s Berryessa Station and fund the electrification of Caltrain, something that will be appreciated for generations to come,” she said. rice field.
Several community members were also honored on Thursday night, including Reymundo Espinoza, CEO of Gardner Health, who won the 2022 Mayor’s Community Champion award.
As for Ricciardo’s dirty Chevrolet Volt, he told Mercury News he plans to wash the car after he leaves work. As long as it doesn’t rain.
