By Robert Haugh
Last week, it was revealed how Santa Clara Councilman Kevin Park’s political consultant Jay Reed asked the 49ers “to help fund efforts to help” Park.
We got a lot of feedback from that story about Park. Many readers pointed out that Park seems to have issues with rules and regulations and even following laws.
“I have been saddened as my support for Kevin declined from being the first donor to his first council campaign to disappointment as he moved from being a civic-minded individual to a victim-oriented opportunist. And from someone with personal pride to one that sells out to a football team,” said Howard Myers, co-founder of Santa Clara for Smart Growth – Mariani Neighborhood Resident Group.
“Kevin Park has a list of issues he has not addressed and continues to not show his face on camera,” said community leader Debbie Algieri. “When are the citizens going to stand up and demand the removal of this council person from office?”
There’s a long list of violations or controversial things Park has done (or not done) since he was sworn in December 2020.
Park is being investigated by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to file financial disclosure forms.
Park was forced to apologize for calling Santa Clarans “toddlers” because they disagreed with him on development.
During that council meeting, it was revealed that Park had been abusive to city staff. City Manager Deanna Santana said: “The City can confirm that complaints have been received and that they have been handled by the City appropriately.”
The Santa Clara Police Department asked a resident to destroy info about multiple domestic disturbance calls at Park’s home.
“I find Kevin Park to be very calculated in what he says and does,” said Northside leader Camela Algieri. “This partnered with the allegations of abusive behaviors towards city staff and the police department asking residents to destroy information about domestic abuse calls involving him just doesn’t sound right.”
Park has a complaint filed against Park for failing to report a meeting with the 49ers. It was just hours before a City Council meeting when they had important items on the agenda. That’s a violation of a city ordinance.
It’s been 267 days since Park met with the 49ers and he still hasn’t amended his calendar.
It’s only been 310 days since Park was sworn in and he has a long list of violations and controversies to his name already.
“When I think of our City’s new slogan: ‘The Center of What’s Possible’; it was never meant to be a punchline to a joke,” said Stand Up for Santa Clara co-founder Burt Field. “Kevin Park defeated Teresa O’Neill. Now the residents of District 4 are stuck with him. It’s not even a good joke? Santa Clara deserves better, and this needs to be fixed.
[…] actually 58. But the two Chronicle reporters can’t be blamed for Park’s irresponsibility. It’s now 295 days since Park has failed to report his January, 2021 49er […]
Da fat lady is a startin’ to sing snd it ain’t pretty for Kevin.
Park has never had promise or hope when he first started to run for council 10+ years ago. This guy was mean to city staff at meetings, mean to residents who opposed him, and always approached any issues with an angry, winner-take-all spirit.
What’s sad is how many residents could not see this because he came to them with a trendy populist rhetoric of NIMBY protectionism, city staff is incompetent, council is corrupt, we need to take back the power, etc. These same residents will back the next populists candidate – just wait. This is truly the most disappointing aspect.
This says a lot. “It’s only been 310 days since Park was sworn in and he has a long list of violations and controversies to his name already.” And it is a shame, he had so much promise when he first ran.