By Debbie Tryforos
Santa Clara finally has a new City Attorney. It took us a long time to find one. That’s really no surprise.
Since the 49er Five fired former City Attorney Brian Doyle without cause, any serious professional who wanted the job had to be nervous. After all, the 49er Five still make up a “City Council Voting Bloc,” as the Grand Jury calls them. They could easily fire the next City Attorney without cause again.
So what did it take to finally hire a City Attorney? It looks like a lot of Santa Clara taxpayers’ money.
According to news reports, our new City Attorney Glen Googins will be getting $114,000 more than at his last job as Chula Vista’s City Attorney. That’s a dramatically large raise. He’ll be making $345,000 in annual salary in Santa Clara.
But that’s not all. He will also get benefits. But the City Council vote to hire him on January 10 did not state the cost of his benefits package. This is irresponsible and not transparent. Santa Clarans have a right to know the full cost of hiring our new City Attorney.
Also, on January 10, we saw some real hypocrisy. The 49er Five benefited from the 49ers‘ multimillion-dollar independent expenditure campaigns that essentially got them each elected in 2020 and 2022. The team produced slick TV ads and political mailers that criticized the high salaries of City employees.
So when the 49er Five had a chance to reign in at least one City employee’s salary, did they? Absolutely not. In fact, Councilman Anthony Becker said during the meeting that he had no choice but to continue to vote for high salaries because that’s the precedent that was set in the past. That type of thinking and statement is illogical and silly.
If Becker and his colleagues want to be fiscally responsible, they can do it. They chose not to with the City Attorney’s salary. Santa Clara taxpayers and voters will remember that.
Editor’s Note: The 49er Five are Councilmembers Anthony Becker, Raj Chahal, Suds Jain, Karen Hardy and Kevin Park.
Jed York spent $3 million in November 2020 to elect Becker, Jain and Park. They were previously 0-6 in Santa Clara elections. Chahal and Hardy have received gifts from the team without reporting them and received $1 million each for their elections in November 2022.
The 49er Five meet with the team on an almost weekly basis and have voted to help the team win millions of dollars in concessions from the City since December 2020.
Debbie,
There have been hypocritical actions and statements by the council majority but not in this. If Googins is as good or better than Doyle than he is worth what Doyle would have made were he still city attorney.
I do not remember any of them criticizing Doyle’s compensation. I remember the criticism about compensation being about Santana and lead assistants.
The real Hypocrisy here is:
1. Doyle was paid $345,596 in salary and $405,539 in total compensation according to Transparent California… so it’s okay for Doyle to have this Salary, but not any new City Attorney? Why is that?
2. Tyforos states: “Councilman Anthony Becker said during the meeting that he had no choice but to continue to vote for high salaries because that’s the precedent that was set in the past” but in the same breath says: “City Council vote to hire him on January 10 did not state the cost of his benefits package. This is irresponsible and not transparent.” So which is it? He gave you a reason, but you didn’t like the answer
3. If the 49ers are SO SCARY, then why didn’t Doyle resign? Why don’t you give us the total number of applicants? Is it possible it’s Gillmor no one wishes to work with?
4. Tyforos states: “The 49er Five benefited from the 49ers‘ multimillion-dollar independent expenditure campaigns that essentially got them each elected in 2020 and 2022.” Each? I don’t see Becker in the Mayor seat. You may want to look that up again.
5. Tyforos states: “Santa Clarans have a right to know the full cost of hiring our new City Attorney.” Any one can look any city officials salary on Transparent California. Not sure why she thinks the Council is “…irresponsible and not transparent.”
Some real answers for the Real Hypocrite:
1. Salary for new and old attorneys are the same. Only difference is that Googins gets $15,000 to move.
2. Becker had a choice to set whatever salary he and council want. This was just another lie from the a very dumb/inexperienced person.
3. The 49ers are scary when they threaten your job or political career – which they routinely do! Doyle was fired because he fought for the city.
4. Yes, multimillion expenditures in 2020 and 2022. Becker was elected in 2020. Please try to pay attention.
5. It’s not the public’s job to go to an independent business (Transparent California) for info about their city. The council needs to do their job and provide basic information about this very important hire. Period.
Spin spin spin. Your head must be ready to twist off with all the spinning.
I do hope BrianDoyle will tell his tale someday ‘cause all you did was
just drank Rahul’s koolaid. That’s all. Just like the 49er 5.
Ted Ted Ted… You almost got me there 😂
1. You just proved Debbie wrong. “Salaries… Are the same.” Thank you very much.
2. Becker as a nobody, according to Gillmor, was ELECTED. Not bought. Don’t insult Santa Clarans.
3. I’d like to see those threats.
4. Expenditure is not the same as Donate. Believe it or not. Also, refer to #2 above.
5. And it’s not the publics job to hire city attorneys. That’s up to council. Period.
Deb T. Speaks much truth.Hypocrisy is alive and well with the voting bloc.
Groggins, how does it feel to be under Jed’s microscope? And the 49er 5? What will you accomplish?
Any person crazy enough to apply for city manager position: it’s not worth the annoyance and uncertainty. Look somewhere else.
Ps
3 active fppc investigations on 49er committees