By Robert Haugh
Tomorrow’s City Council has a lot of items.
Four community members filed petitions to have an item agendized regarding Vice Mayor Kevin Park’s behavior. Wow. This should be interesting.
- Closed session — Conference with Legal Counsel-Existing Litigation Bloom Energy Corporation, et al. v. City of Santa Clara, et al., Santa Clara County Superior Court Case No. 21CV383800 (Deferred from February 21, 2023)
- Closed session — Conference with Real Property Negotiators – Property: 981 Fremont Street, Santa Clara, CA 95050; Negotiating Parties: Jeff Riser, Kappa Alpha Theta; Teresa Smith, Fraternity Housing Corporation
- Closed session — Conference with Legal Counsel-Anticipated Litigation Exposure to litigation Number of potential cases: 1 Facts and Circumstances- Not disclosed on agenda
- Study session — Update on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Extension Project
- Public hearing — Action on Four Written Petitions (Council Policy 030), Submitted by Lee Broughman, Larry McColloch, Debbie Tryforos and Scott Filler each Requesting to Place an Agenda Item on a Future Council Meeting for Council to Discuss the Behavior of Councilmember Park at the February 7, 2023 Council Meeting
- Consent calendar — Actions to Approve Various Modifications to Existing Classified and Unclassified Class Specifications, and Adopt a Resolution Approving and Adopting the Updated Unclassified Salary Plan
- Public Hearing: Substantial Amendment to the FY2021 Annual Action Plan to Allocate $1,604,104 in Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Grant Funds from the HOME American Rescue Plan Program and Approve Related Budget Amendment
- Public hearing — Action on Appointment of Members to the Santa Clara Station Area Plan Task Force (SATF)
- Proclaim Women’s History Month for March 2023
- Proclaim March 2023 as Youth Arts Month
- Presentation by Cultural Commission on Projects and Upcoming Special Events
- Verbal Report Update from Assistant Director of Water and Sewer Regarding the Local Drought Emergency
- Consent calendar— Action on the Santa Clara Stadium Authority Financial Status Report for Quarter Ending December 31, 2022 and Related Budget Amendments.
A certain someone in these comments, consistently defends and/or downplays Park’s misdeeds. Did the same for Ray Wang, Cupertino convicted criminal. Hmmm…
https://sanjosespotlight.com/cupertino-official-faces-calls-to-quit/
Ted is right
How can an elected official in California routinely receive gifts from a foreign government? When the President receives a gift, it is always handed over to the State Department.
Ted is wrong. I am not defending or downplaying Park’s deeds. I have written publicly about how his childish attack on Kirk Vartan is a disgrace to our city and I think it is a disgrace that his allies on the council refuse to admonish or censure him or even have this as a public item of discussion.
Tonight Suds Jain basically argued that because a censuring of Kathy Watanabe for not allowing Kevin Park to speak at a public rally did not lead Kathy Watanabe to return Suds Jain’s hello greetings there is no point to censuring Kevin Park for using the position of chairing a city council meeting to mock a local business owner.
Then Anthony Becker argued that he would not support censuring anyone because censure of Kathy Watanabe also had not lead to her saying hello to them when they pass by each other.
Both are ridiculous nonarguments. And Karen Hardy and Raj Chahal are just cowards who will not speak their thoughts on the topic but made their complicity clear with their silence while all of this went on and with their votes against even discussing censure of Park.
What is also ridiculous is making public allegations against someone without backing it up. And then trying to portray calls for evidence as defending or downplaying the accusation that has not yet been proven.
I was taught to hold my tongue until I was able to prove my statements with evidence or logic. You should do the same.
And if you follow the link to the San Jose Spotlight article on Ray Wang you will see that I did not defend or diminish Ray Wang’s actions. I disagreed with a gross exaggeration of them by Ted who claimed that Ray Wang sent “revenge porn” when he did no such thing. “Revenge porn” is a term with a specific meaning and is leagues worse than what he sent. But what he did was “wrong and unprofessional and disgraceful behavior” as I wrote in that comment.
I have consistently criticized the council majority for their bad behavior and suspect motives. And I have done so with clear explanation and substantiation of all my criticisms and accusations. I do not exaggerate my attacks for political purposes.
You should do the same. When you fail to do so and even attack those who are sympathetic to many of your complaints you do yourself and the entire city of Santa Clara a disservice.
Once again, several fppc matters were filed on Park. Mr. Haugh is correct, foreign trips were included on Park Form 700. The fppc has rules on foreign trips, Park did Z NOT follow aspects of rules, hence the fppc case. Feds are also involved due to Park AND OTHERS were improperly gifted.
Park still receiving perodic funds from korean government.
Confirmed. Park korea trip is still be reviewed along with a dozen others by same federal agency
Just received a notice about affordable housing at 90 N Winchester. Isnt Vartan responsible for this??
Park housing efforts
Nothing!!
Margaret,
I am no fan of Kevin Park and he voted against the affordable housing development near city hall. But I have noted elsewhere that he took a stand to make clear to angry constituents of his that some sort of temporary and supportive or affordable housing plan was needed at the Lawrence and Benton site in his own district. For that I will give him credit for doing what is politically detrimental to him unlike Raj Chahal who joined him in opposing affordable housing in his district.
Park opposed ethics commission in 2010, 2022. Verbally threatens women. Took a 59 grand trip to Korea paid for by Korean business group. Lied on his 700 form twice. Refuses to abstain on motions about him. Campaign Consultant Jay Reed fired by Cortese for writing about women watching men play themselves. Boasted to Reed that he set up Watanabe.
What is this about a trip to Korea? I have never read anything about this.
Kevin apparently took donations to absorb costs of trip to Korea.
Here’s a snippet:
https://www.sanjoseinside.com/the-fly/fppc-investigating-santa-clara-city-councilmembers-troubling-financial-documents/
Park has received monies from a foreign entity that may have violated State, Federal or local ordinances. Stay tuned.
Robert,
I do not see anything in that San Jose Inside article that mentions a trip to Korea or funding for it or monies from a foreign country.
It’s on recent financial filings. Stay tuned for details. That was an older link that mentions the issues of fppc filings. I’ll share more soon on the income reports.
Robert,
.
Public accusations should be made with the evidence to support them at the same time.
.
Promoting such disclosures before the evidence to support them makes the disclosure seem less about the public interest and more about political gamesmanship.
I didn’t bring this Up. But the financial forms are publicly available. Just providing some context. On Kevin’s financial disclosure reports, there is a trip to Korea that was apparently gifted to him. I’ll have more in a future report here. The SJI piece is just some background on the history of FPPC complaints. Stay tuned.
Robert,
I understand that you did not bring it up but I was making a point to the person who did that it is underhanded to make accusations that are not common knowledge without any substantiation.
Park has a history of abusive behavior
Well, we have Jain who owns stock in Teslsa, and then demands city utility staff cut a deal with them (december 2021). Park consultant Jay Reed tries to get 49ers to send Park money. Becker employing santaclara783@yahoo.com. to dig up dirt on Gillmor. Jain aending Amy Oppenheiner closed session discussions. Five fppc invedtigations out on Park.
Why, Santa Clara??
Mr Haugh and SJI are on the right track. Fppc has ruled such trips to kores do skirt the rules. Park violated federal law by not submitting a report on the trip.