Councilmember Pete Constant
District 1, City of San José
200 East Santa Clara Street,18th Floor
San José, CA 95113
Telephone: (408) 535-4901
Fax: (408) 292-6448
Pete.Constant@sanjoseca.gov
www.sjdistrict1.com

Inside this Issue:

• Message from Pete
• Festival in the Park
• Fast Food Ban

Helpful Links for D1 Residents:

• Pete's Calendar
• Council Agenda
• Live and Archived Council Meetings
• District 1 Map
• Photos of District 1 Events
• District 1 Neighborhood Groups
• Pete and District 1 in the News
• Parks in District 1
• District 1 Staff
• Review permits in San José

Service Providers for D1 Residents:

Connecting to your government:

• Mayor and Council
• San José Charter
• San José Municipal Code
• San José Boards and Commissions
• Santa Clara County
• Registrar of Voters
• Guide to Government
• State of California
• U.S. Government

Important Phone Numbers:

Questions or Suggestions?
If you have any questions about the District 1 Community Newsletter or would like to suggest topics or announcements for future issues, then please contact Mary Anne Groen at MaryAnne.Groen@sanjoseca.gov or you can call her at (408) 535-4901

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Message from Councilmember Pete Constant

September is the beginning of autumn and for our children it is the beginning of a new school year. We all remember the tragedy suffered by one family in June with the death of a young girl who was on her way home from her last day of school. I urge you to be on the look out for students as they walk or ride their bikes to and from school. The Police Department will be stepping up traffic enforcement in school zones, so be vigilant and please slow down near schools. Also, talk to your children about looking both ways before crossing streets and insist that they use crosswalks. The best way to educate them about safety is to take them on their route to school and walk through the safety steps with them.

The Police Department's Community Services unit will be one of the resources available at our "8th Annual Festival in the Park" at Hathaway Park on September 20th. Community Services will provide you with valuable information and services to help you keep your children safe -- from fingerprinting your children to bike safety. Festival in the Park is a hallmark District 1 community event with a resource fair where you can get to know your fellow District 1 neighbors along with gathering information on city-wide services. My kids are looking forward to the arts and crafts, sports games, and the celebrity dunk tank! I personally invite you and your family to join me at the "8th Annual Festival in the Park" and come be a part of the community. To read an article describing the event in full detail click here.

Protecting the safety of our children is important to everyone. I need your help with an effort that I have taken on to protect our children from the dangers of second-hand porn. In the past year you have probably read about or seen television news reports on the incidents of people openly viewing pornography near children in our public libraries. Like you, I was shocked when I first learned that this was happening in our libraries. Unfortunately, the effort to protect children by developing an internet filtering program in San José libraries has taken a lot longer than it should, but it will be coming to the city council for a vote soon. We will keep you advised on this issue. If you are interested in being part of this effort to protect our children please contact my office to find out how you can help.

A strong community is essential to keeping our children safe. When I was a kid if I got into trouble my parents knew about it before I got home, because all my neighbors knew me and more importantly, they knew my parents. I didn't appreciate it at the time, because it meant I could never get away with anything. Now I can see how valuable it was. Reestablishing that sense of community in District 1 is my primary goal. Many dedicated community leaders have joined me in making this vision a reality.

One year ago, I formed the District 1 Leadership Group by inviting all of the leaders of District 1 neighborhood associations, business leaders, and faith-based organizations to come together and meet regularly. We schedule bimonthly meetings where members develop ideas to better their community. Leaders have emerged from these gatherings with a sense of purpose and ideas for resources to better educate their association members on a variety of issues, including one of the most urgent matters -- safety and emergency preparedness. One example is the newly formed Strawberry Park Neighborhood Association's efforts to reach their neighborhood through their upcoming "Emergency Preparedness Awareness Fair" on September 13, 2008. Click here to view a flyer of this event.

Bethel Church, located on Winchester Boulevard, has been an active faith-based organization member of the District 1 Leadership Group. Bethel Church reaches out to our community in many ways, most recently with their 2nd Annual Neighborhood Appreciation Day hosting of a free E-Waste drop-off and car wash.

I stopped by the Bethel Church Neighborhood Appreciation Day on August 16th and the energy and service the church members displayed was incredible! Residents were treated to a full-service operation where church members greeted participants at their cars and unloaded everything for them then promptly gave them a free car wash with a smile. There were an estimated 300 cars that dropped off 6 tons of electronic waste! I certainly speak for the community when I say, "Thank you Bethel Church!"

You might have read or heard about my opposition to the proposal to ban "fast food" in San José brought to the Rules Committee by a few of my colleagues. Guiding our students to make the right choices in life is another way to help students be safe. That is why I prefer educating them rather than legislating a ban on "fast food" around schools. Even before the proposed ban was introduced, my office had taken the initiative to secure free healthcare and nutrition counseling for teens during summer visits to Starbird Youth Center by the Lucille Packard Teen Health Van. I see this type of active program effective in the concept of educating our youth instead of a passive ban that goes nowhere. To read more about this issue click here.

Don't forget to get involved and seek out community resources and take a look at the new classes offered this fall by the West San José Community Center (listed in our calendar section of this newsletter). Kids can take a proactive stance to keep themselves safe and fit by signing up for one of the community center classes such as Ninja fitness, self defense, or together as a family in the family karate class.

Your Neighbor,

PETE IN THE NEWS

August 22, 2008
West San Jose Resident, Fatal hit-and-run prompts city to look at traffic calming near senior center
Constant said he is not sure what is feasible, but he wants to explore the possibility of lowering the speed limit in front of the center to create a senior zone similar to those found near school campuses. He suggested lowering the speed limit from 25 miles per hour to 20 or 15 miles per hour.

August 22, 2008
West San Jose Resident, Health van rolls into to Starbird Youth Center, offering free health services
"The [program] was looking for under-served communities to provide services to, and we fit the bill. So it was just a matter of good timing," said District 1 Councilman Pete Constant, whose office was responsible for coordinating the Starbird stop this summer.

August 18, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, San Jose rivals gearing up for fight over fast food ban
Constant also wondered whether the proposal contradicts the city's goal to bring more jobs to San Jose - not fewer - to spark economic development. "I think we have a lot of serious issues facing San Jose right now," Constant said. "This is something that is going to take away from the real work that needs to be done."

August 14, 2008
West San Jose Resident, City hopes to bring in more money with bigger signs
There is a striking difference, in terms of marketing and signage viewable from the street, that could cause consumers to spend their dollars in Santa Clara instead of San Jose, Constant said. "We want to give every opportunity we can to dealerships when consumers are choosing between San Jose and Santa Clara," said Constant, adding that the ordinance can also affect where dealerships choose to locate.

August 13, 2008
The Metro, Greens Strike Back
Constant says he's not about to back down from his positions. "They are mad we are not interpreting things their way," Constant said. "To be blunt, their position on the issue doesn't sway me."

August 13, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Seniors decry speeders after hit-run deaths
"We want to make sure this area is safe for you," said Constant, whose district includes the senior center. "And we want to make sure you get as expeditiously across the street as you can."

August 10, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Internal Affairs - Most passionate' award goes to . . . Williams
Constant then tried to convince IA that he does, in fact, know a thing or two about passion. "I have five kids," he pointed out with a smile.