January 15, 2009

StreetTalk by Carol Rosen

On Wednesday, Jan. 14, Mayor Chuck Reed presented the state of the city address. What do you see as the city’s biggest problems? (Asked at Starbucks at Almaden Plaza)


“Crime, there’s a number of homes that have been broken into around here. The state of the economy has caused the rise in crime and while it used to be just in certain areas it’s now all over the city. There are too many felons out on bail. It’s bad, they should be locked up.“

Curtis Campbell, 46
Almaden
VP sales


“I think we should address the homeless situation by giving people jobs. We could use them in [street and road] construction where extra labor will help.”

Sam Hayden, 17
Almaden
Senior at Bellarmine College Prep


“I think the biggest problem facing San Jose is the massive hole in the road on [Highway] 680 that tore my breaks up and ruined a friend’s tires.”

Kevin Klug, 26
Almaden
Broker


“I think the biggest problem is the abundant use of hard drugs by high school students.”

Danielle Murray, 21
Almaden
Junior, San Jose State


“Budget cuts at schools, government needs to focus on funding for schools. Lots of [San Jose college] students have to commute and it costs money for gas and they need jobs to pay for school and gas.”

Lauren Claudatos, 20
Almaden
Junior, San Jose State


“There’s a lack of jobs, it’s hard to find part-time jobs or jobs during breaks, but not just for students for everyone.”

Louis Dekoven, 19
Almaden
Freshman, Chico State


“No money.”

Bob Fortune, 53
San Jose
Retail sales


“Number one is budget issues and that’s closely followed by traffic.”

Brian, 47
Almaden
Engineer


“Fiscal responsibility, and it’s the same for the girly boy that runs the state and for the entire country. The second is ethical behavior.”

Bob, 55
Almaden
Small business owner


“School budgets, but the mayor has nothing to do with that. It’s more at the state level. Cities won’t be able to survive if the state is bankrupt.”

Mirelle McNabb
San Jose
French teacher, Leland