San Jose Mayor to Unite California Mayors Against State Leadership inaction
In a bid to push back against what he calls the state's dysfunction and lack of progress, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is assembling a coalition of mayors from across California. Their goal: to better articulate their demands for meaningful partnership with Sacramento leaders to deliver tangible results locally.
The "Back to Basics" agenda, championed by Mahan, revolves around key pillars such as tackling unsheltered homelessness, bolstering housing supply, and overhauling public safety measures. However, he claims that his repeated efforts to engage with the governor and legislature have yielded insufficient outcomes, even when voters have clearly indicated what's most crucial.
Mahan is now setting out to harness the collective might of California's largest cities, which share similar concerns and frustrations. By uniting mayors across the state, he aims to ensure a unified front in pushing for legislative action that will support their local initiatives.
While San Jose already employs multiple avenues to advocate for or counter legislation, Mahan believes this new coalition will help amplify their voices and pressure Sacramento leaders to take concrete steps forward. He acknowledges that collaboration between cities and counties is essential but also stresses the need for all localities – not just large cities like his own – to shoulder responsibilities related to tackling homelessness.
A recent agreement with Caltrans on removing encampments from state-owned land has reignited tensions between Mahan's administration and Newsom's office. The San Jose Mayor called out the announcement as misleading, while the governor portrayed it as a testament to partnership in addressing homelessness issues.
In a bid to push back against what he calls the state's dysfunction and lack of progress, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is assembling a coalition of mayors from across California. Their goal: to better articulate their demands for meaningful partnership with Sacramento leaders to deliver tangible results locally.
The "Back to Basics" agenda, championed by Mahan, revolves around key pillars such as tackling unsheltered homelessness, bolstering housing supply, and overhauling public safety measures. However, he claims that his repeated efforts to engage with the governor and legislature have yielded insufficient outcomes, even when voters have clearly indicated what's most crucial.
Mahan is now setting out to harness the collective might of California's largest cities, which share similar concerns and frustrations. By uniting mayors across the state, he aims to ensure a unified front in pushing for legislative action that will support their local initiatives.
While San Jose already employs multiple avenues to advocate for or counter legislation, Mahan believes this new coalition will help amplify their voices and pressure Sacramento leaders to take concrete steps forward. He acknowledges that collaboration between cities and counties is essential but also stresses the need for all localities – not just large cities like his own – to shoulder responsibilities related to tackling homelessness.
A recent agreement with Caltrans on removing encampments from state-owned land has reignited tensions between Mahan's administration and Newsom's office. The San Jose Mayor called out the announcement as misleading, while the governor portrayed it as a testament to partnership in addressing homelessness issues.