RECALL EFFORT IN SAN JOSE: From the San Jose Mercury News

Bowing to a new political reality, San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales said Friday that he is taking ''very seriously'' a possible recall attempt spurred by his support of same-sex marriage rights, and is prepared to meet the challenge head-on. ...

Gonzales cast the possible recall effort as a narrow referendum on the city council's March decision to extend benefits to same-sex couples who work for the city and were married elsewhere.

Recall proponents, however, contend their fledgling campaign is being constructed on a much broader political foundation.

''It's always been about more than same-sex,'' said former San Jose Councilman Larry Pegram, who is helping organize the recall effort. ''Frankly, people are trying to characterize it as a one-issue deal, but that's not the case -- same sex was the catalyst.''

Recall supporters have opened a Santa Teresa headquarters and have raised more than $40,000 in contributions, Pegram said. The group has hired GOP political consultant Sal Russo, who helped drum up support for the Davis recall. ...

To recall Gonzales, organizers would have to serve a written notice of intent. They then would have 160 days to collect about 46,000 signatures -- or 12 percent of the city's 382,494 registered voters -- to qualify the recall for the ballot. ...

Political consultants and some council members said that with faith-based, grass-roots support, it's possible that recall proponents could gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.

''There's a strong current out there,'' said Councilman Forrest Williams, whose South San Jose district encompasses several so-called ''mega-churches'' with several thousand members each.

On Sunday, about 2,000 Evangelical Christians gathered at a South San Jose church to rally against the same-sex decision, and a larger demonstration is being planned for later this month. The city's decision to recognize same-sex marriage has affected only one city employee so far, but religious leaders say the move struck at the definition of marriage and has affected every city resident.

more
posted by Eve at 5:30 PM | link

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home