I often hear a refrain regarding government, “if this was a business you would do this. Why can’t they run government like a business?”

Many of you run businesses.  You certainly run your households and have a sense of how a budget is balanced, how sacrifices are made and when tough choices are clear.

So you look at government and wonder where the common sense went. You wonder if these “government folks” simply exist on another planet and gravity just doesn’t enter into their world. You live in the real world – why don’t they? You and your family make tough choices everyday, why does government seem immune from making tough choices? It’s simple isn’t it?

My time in government has made me aware of rules government has as part of its contract with the people.

Rule #1: Government is not allowed to make a profit.

Would you open any business on Main Street if you were told the most you could ever charge for your good or service was exactly what is cost you?  What this would look like:

If it cost you $2.50 to make a sandwich, you would only be allowed to sell them for $2.50. Not a penny more. You business would never “get ahead.” Why would anyone enter this kind of business?

You wouldn’t. But that’s not the purpose of government.  The people come together in a government to build a platform of common values and common justice for their community.

While the laws of Darwin prevail with “survival of the fittest” our governmental structures are built with the notion that all are worthy of a fair opportunity, not just the strongest.

In the business world there are a few points to ensure a “level playing field” where companies will compete for business. Beyond that, Darwin and the free market will dictate who will live and who will die.

So while many aspects of business are appropriate to apply to government – one has to remember this key point: the reasons for business and government to exist are very different.

There have been invitations issued for members of the City Council to post on certain blogs. While the kind invitation is tempting, I will respectfully decline.

One blog went so far to say, “… has been the only one who has repeatedly weighed in with comments, or has taken the time to answer questions from the citizens of San Carlos.”

It does take a certain amount of hubris to assume one’s particular blog is the voice of the citizenry, or that council members are mutes who are rolled out of a warehouse every couple of weeks to sit on a dais. That notion aside, let’s clear up a few thoughts:

1. When you write an email to me you will get this reply:

Thank you for writing me!
I absolutely read each email and will try to respond in a timely fashion.

Please note – all email and responses are public record.

As a matter of practice “bulk/cut-and-paste” emails, and email which has been addressed to more than one Council Member should not anticipate a response. (This is to avoid issues with the Brown Act and done in accordance to direction from the City Attorney.)

Please check this link on the Brown Act
To clarify: if you write to me alone – you will get a response. If you write to me and other council members it is the advice of the city attorney we should not respond.

So, got a question? Write to me.

2. I will not post on other blogs
Blogs are a terrific part of public information and discussion. I love them. It is a stretch of the imagination to believe blogging-real-estate agents are experts in computer security and establishment of identity. Furthermore – it is impossible verify the identity of any person who posts on these blogs. Is it really a council member? Is it really a person in San Carlos? Is it really a person? No one knows. Not even the blog owners.

There is also a level of distrust when one is attempting to have a conversation or dialog with those who will remain anonymous as virtually all of the posters to blogs tend to do.

Your questions and concerns for San Carlos are far too important to be treated lightly and in a scrum of an anonymous forum.

So how do you get answers? I answer my emails (when legally allowed) and post here when with my thoughts and opinions. Things I won’t discuss:

• Pending litigation
• Negotiations with unions are forbidden and will be referred to our legally designated spokesperson.

This is a pain. Candidly there are times I wish I could spout off and share the details. But folks, I took an oath and my job is to fulfill that promise to each citizen and follow the laws. Venting my spleen would feel great, but could put the city at risk. So I’ll ask for your patience as we are both frustrated by parts of the process.

So if you get an email from me, or read it on this blog, you will know this is actually ME on the keyboard and not an impostor.  In the mean time, I hope you will write to me and all your elected officials.

Yes, I was at TED and had a chance to speak on the TED stage.  But Sir Ken Robinson is the undisputed champion of TED talks.  This is one of my very favorites and everyone should have a chance to see him speak

If you had told me a few months ago Meg Whitman would have a shot at getting the (R) nomination I would have told you it was a long shot.

Poizner could match her dollar-for-dollar, had run statewide races and was a serving official with an “inside” for his party nomination.

I’m surprised how ineffective his campaign has been and that he seems to be on the verge of collapse.

Promises to be an interesting fall…