The tragedy in Tucson, AZ serves as a stark reminder that our nation needs to be knit back together.
All too often, partisan politicians attack individuals rather than ideas; some in the media reward those who divide us rather than unite us; and even religious leaders on occasion offer anger over mercy and grace.
Yet we live in a valley where wonderful role models survive and thrive.
My friend and mentor, Tom Campbell reminds us we can disagree without being disagreeable, that we can use "soft words but hard arguments."
Jim Cunneen, former state assemblyman and former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce is a living example of effective service. As Chamber CEO, he strengthened an institution with numerous policy and political successes, always respecting, rather than reviling, those with different points of view.
At the Mercury News, thoughtful columnists like Mike Cassidy and Gary Richards have strong opinions, but their words build bridges, rather than burn them down.
CEO's like Aart de Geus and Mike Splinter balance global business acumen with local civic engagement.
Let's model those who lift others up, rather than reward those who tear others down.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Gov. Brown needs "game changers"
As California welcomes a new governor, he must welcome a new era of business competitiveness to create and retain jobs in the golden state.
As I wrote in a recent op-ed for San Jose Mercury News, California needs "game changers" to strengthen our business climate to compete with regions around the nation and world.
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group is preparing a white paper on economic competitiveness for Governor Brown, covering the following items:
• An economic development strategic plan, with the governor as our chief recruitment and retention officer.
• A K-12 and higher education system that tracks each student, ensuring each dollar invested offers the best return for each child.
• Rewarding companies that invest in California, encouraging them to stay here and grow here.
• A renewable energy strategy that ensures that 33 percent of the energy we use is from clean sources by 2020.
• A statewide transportation system that we adequately fund.
• Restore trust in government with serious pension, governance and budget reform.
Silicon Valley CEOs and citizens want results from our state government and have high hopes for our new governor. He shouldn’t veer California to the extreme left or right. He should simply move California ahead.
As I wrote in a recent op-ed for San Jose Mercury News, California needs "game changers" to strengthen our business climate to compete with regions around the nation and world.
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group is preparing a white paper on economic competitiveness for Governor Brown, covering the following items:
• An economic development strategic plan, with the governor as our chief recruitment and retention officer.
• A K-12 and higher education system that tracks each student, ensuring each dollar invested offers the best return for each child.
• Rewarding companies that invest in California, encouraging them to stay here and grow here.
• A renewable energy strategy that ensures that 33 percent of the energy we use is from clean sources by 2020.
• A statewide transportation system that we adequately fund.
• Restore trust in government with serious pension, governance and budget reform.
Silicon Valley CEOs and citizens want results from our state government and have high hopes for our new governor. He shouldn’t veer California to the extreme left or right. He should simply move California ahead.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Governor Schwarzenegger
In 14 days, California will have a new governor.
Last week, I joined our current governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and first-lady Maria Shriver, for a special dinner as he concluded his seven years of service.
Governor Schwarzenegger leaves Sacramento still viewed globally as an international super-star, but with a paltry 25 percent approval rating in the golden state.
Regardless of your view of the governor, let’s consider his solid successes since 2003:
• Historic workers compensation reform
• $20 billion in statewide transportation improvements, and another $20
billion for housing, water & school construction
• $760 million in state support for BART to Silicon Valley
• Governance reforms including re-districting and the open primary
• Significant steps forward for pension reform
• Historic climate change legislation to limit greenhouse gases
His compensation - $1 annually. Love, like or hate him, he put
California first and for that I salute him.
Last week, I joined our current governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and first-lady Maria Shriver, for a special dinner as he concluded his seven years of service.
Governor Schwarzenegger leaves Sacramento still viewed globally as an international super-star, but with a paltry 25 percent approval rating in the golden state.
Regardless of your view of the governor, let’s consider his solid successes since 2003:
• Historic workers compensation reform
• $20 billion in statewide transportation improvements, and another $20
billion for housing, water & school construction
• $760 million in state support for BART to Silicon Valley
• Governance reforms including re-districting and the open primary
• Significant steps forward for pension reform
• Historic climate change legislation to limit greenhouse gases
His compensation - $1 annually. Love, like or hate him, he put
California first and for that I salute him.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
California-The Golden State
The Golden State is, well, out of Gold. A shortfall of 25 billion - that's billion with a "B" - is expected over the next 18 months.
We could eliminate California's entire prison and higher education systems and still not have enough money to close the gap.
California needs solutions along with some serious soul-searching. Tough decisions need to be made:
* First, voters want pension reform. It is not a short-term solution, but it is part of the long-term answer to a balanced state budget.
* Second, with a Legislature suffering from a 17 percent approval rating, voters want trust restored in their state government. On-time, balanced budgets will require more governance and fiscal reforms like those proposed by California Forward.
* Third, any talk of more taxes must first be predicated on adequately addressing the two previous items.
* Finally, if taxes are on the table, we must get away from the "tax the other guy" approach. If something is important to California's success, then all Californians must play a part in paying for it.
The Golden State can shine again - but only if each of us commit the time, talent and treasure to get there.
We could eliminate California's entire prison and higher education systems and still not have enough money to close the gap.
California needs solutions along with some serious soul-searching. Tough decisions need to be made:
* First, voters want pension reform. It is not a short-term solution, but it is part of the long-term answer to a balanced state budget.
* Second, with a Legislature suffering from a 17 percent approval rating, voters want trust restored in their state government. On-time, balanced budgets will require more governance and fiscal reforms like those proposed by California Forward.
* Third, any talk of more taxes must first be predicated on adequately addressing the two previous items.
* Finally, if taxes are on the table, we must get away from the "tax the other guy" approach. If something is important to California's success, then all Californians must play a part in paying for it.
The Golden State can shine again - but only if each of us commit the time, talent and treasure to get there.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
This year's Turkey Trot was a great success
On Thanksgiving morning, more than 14,000 community members gathered together in downtown San Jose. Their purpose? To personally participate in the sixth annual applied materials “Silicon Valley Turkey Trot,” founded by the Silicon Valley leadership group.
This 5-k run & walk, and 10-k run – after just six years – is now one of the largest “turkey trots” in the United States, out of more than 300 Thanksgiving day races.
While “large” is good, “having a positive impact” is better. Consider these results:
• 14,113 people paid to participate
• They were supported by nearly 900 community volunteers
• We raised more than $400,000 to help our valley’s most needy families
• We collected an additional 11,885 pounds of food for second harvest
through our Synaptics "Can Do Challenge".
• Nearly 600 children participated in our Lucile Packard Kids Fun Run
Silicon Valley may consist loosely of 40 cities in portions of four
counties- but each Thanksgiving morning, we come together as one
community at the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.
This 5-k run & walk, and 10-k run – after just six years – is now one of the largest “turkey trots” in the United States, out of more than 300 Thanksgiving day races.
While “large” is good, “having a positive impact” is better. Consider these results:
• 14,113 people paid to participate
• They were supported by nearly 900 community volunteers
• We raised more than $400,000 to help our valley’s most needy families
• We collected an additional 11,885 pounds of food for second harvest
through our Synaptics "Can Do Challenge".
• Nearly 600 children participated in our Lucile Packard Kids Fun Run
Silicon Valley may consist loosely of 40 cities in portions of four
counties- but each Thanksgiving morning, we come together as one
community at the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
High-speed rail
Good news this week – high speed rail is coming to the Valley. Well, the central valley anyway.
As the CEO of the Silicon Valley – not central valley – leadership group, my reaction – to the surprise of some – is positive. In fact, the central valley alignment is the right choice.
Why? High-speed rail is for California’s future, and a purely parochial view is the wrong way to build momentum for a system that someday should run 700 miles from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley to San Francisco.
Before it can run 700 miles, however, it needs to run somewhere. Let’s do the math. We have $12 billion for a project with a price tag of $45 billion. The central valley extension – from Fresno to Merced (my preference) or Fresno to Bakersfield – would cover nearly 100 miles at a cost of less than $10 billion. The central valley is the fastest growing region of California, and also has devastating rates of unemployment.
And perhaps – just perhaps – this might motivate folks along the peninsula to realize what we are missing, and come together with an affordable, appropriate alignment that meets the needs of our valley – the Silicon Valley.
High speed rail is on-track.
As the CEO of the Silicon Valley – not central valley – leadership group, my reaction – to the surprise of some – is positive. In fact, the central valley alignment is the right choice.
Why? High-speed rail is for California’s future, and a purely parochial view is the wrong way to build momentum for a system that someday should run 700 miles from Los Angeles to Silicon Valley to San Francisco.
Before it can run 700 miles, however, it needs to run somewhere. Let’s do the math. We have $12 billion for a project with a price tag of $45 billion. The central valley extension – from Fresno to Merced (my preference) or Fresno to Bakersfield – would cover nearly 100 miles at a cost of less than $10 billion. The central valley is the fastest growing region of California, and also has devastating rates of unemployment.
And perhaps – just perhaps – this might motivate folks along the peninsula to realize what we are missing, and come together with an affordable, appropriate alignment that meets the needs of our valley – the Silicon Valley.
High speed rail is on-track.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The work of governing begins..
Last Tuesday night, the long campaign season came to an end. Now, the important work of governing must begin.
At the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, we urge our leaders – at the federal, state and local levels – to focus on the important issues we face to create a climate in which we can get __ million unemployed Americans, and 2 million unemployed Californians, back to work.
Here’s a secret most voters know, but not every elected official knows- It doesn’t mean taking America to the left, or to the right; it means moving America forward. It means Congress, and Sacramento, and City Hall, working together, just like the rest of us do every day.
And here’s a start. At the request of Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Leadership Group has developed a bi-partisan plan for America, with specific policy recommendations to create U.S. Manufacturing Jobs. The six-point plan is not exhaustive, but it’s a pretty strong start to help America compete against other nations. You can find it on our web site at svlg.org. Read it, and tell us what you think. Equally important, tell our elected leaders what you think.
After the fun of my wedding ceremony, the real work of being married began. After the exhilaration of the election, the real work of governing must begin.
At the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, we urge our leaders – at the federal, state and local levels – to focus on the important issues we face to create a climate in which we can get __ million unemployed Americans, and 2 million unemployed Californians, back to work.
Here’s a secret most voters know, but not every elected official knows- It doesn’t mean taking America to the left, or to the right; it means moving America forward. It means Congress, and Sacramento, and City Hall, working together, just like the rest of us do every day.
And here’s a start. At the request of Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Leadership Group has developed a bi-partisan plan for America, with specific policy recommendations to create U.S. Manufacturing Jobs. The six-point plan is not exhaustive, but it’s a pretty strong start to help America compete against other nations. You can find it on our web site at svlg.org. Read it, and tell us what you think. Equally important, tell our elected leaders what you think.
After the fun of my wedding ceremony, the real work of being married began. After the exhilaration of the election, the real work of governing must begin.
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