Mixed Mayor
Though Ron Gonzales’ political career was derailed by personal and political scandal before he could run for governor, he left his mark on the valley as county supervisor and mayor of both Sunnyvale and San Jose, where he oversaw an era of building schools, community centers, parks, libraries—and a massive City Hall. The cost of those amenities weighs heavily today on the municipal treasury, along with the public employee compensation legacy of that era. The buildings, more adventurous and contemporary architecturally than the ones erected under Redevelopment’s Frank Taylor, whom Gonzales ousted, will no doubt prove their utility over time.
