The most vital policy issues in the D3 special election
Neighbors:
Faster, bigger, more cost-effective homelessness solutions.
Much greater local control over spending in D3 and City Hall budget allocations to D3
Pro-local business incentives in downtown and all of D3.
A complete re-do of citizen input processes for D3 to ensure that the People’s Voice gets heard and prioritized.
When I ran against Omar Torres for the D3 council seat in the 2022 general election, these issues were central to my campaign Irene Smith for D3. In 2025, they’re even more urgent (check out yesterday’s bombshell SJ bombshell SJ Mercury story about record-breaking, rising local homelessness).
That’s why I plan to spend the next 13 weeks (until the election) discussing with you specific policy plans for how we can make real, palpable progress on these D3 objectives — quickly and together. Subsequent issues of this newsletter will dive down into the details of my policy recommendations.
We aim to make this issues-oriented communication useful and thought-provoking. Please feel free to respond with comments, agreements, disagreements and questions.
And always know that I remain just so invigorated and inspired by the spirited support our campaign is receiving from all across D3 — this very special corner of California and San Jose we call home.
I hope everyone had a restful and loving holiday season.
Forward together,
Irene
Campaign Update:
“Irene has the financial acumen to understand that a proposed $20 billion dollar bond measure ends up costing us taxpayers almost $50 billion after interest payments and fees. Irene has the skills necessary to make our dollars go farther to efficiently drive the major changes we need.”
Pat Waite of Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility
Thank you, Pat (SJ’s leading citizen fiscal expert), for your endorsement. We are proud to advocate for dramatic change in how City Hall spends D3's and all taxpayers’ money, with a big emphasis on accountability, efficiency, and discipline.
Our yard signs are popping up all over, if you’d like one, just contact us at:
Team Irene is having a meet-and-greet coffee on 1/11 at 11am in the Vendome neighborhood: Here’s the link if you would like to pre-register.
Join a casual, wide-open conversation with D3’s reform candidate in the 2025 special election.
