CFR Endorses Irene Smith for D3 Special Election
Published February 10, 2025 I Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility
In the 2022 election for San Jose City Council District 3, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility endorsed Irene Smith, noting that she was “laser focused on addressing the homelessness issue that is especially prevalent in her district” and that “her independence allows her to listen openly to inputs from both sides of the aisle which will be an asset on our city council.”
Sadly, little, if any, progress has been made on reducing the number of unhoused living on the streets and our city council remains narrowly divided between councilmembers with liberal and moderate agendas. We believe that San Jose would be in a better place now had Irene Smith been elected to represent District 3 and we once again endorse Irene Smith.
If anything, Irene has grown more worthy of our endorsement over the past few years. She has demonstrated her ability to be collaborative: listening and learning, highlighting plans to work with local businesses, community and residents to create a district that is clean, safe, and more enjoyable to live and work in. She is committed to transparency, advocating for a more open and accessible government where residents have a clear understanding of how financial decisions are made and our tax dollars are spent.
Finally, Irene is the only candidate with significant financial experience in large, complex organizations. She will help focus our city council on responsible budgeting, focusing spending on the 3 Ps (public safety, pavement and parks), and ensuring that our tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
For these reasons and more, CFR recommends that District 3 voters elect Irene Smith as their next council member on April 8th.