Terming out of office hasn’t kept San Jose policymakers from sticking around City Hall as paid lobbyists. But the business of swaying former colleagues is becoming a crowded field.
Councilmember Sergio Jimenez is jumping into the elected official to lobbyist pipeline. He’s already formed a new consulting firm before terming out of his council seat at the end of this year. Joining him is former Councilmember Raul Peralez, a San Jose police officer who started his own consulting business after leaving office. Together, under the newly formed Brownstone Strategies, they plan to lobby San Jose officials and other public agencies — for clients such as nonprofits and companies — in areas that include land use, development and crisis management.
It’s the latest instance of San Jose’s “revolving door” through which government officials become paid lobbyists, which has prompted concern over the years about unfair deal making advantages. As a result, San Jose enacted a “cooling off” period in which former councilmembers and employees can’t lobby the city for two years after leaving office. Last year, officials cut that period to one year.