Finally a serious look at Ronnie Ray-Gun

Reagan's knife sliced up San Jose

MENTALLY ILL WERE DUMPED ONTO CITY STREETS

Mercury News Editorial

President Reagan had a penchant for speaking in simple truths. Here's one: Reagan contributed mightily to downtown San Jose's downward spiral in the pre-redevelopment years.

The man for whom the term the Teflon president was coined wasn't without shortcomings, especially on domestic issues. Beyond the massive budget deficits and failure of supply-side economics, his approach to the downtrodden and the mentally ill contributed directly to the deterioration of San Jose's downtown core during Reagan's tenure as governor and president.

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Reagan compounded San Jose's downtown woes as president. Hoping to offset his massive military buildup, he took direct aim at one of the most important sources of housing for the downtrodden. Reagan cut the budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development from $32.2 billion in 1981 to $7.5 billion by 1988. The result: America's homeless population, a virtually unknown problem in the 1970s, grew to roughly 2 million by the time Reagan left office.