State lawmakers raise access, ‘politicization’ concerns over San Jose Vietnamese garden

State lawmakers are calling out San Jose officials for changing the locks and community event access to a Vietnamese cultural garden that’s opened a political rift in Little Saigon.

A Tuesday letter from San Jose’s elected representatives in Sacramento questions who’s really in control of the city’s parks. It comes after District 7 Councilmember Bien Doan’s office in August announced he would be taking more control over who can host a monthly flag raising ceremony at the Vietnamese Heritage Garden on the first Saturday of every month — the same date that a political rival of Doan’s typically holds the popular event, which the assemblymembers frequently attend.