"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Gonzales began, then launched into a speech substantially similar to the one he started on Jan. 28, which was cut short when he suffered a minor stroke.

The mayor touched on the torturous process of extending BART to San Jose, as well as the need to expand the convention center.

"We have lost 40 conventions because our center isn't big enough," Gonzales said, citing Apple, Intel, and Cisco as examples of companies that chose other venues for their conventions.

To solve the convention center problem, as Gonzales sees it, he wants to double the center's capacity by adding a "tent-like structure" for up to $10 million.

But Intel representative Tracy Koon said the size of the convention center had nothing to do with the company's decision to go elsewhere. "I talked to a few of our people who use conference hall space," Koon said. "None of them seem to believe that size is an issue when they make decisions."

And Cisco spokeswoman Heather Goodwin said the company uses many different venues depending on what the event requires.

In fact, according to sales staff at the convention center, Cisco held a shareholder's meeting at our facility on Nov. 11, 2003.

Apple declined to comment.

According to mayoral spokesman David Vossbrink, said the convention center still needs to be bigger to be "more competitive with mid-range facilities across the country."

Gonzales also mentioned in the speech that the city needs to knock San Jose's school-dropout rate down from 700 students a year. "What if the entire senior class of Leland and Overfelt high schools dropped out tomorrow?" he asked. "That would be a big news story. Instead we're quietly failing these students."

The good news, the mayor said, included the city council's green light to begin renovating the San Jose Mineta International Airport. "People tell me they think they've landed in Podunk when they land here," said Gonzales. The improvements will cost about $1.3 billion, financed by grants and airline user fees.

The cost for the State of the City II, held during the Rotary Club's weekly meeting, was free to the city. The original State of the City event, held at the Center for Performing Arts, cost the city $51,500 to put on.