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The Santa Clara County assessor has received a warning for violating political rules about mass mailings at the public’s expense. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) sent a warning letter Sept. 7 to Assessor Larry Stone for violating the Political Reform Act when he mass mailed an annual property assessment report—exceeding the limit of 200 mailers...
‘Now is the time’: Silicon Valley transit leaders discuss future
Local transportation experts say safety and collaboration between agencies in the Bay Area are critical to pushing forward the future of Silicon Valley transit. Transportation leaders gathered on Wednesday to discuss the future of public transportation during a panel hosted by San José Spotlight. Panelist Rod Diridon Sr., a prolific transportation advocate whose namesake marks San Jose’s downtown...
San Jose builds bridge between police and lowriders
San Jose’s rocky relationship with lowriding is taking an unexpected turn—the city will have a police car converted into a cruise-ready piece of art. The San Jose City Council voted Tuesday to donate a Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor to be transformed into a lowrider, a customized car with hydraulics that allow it to bounce or...
UPDATE: Concerns remain after San Jose leaders approve police watchdog reforms
San Jose leaders moved forward with recommendations on how to improve the city’s police department, despite lingering concerns and drama around the resignation and retirement of the two top police auditors. San Jose City Council today approved all five recommendations from the Office of the Independent Police Auditor: tracking when an officer points a firearm...
San Jose and unions at odds over program cuts
San Jose leaders voted to eliminate vacant jobs, trim retiree sick leave payouts and claw back outdoor events to close a $2.8 million deficit from pay raises—but policymakers and union bosses can’t agree on whether those cuts were necessary. The cuts to patch up the shortfall and rebalance San Jose’s budget came after a contentious,...
UPDATE: San Jose officials sign off on higher union pay
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan was the lone official to downvote a new contract for unionized city workers, after months of contentious discussions over how the city will afford pay raises for thousands of its employees. The San Jose City Council today ratified labor contracts after coming to a deal with two of the city’s...
Why is Santa Clara County still using tear gas in jails?
Santa Clara County is weighing whether to let correctional officers continue to use tear gas to remove those incarcerated from their jail cells, amid pushback on whether this is a humane approach. A new report by the county Office of Correction and Law Enforcement Monitoring acknowledged that incarcerated people involved in tear gas incidents should...
San Jose’s Viva Calle faces chopping block
San Jose is planning cuts to a beloved parks program to compensate for raises for its unionized workers—a move that leaders warned would happen in the wake of contentious contract negotiations. Viva Calle returns for the final installment of the year Sunday. The event will shut down about six miles of streets to traffic through...
Santa Clara County sheriff endorses Tasers for deputies
Santa Clara County sheriff deputies may soon be re-armed with Tasers from a controversial vendor after a decadeslong hiatus. Sheriff Robert Jonsen plans to present options for arming deputies on the street and in county jail facilities with Tasers to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Jail guards have been stripped of Tasers for decades after...
San Jose commissioner competes for District 10 council seat
San Jose Planning Commissioner George Casey, who views himself as an independent moderate, is jumping into the District 10 City Council race. Casey, 52, is the third candidate to enter the South San Jose race in an effort to unseat incumbent Arjun Batra, who plans to run next year. The others vying for the job...