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A Black Lives Matter mural spanning three blocks of San Jose sidewalk is still standing despite being painted illegally — and the city’s mayor wants to keep it. “I’d be happy to leave the mural right where it is actually, in my neighborhood,” Mayor Sam Liccardo told San José Spotlight. “I’ve got a Black Lives...
San Jose City Council waives outdoor business fees, extends free food, improves virtual meetings
As virtual meetings become the new norm, San Jose leaders voted unanimously Tuesday to make local government more efficient and accessible. Attendees of the July 28 and Aug. 3 City Council sessions might have noticed the meetings are now translated into Spanish and Vietnamese. However, to listen to the Vietnamese translation, Zoom users must select...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County extends eviction moratorium through Sept. 30
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved extending eviction moratoriums through Sept. 30, giving tenants more time to pay back late rent without fear of eviction. With the state’s eviction moratorium set to expire Aug. 14, housing advocates called for an extension. The Santa Clara County court also began hearing eviction cases again,...
What you should know about Prop. 15
Supporters of California Proposition 15 say the initiative will generate millions for schools and local government, but opponents fear it would be catastrophic for business owners. Prop. 15, also known as the Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Educational and Local Government Funding Initiative, asks voters to approve an amendment to the Constitution requiring...
San Jose: Debate heats up over plan to install electronic billboards
A plan to allow up to 90 digital billboards in downtown San Jose has some residents fired up, citing worries about aesthetics, safety and even bird health. “The hazards of electronic billboards are manifold,” Puragra “Raja” GuhaThakurta said at a recent city meeting. “Some of you have brought up driver distraction and the damage it...
UPDATE: San Jose council approves police reform, tax hike, food relief measures
As COVID-19 continues to ravage the economy and discussions of race and police brutality dominate the national conversation, city leaders approved measures for the 2020 ballot to address food insecurity, police reform and economic hardship in San Jose. In its first regular meeting since the July legislative break, the San Jose City Council voted Tuesday...
San Jose, AT&T invest in free internet access for students
For many, the pressure to work and attend school remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has amplified Silicon Valley’s digital divide. But a new plan announced Monday by Mayor Sam Liccardo and AT&T will bring 11,000 wireless internet hotspots and 4G LTE data plans to K-12 students and low-income households lacking internet connection. “It is important...
Overburdened San Jose office takes more than a year to act on wage theft claims
Managing a property oftentimes means solving unpredictable problems at odd hours. Scoti Blesie, a handyman for a San Jose apartment building, found himself fixing leaks or repairing damage from break-ins at all hours. On many occasions, he would receive calls in the middle of the night. The work piled up, but the pay allegedly did not. “We’re...
San Jose council’s Latino Caucus celebrates a win after ‘strong mayor’ defeat
Those following Mayor Sam Liccardo’s push for — and subsequent dropping of — a strong mayor ballot measure are likely to feel whiplash after Tuesday’s City Council meeting. A fiery debate culminated in a unanimous vote that left some councilmembers wondering why they had to fight so hard in the first place. Prior to Tuesday’s...
A San Jose commission will decide on strong mayor, moving mayoral elections
After a month-long debate over a proposed ‘strong mayor’ measure and outrage over lack of community involvement in the decision, San Jose leaders unanimously approved putting decisions about the city’s future into the hands of community members. The Charter Revision Commission, created Tuesday, will consist of residents appointed by Mayor Sam Liccardo and the City Council....