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The San Jose City Council unanimously supported Mayor Liccardo’s new spending plan which aims to rebuild the economy and help San Jose recover from COVID. On March 9, the mayor released his annual March Budget Message with recommendations for the city’s 2021-2022 budget. Liccardo’s main focus is on creating jobs, helping local businesses get back...
How much will your San Jose water bill be in 2021?
Driven by maintenance costs and supply price increases, higher water bills could be coming to San Jose residents as soon as July—despite pandemic-related hardships and resident pushback. Read more to learn about increases from your specific provider by selecting them below. Santa Clara Valley Water District | San Jose Water | Great Oaks Water Company | San Jose...
Street races: San Jose could target sideshow promoters
As illegal street racers continue to terrorize San Jose neighborhoods, city leaders are pushing forward a new law to target sideshow promoters and supporters. The committee that sets agendas for the San Jose City Council has unanimously approved a plan to make it illegal to promote racing on social media or elsewhere. Councilmember Dev Davis said SJPD’s...
Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone has run mostly unopposed for decades. Now he could face a challenger
First he launched one of the world’s first online-dating sites, now Gary Kremen — vice-chair of the Santa Clara Valley Water District and founder of Match.com — could be Santa Clara County’s next assessor. Kremen told San José Spotlight he’s strongly considering challenging incumbent County Assessor Larry Stone in 2022. “Many folks have asked me to look at...
Gunshot detection technology is ready for testing in San Jose
San Jose is ready to launch its gunshot detection pilot program with hopes of decreasing crime in the Cadillac Winchester Neighborhood, an area in West San Jose historically impacted by gun violence. The San Jose Police Department will host virtual community meetings on March 17 and 18 so residents can learn more about gunshot detection...
San Jose mayor celebrates school reopenings as critics fight back
Mayor Sam Liccardo claimed a political victory when the San Jose Unified School District announced recently it would reopen for indoor instruction April 21. But advocates say the mayor and his new advocacy group had nothing to do with the decision. In a mass email from Liccardo’s recently-formed organization Solutions San Jose, he praised the district’s decision...
A ‘history of complicity’: Business group explores how to help the housing crisis
A powerful business organization known to push back against low-income housing policies could change its stance to help solve San Jose’s housing crisis. That was the sentiment this week at the Silicon Valley Organization’s first housing committee meeting of the year. The meeting Wednesday brought developers and housing advocates — two often clashing groups —...
San Jose makes it easier to open COVID-19 vaccine clinics
In its quest to help Santa Clara County quickly distribute COVID-19 vaccines, San Jose will relax land-use rules to get vaccination stations up and running. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to bypass the usual permitting process required for hosting outdoor events so more vaccination clinics can open in vulnerable neighborhoods. “I appreciate...
San Jose leaders to give housing developers a break on park fees
Desperate to see more housing built in San Jose, lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday to give developers a break on fees at the expense of local parks. Housing developers are required to either add parks and community centers into their project plans or pay a fee to the city that will go toward supporting parks in...
San Jose commission mulling ‘strong mayor’ plan stresses equity in outreach
After three meetings, a new San Jose commission tasked with reshaping San Jose’s governance has not yet dug into switching to a strong mayor system — the main reason the commission was formed. The city’s Charter Review Commission is tasked with helping the San Jose City Council decide whether the mayor should have more power...