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South Bay voters headed to the polls Tuesday after a long and often divisive campaign season that saw deep division between Silicon Valley’s two powerful political camps — business and labor — and widespread fallout from a racist campaign image from business lobby. READ MORE: Find a vote center or ballot drop box here. Like...
Santa Clara council candidates, 49ers, police union point fingers over campaign donations
The San Francisco 49ers have now poured millions more into a campaign to unseat Mayor Lisa Gillmor’s allies on the Santa Clara City Council — drawing the ire of the city’s police union. The NFL team initially invested $250,000 into a PAC to help elect Anthony Becker, Suds Jain, Harbir Bhatia and Kevin Park. The...
Santa Clara lawmaker calls herself environmental candidate but owns lucrative oil and coal stock
Teresa O’Neill has touted herself the environmental candidate for Santa Clara City Council but a review by this news organization found the councilmember owns up to $1.02 million in stocks in oil and coal-mining companies, according to her recent Form 700 disclosures. On her ballot statement and in various interviews, O’Neill has cited fighting climate...
Service workers caravan from San Jose to Sacramento for labor protections
More than a dozen drivers honked their horns as they circled around Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose with “sign AB 3216” inscribed on their car windows. Their message was directed to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who they want to sign Assembly Bill 3216, which is designed to provide significant labor protections for hotel, janitorial,...
Candidates say Santa Clara City Council is underrepresented by minorities
Only 45% of Santa Clara residents are white, according to the 2010 census. However, out of six City Council seats, one mayor and one vice mayor, there is only one councilmember who is not white. “We are in a minority-majority city and not having a councilmember of color, of minority, for so long — it...
Protesters vandalize San Jose mayor’s house
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s home was vandalized Friday night by protesters who marched to the mayor’s house after spending the afternoon protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Liccardo, along with a handful of his neighbors, scrubbed off the graffiti late Friday after protesters ran off. Earlier Friday, about 150 protesters marched near San...
Probation union rallies in San Jose to end systematic racism
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez walked on stage but before she could speak, a group of young children shouted from a distance, “Black Lives Matter!” While cheers erupted from the crowd, she smiled from ear to ear and responded, “That is the future that is here right now. That is awesome.” About 80 people...
COVID-19 workplace complaints pile up in South Bay but lack follow-up
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Workers showed up to work sick with COVID-19 symptoms. Management hid positive test results from employees. Supervisors banned phones to prevent documenting unsafe facilities. These are some of the allegations many South Bay workers have made since Santa Clara County began to ease shelter-in-place restrictions to allow some businesses to...
Santa Clara County approves Caltrain sales tax measure
Caltrain moved one step closer to being saved when the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a sales tax measure Tuesday to keep the rail running. “I appreciate that folks weren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves, keep talking and get us to ‘yes,'” said Board President Cindy Chavez. However, to be placed on...
Caltrain’s future in limbo after Santa Clara County defers tax measure
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to defer the decision for a Caltrain ballot measure to a special meeting on Aug. 6 — the last day to approve measures for the November ballot. In the final item of a 10-hour meeting Tuesday, county lawmakers considered a proposed ballot measure for a one-eighth...