San Jose has extended the deadline for a small business grant program through this month, but confusion lingers about who is eligible. Small businesses now have until 5 p.m. on June 30 to apply. The program aims to provide up to $15,000 in funding to 300 small businesses, targeting back rent and utility debts incurred...
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Santa Clara County officials approve budget over jail objections
Santa Clara County officials approved the budget for the coming year, ignoring last-minute objections from residents over hundreds of millions of dollars set aside for a new jail. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to approve the $11.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2022-23, which starts July 1. The majority of the county’s expenditures go...
San Jose budget tackles homelessness and public safety
San Jose has more money to spend this fiscal year and officials are prioritizing homelessness, public safety, fighting blight, environmental sustainability and equitable economic recovery. On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved the $5.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2022-23. The city has $212 million more dollars to fund its 20 departments and various programs than...
San Jose officials squash airport billboard proposal
San Jose officials have nixed a proposal to build a digital billboard near the airport, marking a victory for activists fighting the expansion of billboards around the city. Director of Aviation John Aitken said the site for a proposed billboard on I-880 near Mineta San Jose International Airport was “not a viable location.” In a letter sent...
San Jose’s free meals feed students during summer
The school year may have ended, but hunger never takes a break. San Jose is covering the food gap for low-income youth up to age 18 through the Summer Food Service Program, a federally-funded, state-administered program that allows the city to distribute meals. Outside of school, food insecurity is a harsh reality for low-income youth. The...
Take a peek inside the new Eataly in San Jose
The tastes, smells and experiences of Italy are coming to San Jose in a three-story, all-in-one artisanal market and restaurant space. Eataly Silicon Valley opens at the Westfield Valley Fair mall on June 16. The latest opening is part of 41 locations across the world, and Raffaele Piarulli, chief operating officer of Eataly, is thrilled to be...
San Jose’s decades-long pension problems level out
For the first time in years, San Jose’s mayor is working with a balanced budget, which means more funding for city services. The city’s pension and retirement costs are declining for the first time in two decades due to double-digit investment returns. The rate of return reached a record high in 2021. “This is pretty historic,” Jim Shannon,...
San Jose residents see water rate hikes once again
Water rates are increasing in July for San Jose residents in several neighborhoods. This week, the City Council unanimously approved increasing drinking and recycled water rates for the next fiscal year. The increase impacts customers of San Jose Municipal Water System, which serves about 136,000 residents in the North San Jose, Alviso, Evergreen, Edenvale and Coyote...
UPDATE: Proposal to cut Milpitas City Council benefits fails to get support
A proposal by Milpitas Councilmember Karina Dominguez to eliminate health benefits for her and her colleagues and level the playing field for part-time city workers did not receive enough support for further discussion by the council during Tuesday’s meeting. Councilmember Anthony Phan was the only official who called to place the item on a future...
UPDATE: San Jose residents will pay more for garbage services
San Jose residents aren’t just paying more for gas—they’ll soon pay more to take out the trash too. The City Council unanimously approved rate increases for garbage collection at Tuesday’s meeting. In July, rates will increase 8% for single-family homes and 4% for multi-family homes. Officials attribute the need to increase rates to rising costs...