I walked the picket lines a few months ago speaking to VTA drivers on strike. These proud members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 had overwhelmingly voted in favor of going on strike, but the impression I got was they were not eager to do so. They felt compelled to strike after many of...
Santos: A strong water year, but conservation and planning remain essential
This year, the water outlook for Santa Clara County is encouraging. After three wet winters, local and state reservoirs are in good shape and our groundwater basins are healthy. Valley Water expects to run a full groundwater recharge program this year, which means many percolation ponds will likely stay full through summer and fall. This...
Collins: Why is title insurance important?
When purchasing property, every penny counts, especially with the high cost of housing. It is only natural to question all the miscellaneous fees attached to the process. However, title insurance is an essential service. “Title” is the legal right to use or own property and title insurance protects you from legal challenges to your title....
García: East Side — Do the right thing for fair election reform
The California Voting Rights Act of 2001 specifically “prohibits the use of an at-large election in a political subdivision if it would impair the ability of a protected class, as defined, to elect candidates of its choice.” Protected class is defined in the act as voters who are members of a race, color or language...
Op-ed: Veteran family welcomes new neighbors to Bristol Hotel
We’ve lived in the neighborhood near the Bristol Hotel for nearly a decade, raising our children and investing in our community. Like many, we watched in sadness the recent meeting where community members shared their opposition to the planned conversion of the hotel into transitional housing for women and children. What stood out most was...
Padilla: San Jose leaders need to be held accountable
Politics is a sector fraught with unsavory decisions, hypocrisy and many actors who make us all at some point say: How the hell did that person get into office? On this last point, we had a moment just recently in San Jose where a group of councilmembers and political staffers were caught venerating Tammany Hall,...
Editorial: Immigrants are the backbone of Santa Clara County
Nearly 40 years ago, two parents clutched their frightened daughters’ hands to make a treacherous overnight escape from war-torn Iran in the 1980s. The family couldn’t carry more than a suitcase of family photos and mementos. They narrowly fled air bombs dropped by Saddam Hussein’s regime on their country, fleeing buildings and hospitals where tarps...
Gonzales: Closing Silicon Valley’s digital divide is a moral and economic imperative
Silicon Valley has earned its reputation as the epicenter of global innovation. This region has consistently pushed boundaries and opened doors, from artificial intelligence breakthroughs to world-changing startups. As president of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, I’ve seen firsthand how access to technology and opportunity can transform lives, especially for our youth pursuing high-demand...
Khamis: ADA reform bill can stop legal shakedown that’s hurting Californians
Californians are paying a steep price — not just in courtrooms, but at the cash register — because of a broken civil justice system that allows systemic abuse of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Small businesses, the backbone of our neighborhoods, are under siege from waves of lawsuits often filed over minor, technical violations....
Silver Taube: Militarized workplace immigration raids batter the economy
In recent days, we have seen an escalation and militarization of workplace raids as the Trump administration has grown frustrated at the pace of deportations. One ICE official told the Washington Examiner last month that Stephen Miller asked ICE staff: ‘Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?’ On June 6, ICE...