Starting in 1986, there have been periodic attempts by some elected officials to close Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV). In 2018, Santa Clara County voted to stop accepting Federal Aviation Administration funds for airport safety improvements, in an attempt to angle for a possible 2031 closure. Pursuant to that, in 2020, the county commissioned a lead study of...

My family has been distressed by Reid-Hillview Airport for decades. And it all stems from our East San Jose community being marginalized and our concerns over safety, lead and noise downplayed at every turn. The one constant: a dismissive, kick-the-can-down-the-road attitude toward preparing for Reid-Hillview’s closure and the harm the airport has done. The marginalization...

As chair of the Vision Zero Task Force, I announced on Feb. 29 that the task force will be coming to a close at the end of this year. Understandably, this has left some community members and street safety advocates concerned about the future of Vision Zero in San Jose. I empathize with these concerns;...

San Jose’s mayor recently released his 2024 budget message, emphasizing the city’s urgent need to address homelessness. As a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Board of Silicon Valley, I know firsthand the pain and hardship of this crisis. Yet, the mayor’s proposed plan reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue and a worrying emphasis...

Over the last century, the U.S. population 65 and older grew five times faster than Americans overall. Not surprisingly, labor statistics reflected that growth — employment of those 65 and older grew 117% during that same period. And while many older Americans left the workforce during the pandemic as part of the “Great Retirement,” some...

Most electric vehicles are so economical that the savings, compared to a gas powered car, pay for the price in five to 10 years for the average driver. Five dollars or more a gallon pumped by you at an unhealthy gas station. Annual oil changes and tune ups. Often more expensive insurance and DMV fees....

When I worked at Wienerschnitzel in high school, my dream was to one day own a sports bar in my hometown of San Jose. I imagined decorating with 49ers, Giants, Warriors and Sharks memorabilia. I changed course slightly and I now own three Wienerschnitzel restaurants in Santa Clara County. My restaurants are my pride and...

As Yogi Berra famously said, this is deja vu all over again. San Jose is setting up a replay of the same budget battle it went through last year. Once again, Mayor Matt Mahan and his allies are floating a proposal to redirect Measure E funds away from permanent affordable housing and into emergency solutions...

On March 5, Californians will be asked to vote on Proposition 1 — creating housing and a range of treatment options for the state’s unhoused citizens with complex mental health and substance use conditions. We know this proposition has trade-offs, as any piece of legislation does. But will this move California forward in addressing homelessness...

Prior to the 2022 San Jose mayoral runoff, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility opined that “Mahan …is a vocal advocate of measuring results and holding government accountable. He recognizes the failures of more than a decade of pouring money into affordable housing complexes, now costing up to $1,000,000 per door…” We are pleased that Mayor Matt...