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San Jose mayoral candidates spar over policies

The debate between the San Jose mayoral candidates is more than just business versus labor. Voters in November will decide if they want a freshman councilmember looking to shake things up or a longtime politician with institutional knowledge. San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez are battling it out for the...

Election 2022: Los Gatos candidates focus on budget woes

Three candidates for the Los Gatos Town Council all agree the town has a financial problem on its hands, with a projected roughly $4 million ongoing budget deficit beginning next year. While the candidates, who took part in a forum focused on town finances Tuesday night, all noted difficult choices lay ahead, they mostly avoided...

How San Jose City Hall transitions of power happen

This story is part of a project called Democracy Day, in which newsrooms across the country are shining a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it. Even though the San Jose mayoral election is nearly two months away, preparations are already well underway inside City Hall to ensure a smooth...

San Jose drops controversial tiny homes plan

After months of opposition, a controversial plan to build tiny homes in North San Jose has been dropped, but residents are still skeptical. The city is not moving forward with a plan to build 100 tiny homes at the Dr. Robert Gross Groundwater Recharge Park on Noble Avenue, according to a memo issued last week from Deputy City Manager Omar...

UPDATE: Dozens of condos proposed in West San Jose

A potentially historic West San Jose barn and cottage built near the turn of the 20th century should be demolished to make way for condominiums and ground floor businesses, the city’s Planning Commission recommended Wednesday. The vote was 8-1, with Commissioner Sylvia Ornelas-Wise dissenting, saying she thought the decision should be deferred until a plan...

UPDATE: San Jose police to further scrutinize use of body cams

The San Jose Police Department is updating how it reviews its use of body cameras, but changes are not as extensive as some hoped. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a new audit policy on Tuesday, which calls for the hiring of a senior analyst to monitor if police officers are correctly using body...

Tuition is free at these San Jose community colleges—for now

The COVID-19 pandemic and decreasing enrollment enabled San Jose community colleges to stretch free tuition to part-time students, but all that may be in jeopardy by next summer. The federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund gave Evergreen Valley and San Jose City colleges millions in funding to help students stay enrolled. Evergreen Valley College received...