Milpitas is hoping to hold on to a revenue stream dedicated toward city services and keep its budget from falling into the red. The Milpitas City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a resident survey to gauge support for a ballot measure this November that would extend Measure F, a citywide quarter-cent sales tax which sunsets...
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Santa Clara County expands use of license plate readers
License plate reading cameras are about to become more common along Silicon Valley roadways. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an expansion of license plate reading cameras, adding coverage of unincorporated county areas that have not been annexed into neighboring cities. The expansion was approved without funding, which the Santa...
Santa Clara County won’t appeal 49ers tax break ruling
A yearslong debate over whether the 49ers should be allowed a multimillion-dollar property tax break for Levi’s Stadium has come to a close. Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone says he will not appeal a recent Superior Court ruling that upheld a decision to significantly reduce the tax burden associated with the stadium for the...
UPDATE: Santa Clara County caps spending for district projects
In light of looming budget challenges, Santa Clara County supervisors will cap how much money they give to various organizations in their districts. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors today voted to cap community spending per district at $1 million. They also directed county employees to come back at a future meeting with options...
The Biz Beat: Poor House Bistro is a bit of New Orleans in San Jose’s Little Italy
There’s something improbable about the existence of Poor House Bistro in San Jose, as if the fates were playing a game of chance with unlikely twists and turns that made this stellar New Orleans-themed restaurant land in the center of Little Italy. Take the building itself, built as a sorority house in the 19th century....
Silicon Valley lawmaker targets AI political misinformation
Before election season heats up, one state lawmaker wants to eliminate potential threats from artificial intelligence spreading misinformation in political advertising. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who represents District 28, plans to introduce a bill in the coming weeks to ban political advertising materials deceptively altered through AI. District 28 includes Santa Cruz, Los Gatos and parts of San Jose,...
South Bay boosters want bigger bump from 2026 Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is returning to the South Bay in 2026, and local movers and shakers hope to get the region more shine than it received last time around, when San Francisco drew the lion’s share of the fans and revenue. Some leaders suggest San Jose and its boosters should work to undercut and outcompete...
Silicon Valley minimum wage bump doesn’t cover costs
The minimum wage is going up across Silicon Valley in January, but it won’t be high enough to cover the rising expenses of daily living. Although minimum wage is going up as high as $18.55 in Sunnyvale, workers and business owners say the increases aren’t enough to make a dent in the region’s expensive rent...
2023 in review: The top 10 Biz Beat stories
One of the great pleasures of compiling stories for The Biz Beat is meeting remarkable restaurant owners and soaking up their enthusiasm. Having the chance to stand in a corner of a kitchen and watch them prepare their dishes is a joy and an education. Their stories are diverse, from those who learned recipes by...
Santa Clara reserves fall short of revenue needs
Santa Clara’s budget deficit has shrunk dramatically, but city officials warn that new tax strategies are necessary to build up long-suffering coffers. City officials told the Santa Clara City Council this month the $27 million deficit has dropped to about $9 million. But to maintain this downward trend, city employees recommended some adjustments to the...