A dramatic change to fast-food worker protection could upend the franchise framework, and while labor advocates are happy to see it advance, franchise owners aren’t entirely onboard. State assemblymembers voted 43-13 on Thursday to approve amendments to Assembly Bill 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST). The bill envisions a state-appointed council to...
Grants for Santa Clara County microbusinesses will leave some hanging
COVID relief for very small businesses in Santa Clara County is on the horizon, but a bevy of rules may prevent it from reaching some struggling entrepreneurs. The county is waiting to receive $2.4 million from a California program that aids microbusinesses across the state. Once in hand, the county anticipates distributing $2,500 grants to...
Santa Clara soccer field parking lot could be new revenue stream
Santa Clara is eyeing the soccer field parking lot adjacent to Levi’s Stadium as a way to earn extra city revenue from stadium events when it’s not in use. Whether that’s feasible or not depends on a voter-approved law limiting how the city can use parks and open space. At a Santa Clara City Council...
The Biz Beat: For 40-plus years, Hicklebee’s in San Jose has brought stories to life
Sitting comfortably in an aisle of Hicklebee’s bookstore, Calvin, 11, shares a book with his 9-year-old brother, Malcolm. The boys look right at home, which isn’t surprising since their mom Emily Liu-Elizabeth has been bringing them there since they were born. Liu-Elizabeth herself has come to the shop since she was a little girl. “Bookstores...
San Jose airport sees big holiday crowds despite COVID
Large numbers of travelers braved Mineta San Jose International Airport over the holidays even as a new COVID-19 variant ripped through the Bay Area. An estimated 478,000 people traveled in and out of San Jose’s airport during peak holiday traffic in December. Airport spokesperson Keonnis Taylor said this data comes from the TSA, which recorded passenger traffic...
San Jose’s idea to launch a public bank is off the table
San Jose lawmakers explored forming a public bank a few years ago, but it went nowhere. The idea was introduced by Councilmembers Magdalena Carrasco, Sergio Jimenez and Raul Peralez in a 2019 memo, after San Jose received information that led to the city exploring a banking contract with JPMorgan Chase. The institution had been accused...
San Jose Flea Market payment opens door to vendors’ future
San Jose has recently received funds from the landowner of the Berryessa Flea Market to help transition vendors following last year’s City Council vote to rezone the property for future development. The Bumb family, who owns the land, wired the first $500,000 installment of $5 million a few days before the Jan. 1 deadline to...
What’s in store for Silicon Valley in 2022?
Lawmakers in Silicon Valley have wrapped up a tumultuous and busy year. 2021 was marked with major decisions that will have a lasting impact on the region—as well as those that lay the groundwork for future changes. With the world entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses struggling to recover, housing costs exploding and San...
Minimum wage in Silicon Valley going up in January
The new year will bring a bigger paycheck for those earning minimum wage in Silicon Valley. San Jose workers will see their hourly rate go from $15.45 to $16.20, while those in Mountain View and Sunnyvale will see theirs bump to $17.10 from $16.30—the highest minimum wage in the region. Once a national leader in increasing...
Santa Clara County property value grows despite COVID pandemic
When COVID-19 first emerged in early 2020, the Santa Clara County Assessor’s Office braced for a repeat of the Great Recession, when property value plummeted. Instead, 2021 boomed in residential and commercial property sales, even with a pandemic hanging over the South Bay. The Santa Clara County assessment roll—which includes the value of all real estate...