The rush to change the City Charter to a strong mayor form of government is a rush that is driven not as much by need but by political expediency by special interests. The voters, if the measure goes to the November ballot, will be asked to lengthen the term of the current mayoral office holder,...

A house divided can fall and the city of San Jose is barely standing. The infighting, regionalism and special interests are tearing the city apart and preventing the approval of policies that could move us forward together. From business opportunities, homelessness, natural and manmade emergencies, the operations of city government is slow, lethargic and often...

Cupertino has a long history of being at the forefront of innovation. It is the home of Apple Computer, after all. Now, in 2020, I see everyone around me adapting and changing to meet the challenges of COVID-19 and it makes it obvious that we are a community that continues to lead by growing, innovating...

I learned early on in life about a sometimes invisible and vulnerable segment of our community — the developmentally disabled. Although not a large population in Santa Clara County, and despite their disabilities, they and their caretakers have admirably advocated for their needs. So, I did what I could over the years as an elected...

For those of you who believe All Lives Matter — you’re correct. I do not believe you’ll ever see or hear anyone in the Black Lives Matter movement say different. There is anger, angst, anxiety, sorrow, remembrance — right now, there are a plethora of feelings that have materialized due to recent events, and they...

On the afternoon protesters shut down Southbound 101 in San Jose, I was working in a mobile clinic parked by the local jail, where COVID-19, law enforcement and race converge in real time. Examining my patient, I paused for a few seconds, stethoscope hovering over his chest, as the whir of a helicopter passed. My...

Traffic congestion will return. When it does, we need a better plan. What could that possibly be? Spending billions of dollars and decades of delays, to get only minor improvements, should no longer be acceptable. How about a little innovation? Can we make it faster, easier and cheaper? Let’s be frank, we’re not going to...

This is a difficult time for our country. I remain outraged by the scene of brutality and reckless disregard for human life we witnessed at the hands of the since-fired Minneapolis police officer, now charged with second-degree murder. We must acknowledge this is not the first incident of injustice affecting our black community, and I...

Dear Chief Eddie Garcia, I find myself enraged, exhausted and emotionally broken in the midst of social unrest from yet another public execution of a black man by state sanctioned officers. And I’m further enraged by San Jose leadership’s failure to recognize their own role in perpetuating said conditions seen across the country. I am...

If you see something, say something. Every police force has a certain degree of “Blue Silence” — good cops who see bad behavior by fellow officers, and say nothing. The high school bully that becomes a cop, and applies just a little more force than necessary against a minority or vulnerable citizen. The cop who...