The deeply troubling comments of the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) Director Scott Knies shows the toxic nature of the national political scene has fully infected San Jose. It has never been clearer to me than when I witnessed Knies going off the rails at his yearly member meeting. It is generally a victory lap...
Tonkel: On the Ellis Act vote, we must protect, preserve, produce
Here in Silicon Valley, we are in the midst of an affordable housing and displacement crisis and it’s time we act like it. We host discussions on preventing displacement and talk about the value of preserving affordable homes but behind the scenes, our leaders are moving to gut our most important affordable housing preservation policy,...
Vargas: The attack on Katie Hill is a gay-bashing
The saga of Congresswoman Katie Hill’s resignation provides a stark illustration of how LGBTQ continue to be victimized in public life. On Oct. 18, Red State, a trashy, right wing blog with the journalistic integrity no better than 4Chan, published a trove of revenge porn provided by Hill’s abusive soon-to-be ex-husband. If you expected a...
Celaya: Why I support the Santa Clara County SEIU 521 strike
In addition to being a candidate for Santa Clara County supervisor in District 2, I have been employed with the county for more than 17 years in different capacities. I am also a small business owner and a social justice activist in San Jose. It is very interesting that when it comes to organizing workers’...
Roberts: Cheaper housing: another method or a new paradigm?
All throughout California, everyone is talking about how we need to create cheaper housing for people who are homeless. As homelessness increases throughout the state, and millions and millions of taxpayer dollars have been invested in homeless services and housing, the people who paid those taxes are losing their patience. The media has picked up...
Philbrick: Transportation plays a critical role in emergencies
Thirty years ago the San Andreas Fault ruptured near Loma Prieta Peak, 10 miles northeast of Santa Cruz, creating the largest urban earthquake in more than 80 years. That magnitude 6.9 earthquake took 63 lives and injured another 3,757. In 2018, the Camp Fire tore through Northern California communities becoming the deadliest and most destructive...
Funk: School partnerships support quality public education
My column published on Aug. 19 on Cristo Rey Jesuit High School focused on two public policy issues: Using public funds to underwrite the tuition at a Catholic high school and the procurement process that was used by the San Jose City Manager’s office. In all my columns, I have tried to share educational issues...
Breland: SJECCD supports undocumented student week of action
The San Jose – Evergreen Community College District (SJECCD) is committed to the proposition that quality, affordable higher education, job training and career development opportunities should be available and accessible to every individual and family in California, regardless of ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, age, gender or socioeconomic status. As such, our board of...
Bramson: Home is where the health is
Recently, on a trip down to LA, I found myself in a cab talking to the driver about homelessness. This happens to me a lot, but in Los Angeles, home to nearly 60,000 unhoused residents, almost every person you meet has come into some sort of contact with the crisis. A personal experience, an opinion...
Vargas: Why you should care about Aimee Stephens
Aimee Stephens worked as a funeral director and embalmer at R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan from 2008 to 2013. By all accounts, she was a model employee, friendly and respectful to clients, and never disciplined by the owner. In 2013, Aimee, who was presenting as a man at the time, informed the...