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First, congratulations to Matt Mahan for winning the San Jose mayor’s race. He wasn’t my choice, but I wish him the best of success. Mahan won the race for mayor, but his opponent Cindy Chavez did not lose. Electorally, San Jose is a tale of two cities. One, a voting majority made up of neighborhoods...
Editorial: Why did Santa Clara County rush its CEO hiring?
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors had a rare opportunity to right a wrong after twice violating state transparency rules in a closed-door meeting, and they blew it. After San José Spotlight this month exposed Brown Act violations linked to a secretive decision to appoint a new county executive and questioned the rush to hire, officials admitted...
Dewan: More arts funding coming to California public schools
Only about one in five California public schools have a full-time arts or music program, and these programs are typically the first to be reduced from school budgets during economic downturns. Prop. 28, the Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act, is poised to change that. Beginning next year, the state will be...
Shaw: The season of reflection
It’s that time of year again where we begin to gather with family and friends, put on extra pounds and spend way too much money. Its hard to believe Thanksgiving is next week, because the year has gone by so fast. But nevertheless, the holiday season is here, and it’s often when people take time...
Zimmerman: Want a recession-resistant job? Go green
The Inflation Reduction Act is expected to create over half-a-million new jobs in the renewable energy sector. In a recent interview with LinkedIn’s Head of Sustainability Peggy Brannigan, she notes that green skills are a great way to secure an in-demand, well-paying position in today’s job market. Brannigan has a lot of evidence back this...
Op-ed: Maximize building heights to make more affordable homes
In Silicon Valley, everyone knows we need more affordable homes. Our passion for this issue is why we became members of Catalyze SV’s Project Advocacy Committee. As volunteers, we join with other dedicated Silicon Valley residents to give constructive input on how to build better projects. We provide feedback in categories like sustainability, vibrancy and transportation....
Op-ed: San Jose shouldn’t give special exemption to enable development on open space
We oppose a last-minute exception for private recreation and open space areas citywide that has now been bundled with a proposal to eliminate an obstacle to the development of housing in areas zoned for it. The last-minute exception, added to a proposed Council Policy 5-1 update, would allow private recreation and open space to be...
Bramson: The problem with state withholdings when our pockets are empty
Imagine waking up to the smell of smoke and looking out the window only to see a fire in your backyard. Once you get out of the house safely with your loved ones, you’re probably going to call the fire department for help putting out the inferno. But what if when the brave firefighters showed...
Silver Taube: California must lead on retaliation reforms to dismantle workplace inequality
Retaliation against workers who speak up when they have had their workplace rights violated through wage theft, sexual harassment or other unlawful abuses is prevalent in California. It functions to undercut all of California’s labor laws, turning our strong, clear legal standards into an inconsistent mess in the reality of workplace interactions. Retaliation takes many...
Staedler: A San Jose housing study session to nowhere
San Jose held a study session on Nov. 1 during the regularly scheduled city council meeting. It was the fourth they’ve held over the last several years. The city hired Century Urban LLC to perform a conceptual feasibility analysis and then brought several Urban Land Institute members to give their perspective on the difficulty of building...