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I write today to highlight an example of egregious abuse of the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Since being elected in November 2020, I have received more than 69 Public Records Act (PRA) requests, including 49 from just one individual who has stated in emails that he is “fond of” Mayor Lisa Gillmor—and it’s widely...
Bethel: Vote for a new Santa Clara County assessor
Most voters probably have no idea what the office of Santa Clara County Assessor does, or why they should care. Some voters may think, “I haven’t heard of any scandals with this agency so I guess I’ll just go ahead and vote for the incumbent.” Don’t do it! Here’s why. The incumbent assessor, Larry Stone,...
Cortese: Remembering the honorable Norm Mineta
Norm Mineta and I served locally, starting during turbulent times with the Vietnam War, the War on Poverty and social unrest as we moved closer to the millennium. Norm was mayor of San Jose; I was a Santa Clara County supervisor. We saw each other often and stayed in touch, and it seemed like we...
Bramson: The fix for encampments in our backyards
Base pandering. Deceptive disinformation. Scare tactics. Impossible edicts. Rhetorical devices we’ve all become far too familiar with as it relates to what to do about the horror and impact of having people live on our streets. Facts are eschewed for flash judgements, while popular sentiment — as opposed to evidence-based solutions — begins to consume...
Alexander: The Supreme Court must answer to voters
The impending reversal of Roe v. Wade will demolish the revered role of the Supreme Court as simply interpreting the Constitution. Citizens United, a classic example of creating a decision that insulates the dark money of the ruling class from public accountability and enables despotic interests to gain power, is held in contempt by many....
Zisser: The lasting trauma of police violence
When Claudia was 10 years old, a San Jose police officer pointed his gun at her. Claudia—not her real name—had just walked home from school with her little brother and four other young kids. Now 40 and still a San Jose resident, Claudia didn’t tell me this at my office or in a meeting through a...
Mallon: The impact of COVID on Silicon Valley public transit
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on public transportation in Santa Clara County. Ridership and sales tax revenue plummeted. A ballot measure proposing a one-cent sales tax for transportation was put on pause. As someone who believes in public transit, it was hard to watch everything fall apart. Like many people, my school and...
Rodriguez: The number of high school students earning college credit is growing
Dual enrollment, a term sometimes used interchangeably with concurrent enrollment, provides students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school—without paying the cost of college tuition. While there are differences between dual and concurrent enrollment, both refer to programs by which high school students are able to take college courses taught...
Staedler: City data gives the public insight into challenges
Two hot topics that have come up recently are crime and traffic fatality data. The interpretation of this data is being debated. I’m not going to wade into the interpretation arena, I just want to bring attention to the fact that San Jose makes available various data sets to the public. On April 7, the...
Editorial: San Jose’s gun ordinance isn’t going to work
In about 90 days, San Jose’s gun harm reduction ordinance is supposed to take effect. The policy, the first of its kind in the nation, will apply to all San Jose residents who own firearms. Individuals will be required to pay a $25 annual fee and have liability insurance. San Jose officials said the program will raise...