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One important aspect of environmentalism is knowing when to take a break. News feeds are dire right now, and without diminishing the gravity of contemporary events, we need a win. So, I am taking this opportunity to highlight some good environmental news. The world, the United States and the residents of San Jose—and our elected...
Op-ed: Basic aid community colleges must start listening to students
Student enrollment has declined sharply at community colleges. Why then, are community college districts ignoring student preferences in course offerings? We are faculty union leaders from three Bay Area community-funded college districts, also known as “basic aid.” Rather than being funded by enrollment, our colleges receive local property tax money to offer classes and services and run...
Bramson: Locking people away isn’t the answer to our mental health crisis
When Randle Patrick McMurphy was locked up in an asylum in Ken Kensey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the 1962 novel directly exposed readers to the institutional horrors that had been going on for a long time in the United States. Led by Nurse Ratched, patients at the so-called hospital were neglected, abused and...
Khamis: Beyond housing—addressing factors that impact homelessness
Throughout Santa Clara County, we have all seen the growing number of people living on our streets and waterways. The number of people struggling with homelessness continues to rise, even though we have passed new taxes like 2016’s Measure A which promised to build 5,000 units over 10 years. Another tax, 2020’s Measure E, promised...
Waite: San Jose budget should focus on core services
Proving yet again that government spending is “sticky downward” and all new programs should be reviewed skeptically, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo opens his March budget message by lamenting, “If we wished merely to maintain the level of services we currently provide San Jose residents into the next year, we would commence our budget decision-making...
Kohli: Addressing the unique health care needs of our AAPI communities
All too often our Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are seen and described as a monolith. However, our AAPI neighbors, who comprise more than one-third of Santa Clara County’s population, embody a vast array of nationalities and languages that span roughly half the globe. Their diversity in history, culture and lifestyle means AAPI communities...
Op-ed: Valley Water progressing on projects to reduce flood risk along Coyote Creek
So far this winter, we’ve had an incredibly wet December followed by the driest January on record in San Jose. Although Santa Clara County is currently in a drought emergency, we can’t predict how much rain we’ll receive in the future. Valley Water is continuing our work on projects to reduce the risk of flooding...
Staedler: San Jose permitting moving in the right direction
San Jose has been working on a more robust online permit system over the last several years. It’s called the Rapid Online Service Intake (ROSI) and had a full launch on Jan. 24. Per the city presentation at the Smart Cities and Service Improvements Committee meeting on March 3, ROSI allows customers to submit their plans...
Brammer: Smoke and Mirrors—An investor’s dream was my memory care nightmare
I am the caregiver for my mom who has resided in a variety of institutional settings. It’s emotional to share this very personal, six-year long-term care journey we have been on. Having to revisit these traumatic experiences triggers unhealed wounds. But it’s critical to bring visibility to another segment of long-term care that is focused...
Seaver: How do we address ongoing supply chain challenges?
Throughout the past year, consumers and businesses have had to adjust to scarcity in ways that our area and our nation have not experienced in quite some time. Signs reading “due to supply shortages, some items are temporarily unavailable,” or a variation thereof, are common sights in our community. We have heard from coffee shops...