On July 28, Amazon warehouse worker Fernanda Torres filed a class action lawsuit alleging the company failed to provide lactation accommodations in violation of the law. Torres alleged Amazon’s breastfeeding workers are forced to take unpaid breaks to pump milk and risk discipline for not meeting quotas. She also alleged breastfeeding workers often wait in...
Cortese: Modest reforms to California sentencing law would address extreme injustices
Have you ever wondered why two people who get charged with exactly the same crime get sentenced to completely different prison terms? The answer is something called “judicial discretion.” It means that, in the absence of a fixed rule, and with regard to what is fair and equitable under the circumstances and the law, a...
Wheatley: Cambrian Village is a strong step forward for San Jose
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday will consider approving the Cambrian Village mixed-use project that would bring 428 much-needed new homes to San Jose. Cambrian has a longtime history of being a social hub for the area, but it did not age like a fine wine. Today it stands a largely vacant strip mall...
Bramson: When the numbers don’t add up
Since 2015, over 20,000 people have left the streets to find permanent housing in Santa Clara County. Let that sink in for a second. It’s the population of many small cities in California. How have they found these new homes? It’s a combination of supportive services, rental subsidies, new affordable housing and crisis response. Often,...
Op-ed: Response to critique of empty homes tax
As the original folks who suggested San Jose look at an empty homes tax, we wanted to respond to Bob Staedler’s cursory critique of the idea. To start, Measure E is indeed a crucial means of funding affordable housing in San Jose. We both publicly and passionately supported the measure when it came on the...
Philbrick: Making fareless transit a reality
Fareless transit is a tool in the mobility toolkit that has the potential to address ridership and equity issues while fighting skyrocketing gas prices and climate change—but who will pay for it? Public transit provides a reliable, safe, climate-friendly and equitable method to get from point A to B. But as with so many other...
Rodríguez: Alternatives to paying for pricey textbooks
For first-time college students, the start of their first term is often a time of great excitement. Getting familiar with their campus and all it offers, meeting classmates, making new friends and learning from expert faculty in their chosen field of study all provide unique and stimulating experiences. One aspect of the college experience students...
Staedler: San Jose should be applauded for shelving vacant home tax
San Jose should be commended for shelving the ridiculous idea of taxing vacant homes. The housing crisis needs serious solutions and wasting staff time on such a frivolous item does not make any sense. San Jose voters passed Measure E on March 3, 2020. It enacted a real property transfer tax, which is imposed on...
Chandramouli: Leaded fuel is hurting East San Jose families
As a doctor, I know that lead is poison. Its effects are especially damaging to children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put it in stark terms: “Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect IQ, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement.” The effect can result in a permanent...
Collins: What’s really going on with the local housing market?
The headlines these days are quite ominous as they pertain to our current housing market. Residential sales are down substantially on a year-over-year basis, inventory is on the rise, and price reductions are becoming more common. What does this all mean for our local housing market here in Santa Clara County? There are a couple...