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The rush to change the City Charter to a strong mayor form of government is a rush that is driven not as much by need but by political expediency by special interests. The voters, if the measure goes to the November ballot, will be asked to lengthen the term of the current mayoral office holder,...
Kline: San Jose grew up, but its form of government remains small
A house divided can fall and the city of San Jose is barely standing. The infighting, regionalism and special interests are tearing the city apart and preventing the approval of policies that could move us forward together. From business opportunities, homelessness, natural and manmade emergencies, the operations of city government is slow, lethargic and often...
Roberts: Housing first or equity first?
Twenty years ago, the solution to homelessness seemed to be so simple. People who found themselves homeless would come to our agency in need of a bed. We would place them in a transitional housing program for a few months while helping them find a new job. Their only commitment was to adhere to a...
Austin: Enhanced senior living gives us the opportunity to build a stronger community
Cupertino has a long history of being at the forefront of innovation. It is the home of Apple Computer, after all. Now, in 2020, I see everyone around me adapting and changing to meet the challenges of COVID-19 and it makes it obvious that we are a community that continues to lead by growing, innovating...
Cortese: Celebrating the life of a disability rights champion
I learned early on in life about a sometimes invisible and vulnerable segment of our community — the developmentally disabled. Although not a large population in Santa Clara County, and despite their disabilities, they and their caretakers have admirably advocated for their needs. So, I did what I could over the years as an elected...
In Your Backyard: How police treat you when you’re homeless
Two weeks ago we watched in horror the ugly side of the San Jose Police Department. For many of us, the aggression and cruelty was a surprise. For the writers of the In Your Backyard column, this was the police force they’d known for decades. Below are three accounts of what it meant to face...
Watch: A live chat with current and formerly homeless ‘In Your Backyard’ columnists
Six months after our first ‘In Your Backyard’ column was published, the country and San Jose are in turmoil. As the pandemic and homelessness crises converge, it has become clear a lot more people are a lot more vulnerable than we thought. The columns we published from people who have faced homelessness and prevailed have...
Funk: Guidelines and funding for reopening schools is lacking
Everyday we hear something from either Gov. Gavin Newsom or State Superintendent Tony Thurmond about the need to open schools this fall for in-person learning. However, the support and guidelines has been shockingly lacking from the California State Department of Education or from the Governor’s Office. In fact, the COVID-19 Industry Guidance released on June...
Young: Black Lives Matter movement envisions a future that embraces all lives
For those of you who believe All Lives Matter — you’re correct. I do not believe you’ll ever see or hear anyone in the Black Lives Matter movement say different. There is anger, angst, anxiety, sorrow, remembrance — right now, there are a plethora of feelings that have materialized due to recent events, and they...
Abare: We can prove black and brown lives matter by emptying our jails
On the afternoon protesters shut down Southbound 101 in San Jose, I was working in a mobile clinic parked by the local jail, where COVID-19, law enforcement and race converge in real time. Examining my patient, I paused for a few seconds, stethoscope hovering over his chest, as the whir of a helicopter passed. My...