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...
Editorial: Silicon Valley candidates behaving badly
As we enter the final stretch to election day, nasty campaigning has reached full throttle. No matter the rationale behind this negative form of vote-getting, none of it provides any value to a voter’s decision-making process, unless sensationalism is the new guidepost. Attacking a candidate’s character offers no insight into a candidate’s platform, or how...
Editorial: Our lawsuit could defend democracy in San Jose—and beyond
This story is part of a project called Democracy Day, in which newsrooms across the country are shining a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it. Why would a small local news organization sue the 10th largest city in the country? What could it possibly gain? The legal costs are...
Editorial: No vote equals no voice in San Jose’s elections
The second Tuesday in November has all the makings of becoming one of the most significant midterm elections in San Jose history. Still, that history making moment could be a washout if voter participation is low. We won’t know how San Jose fares until the final results, but surprises can happen when voter engagement is...
Editorial: San Jose is a secret foodie hotspot
When is comes to dining out, you might think of Los Gatos and Saratoga or places further up the peninsula before San Jose comes to mind. Restaurants are not often clustered in San Jose as they are in San Pedro Square in the downtown core. That makes it difficult to scout places to eat in...
Editorial: Use old San Jose City Hall for one-stop homeless services
In a week’s span, two decisions were made that on the surface had absolutely no correlation. Yet in a circuitous way, they did. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize an additional $1 million to the Vietnamese American Service Center. The center which opened last October is a phenomenal success. The new...
Editorial: VTA needs a culture change to improve worker morale
One year ago today, nine people lost their lives in a mass shooting among more than 100 workers on site at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Agency. They ranged in age from 29 to 63. They left families, friends and co-workers who would never hear “good morning” or “good night” again. From that moment on,...
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...
Editorial: San Jose’s Winchester Urban Village Plan could get messy
San Jose has a three-mile vision for the west side of the city that will change Winchester Boulevard forever. The Winchester Urban Village Plan stretches from Interstate 280 to just shy of E. Hamilton Avenue. The goal is to seamlessly develop this portion of the Winchester Boulevard corridor with compatible architecture, open space and expansive...
Editorial: Santa Clara County’s one-size solution fails homeless residents
Rats. Trash. Desperation. Mental illness. Humanitarian crisis. These words define the conditions at the sprawling Columbus Park homeless encampment in San Jose. No matter how many millions of dollars San Jose and Santa Clara County throw at homelessness, if the premise to the solution is flawed, then the problem cannot be fixed. And therein lies the...