Signs supporting Tara Sreekrishnan lined the lawn beside PepperMint, an Indian restaurant in Sunnyvale. Inside, Sreekrishnan greeted dozens of supporters who helped themselves to a mouthwatering array of noodles, curries and other cuisines. The people who entered came from all different backgrounds and communities. In one corner was a group of Korean Americans showing their...
Election 2024: Assembly District 26 director ready to move up
Patrick Ahrens donned a brown apron embroidered with the words “Baskin Robins” on his birthday. He doled out scoops of ice cream to dozens of supporters and potential voters, flavors ranging from Baseball Nut and Jamoca Almond Fudge to mint chocolate chip. The candidate for the District 26 state Assembly seat said the ice cream...
San Jose leaders push Proposition 36 as critics fight back
A coalition of elected officials that Gov. Gavin Newsom dismissed as “just a couple mayors,” is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in an effort to reverse lenient rules on retail and drug crimes. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan announced the “Yes on 36” ballot measure committee with Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and Sacramento...
Silicon Valley LGBTQ+ student safety at risk with state lawsuit
LGBTQ+ students in California will have legal protection against being outed at school starting next year, but not everyone’s on board — and a recent lawsuit could spell the bill’s end before it even begins. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth, or SAFETY Act, into law last month...
Silicon Valley state candidates almost even in donations
Thousands of dollars are backing two longtime Sacramento insiders, who have stepped into the limelight in a race to represent Silicon Valley in the California Legislature. Patrick Ahrens and Tara Sreekrishnan are vying to represent State Assembly District 26. The candidates’ financials through June 30 show Sreekrishnan has more than $20,000 more cash on hand than...
Newsom says San Jose should take urgent action on homeless camps
Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling on local governments such as San Jose to use state funds for urgent action to address “dangerous” homeless encampments. Newsom’s executive order on Thursday suggests notifying homeless residents at least 48 hours before an incoming sweep. Locally, San Jose tends to give more notice, as officials want to enforce a...
State bill affecting Santa Clara County landlines pulled after backlash
A state bill that would have let AT&T off the hook for emergency landline service — circumventing state regulators and affecting remote pockets of Santa Clara County — is on hold after public backlash. Assembly Bill 2797 has been pulled from the California Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee meeting slated for Tuesday. It comes...
Silicon Valley voters won’t see anti-tax measure on November ballot
The California Supreme Court has blocked an anti-tax ballot measure that faced fierce opposition from local officials, unions and activists in Santa Clara County. The panel’s unanimous decision on Thursday orders Secretary of State Shirley Weber not to place the measure on the November ballot, which if approved would have brought all statewide tax increases...
San Jose lawmaker introduces bill requiring automatic recounts
After a controversial congressional recount spurred by dark money, one lawmaker is introducing a bill to mandate automatic recounts for statewide elections with tight margins. Assembly Bill 996, authored by Assemblymember Evan Low, calls for any statewide election with a margin of less than 25 votes or 0.25% of the cast ballots to be subjected...
Santa Clara County could lose millions if Newsom changes law
Santa Clara County may lose millions of property tax dollars to charter schools while teetering on the edge of a fiscal cliff. That could happen under a law change that Gov. Gavin Newsom wants approved to tackle the state’s own cash-strapped budget this year. It stems from a yearslong fight between the state and five...