San Jose has reached a tentative contract agreement with its public sector union workers, likely averting a strike and ending a monthslong standoff over demands for higher wages and workforce protections. The tentative agreement struck Thursday breaks a negotiation deadlock between city leaders and two major public sector unions, IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local...
49ers-backed PAC supports Santa Clara candidate, opposes another
The San Francisco 49ers want to tilt the scales in the team’s favor on the Santa Clara City Council by pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the District 2 race. Recent campaign finance filings show a political action committee — Affordable Santa Clara Supporting Williams and Opposing Inciarte for City Council 2026, sponsored by...
San Jose sets rules for delivery robots
San Jose’s experiment with autonomous food delivery robots is entering a new phase as the city prepares to roll out rules governing their use, including operating fees as well as fines for companies that run afoul of the new standards. The City Council greenlit a regulatory package Tuesday that will not only set the rules...
Palo Alto releases details on community center negotiations
Responding to community demands for more transparency ahead of what promises to be a tight election, Palo Alto’s city and school officials on Monday released previously undisclosed details about their negotiations over Cubberley Community Center land. According to a statement, the city is preparing to pay to the school district slightly more than what its...
San Jose candidates’ campaign dollars grow as election nears
San Jose’s three competitive City Council races have seen a surge in campaign donations since the June primary election, as six candidates battle it out ahead of November, according to the latest round of campaign filings. The roughly $240,000 in direct contributions raised between July 1 and Sept. 19 — which represents nearly a third of...
Gilroy enacts detention center moratorium after ICE fears
With a federal immigration enforcement facility planned just beyond city borders, Gilroy officials are following the path taken by other Bay Area cities in attempting to restrict more projects from being built. The Gilroy City Council on Monday unanimously approved a temporary, 45-day ban on new detention facilities on public- or private-owned property, with the...
How will South Bay transit change if tax increase fails?
Santa Clara County transportation projects could be hurt if a regional tax measure to fund public transit is rejected by voters on Nov. 3, but the impact would be less than other parts of the Bay Area — and the details of service reductions are unclear. Senate Bill 63, also known as the Regional Transit Measure,...
Santa Clara County residents urged to mail back ballots early
Residents across Santa Clara County are receiving their mail-in ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and local election officials are urging them to vote early. Vote by mail packets are going out to more than 1 million active registered voters in Santa Clara County this week. To ensure all votes are counted, officials with...
Santa Clara candidate faces complaint for exceeding donation limits
A Santa Clara official wants the city attorney to review mayoral candidate Kathy Watanabe’s campaign donations, alleging violations of the city’s donor limits. Councilmember Suds Jain’s Oct. 5 complaint said Watanabe’s July campaign filings reported $500 contributions each from Paul Larson and Michael McWalter, but the contribution limits per person are $380. The filing shows...
San Francisco 49ers spending big on Santa Clara mayoral race
Special interest groups are pouring money into Santa Clara’s mayoral race, with the San Francisco 49ers funding a political action committee that’s backing one candidate and opposing two others. Recent campaign finance filings show the PAC — Affordable Santa Clara Supporting Ferraris and Opposing Watanabe and Kertes for Mayor 2026, Sponsored by Forty Niners Football...