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After decades in local and state politics, Sally Lieber is ready to be a bridge between county government and the residents it serves. Lieber is running for the District 5 seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, which will be open in 2024 when current Supervisor Joe Simitian terms out. The district includes Mountain...
Longtime Santa Clara County politico looks to make history
Betty Duong is no stranger to being the first. Now, the longtime community advocate has her eye on being the first Vietnamese supervisor in Santa Clara County. Duong, 42, said she’s running for the District 2 Board of Supervisors seat and plans to make the announcement official in downtown San Jose this Sunday. Experts and...
Silicon Valley official makes bid for county supervisor
Longtime Mountain View Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga has more to give as she looks beyond serving in her city. Abe-Koga, 52, is the first to enter the race for the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors District 5 seat. She announced her bid to replace incumbent Supervisor Joe Simitian at a Lunar New Year event hosted by...
Proposed tax law threatens billions in San Jose funding
The San Jose City Council will decide whether to oppose a state ballot initiative Tuesday, which officials say would hobble the city’s ability to provide basic services. The initiative, dubbed the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, would make it more difficult for state and local governments to pass new taxes and fees. If passed, local governments...
Ex-San Jose mayor tells congressmember he’s likely running
One San Jose congresswoman may be fending off a challenge from former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo in the next election. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, up for reelection in 2024, said she received a call from Liccardo last week, letting her know he is considering running for her or Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s seat. Lofgren represents the downtown and...
San Jose mayor’s chief of staff accused of conflict of interest
While working in the top offices of San Jose government, Jim Reed helped raise six figures to elect Mayor Matt Mahan. Then he went to work for him. Many say that could be considered a conflict of interest. And some in political circles are even considering a call to demand Reed step down as Mahan’s...
Should Silicon Valley school boards have term limits?
Most Santa Clara County school districts do not impose term limits, which has enabled some board members to remain in office for decades. This lack of term limits means boards that never change can become unresponsive to the communities they serve, experts said. But board members themselves said maintaining historical knowledge can provide decadeslong leadership that makes...
Can Silicon Valley congressman win U.S. Senate seat?
South Bay Congressman Ro Khanna could have a tough fight competing against high-profile candidates in the 2024 U.S. Senate race. He will need money and big-name backing to come out on top. If Khanna, who represents California’s 17th Congressional District, which includes Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Newark, Fremont and parts of San Jose, decides...
UPDATE: Domingo Candelas is San Jose’s newest councilmember
From five down to one: After a nine-hour marathon council meeting, San Jose has a new councilmember in District 8: Domingo Candelas. “I am feeling very emotional,” Candelas told San José Spotlight moments after winning the appointment. “Meeting with the community, setting up an office and making sure that we’re diverse, that we’re engaging, we’re...
San Jose residents support a special election. Will lawmakers change their minds?
A new poll obtained by San José Spotlight shows an overwhelming majority of residents support a special election to fill two vacancies on the San Jose City Council, more than a month after the council voted against it. And now there could be a new movement to ensure voters pick their next representatives. The poll,...