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Two local educators have leveled new complaints of gender-based harassment against Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Joseph Di Salvo, who’s been in hot water over his behavior toward women. The complaints came to the board after Di Salvo claimed a long record of supporting women in July to rebut an independent investigation that...
Santa Clara County COVID-19 tax plan fails
Santa Clara County’s effort to tax residents to pay for COVID-19 relief measures failed after a short debate Tuesday. County leaders proposed two options for asking voters in November to approve a 5/8-cent sales tax to help close the county’s estimated $300 to $600 million budget deficit. The county has spent $165.4 million so far...
San Jose: Debate heats up over plan to install electronic billboards
A plan to allow up to 90 digital billboards in downtown San Jose has some residents fired up, citing worries about aesthetics, safety and even bird health. “The hazards of electronic billboards are manifold,” Puragra “Raja” GuhaThakurta said at a recent city meeting. “Some of you have brought up driver distraction and the damage it...
Santa Clara County education board hit with lawsuit over gender harassment probe
Tensions in the Santa Clara County Office of Education continue to rise as trustee Joseph Di Salvo filed a federal lawsuit against the board and his colleagues Tuesday, claiming a vote to censure him last month violated his free speech and due process rights. The civil complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the...
Santa Clara City Council candidate aims to push Republican principles
Gautam “Gary” Barve hopes to bring a business-centered perspective to the Santa Clara City Council. Running for the District 6 seat in the November election, the 35-year-old said he wants to represent Republican ideals if elected – starting with reopening the economy immediately. Although Santa Clara County public health officials make the final call on...
San Jose pension plans face perilous future in COVID-19 economy
The coronavirus pandemic has already wreaked havoc on the city’s financial health, with officials tightening their belts last month to make up for a $71 million shortfall in its $4.1 billion budget this year. But questions remain about how the budget crisis will affect the city’s pension system, which has an unfunded liability of $3.4...
UPDATE: San Jose council approves police reform, tax hike, food relief measures
As COVID-19 continues to ravage the economy and discussions of race and police brutality dominate the national conversation, city leaders approved measures for the 2020 ballot to address food insecurity, police reform and economic hardship in San Jose. In its first regular meeting since the July legislative break, the San Jose City Council voted Tuesday...
San Jose police chief announces retirement
San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia will retire in December after 28 years on the force, he announced Monday evening. Serving as the city’s top cop since 2016, Garcia’s move comes as the department faces intense scrutiny and calls for defunding months after the police killing of George Floyd and the department’s response to local...
Obama backs local State Senate candidate Ann Ravel
State Senate candidate and attorney Ann Ravel’s list of supporters now includes a prominent national voice and a former U.S. president – Barack Obama. Ravel is set to face off against Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese for the open District 15 seat, which includes San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga,...
Overburdened San Jose office takes more than a year to act on wage theft claims
Managing a property oftentimes means solving unpredictable problems at odd hours. Scoti Blesie, a handyman for a San Jose apartment building, found himself fixing leaks or repairing damage from break-ins at all hours. On many occasions, he would receive calls in the middle of the night. The work piled up, but the pay allegedly did not. “We’re...