Longtime education trustee Anna Song will run for the Assembly seat held by Kansen Chu, who announced last week that he’s leaving Sacramento to run for county supervisor. “I’ve always been interested in running for state Assembly. I was waiting and hoping that I might have an opportunity,” Song told San José Spotlight. “I do...
Assemblymember Kansen Chu to leave Legislature, run for county supervisor
Silicon Valley Assemblymember Kansen Chu is leaving Sacramento to run for Santa Clara County supervisor, San José Spotlight has exclusively learned. Chu, who represents the state’s 25th Assembly District, broke the news late Wednesday to friends and colleagues that he plans to give up his seat in the California Legislature in an attempt to replace...
Tech leader Matt Mahan jumps into San Jose council race
Tech entrepreneur Matt Mahan on Wednesday jumped into the San Jose City Council race to replace District 10 Councilmember Johnny Khamis next year. “My motivation to run is rooted in my own personal experience of San Jose,” Mahan said in an interview Tuesday. “I’ve always experienced San Jose as a city of opportunity.” Mahan, 36,...
Santa Clara County expands early child care program
In a win for education advocates and leaders, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to extend a pilot program intended to help the most vulnerable kids in San Jose. The Universal Access to Early Childhood Care, Education & Health Services program was introduced in 2017 by former Supervisor Ken Yeager to provide...
Santa Clara County supervisorial candidates square off on immigration, housing
Three candidates running for a seat on Santa Clara County’s Board of Supervisors in 2020 squared off in a debate Saturday in Milpitas — the first event to kick off the campaign season. The four candidates hoping to replace District 3 Supervisor Dave Cortese are San Jose Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco, patent attorney and former Sunnyvale Councilmember Otto...
San Jose struggling to meet spike in trash clean-up requests
The cleanliness of San Jose consistently ranks very poorly in resident surveys, pushing city leaders to ramp up efforts to combat blight, litter and graffiti — including a new app to report such nuisances. But the new technology backfired. The demand for clean-up services has soared and San Jose doesn’t have the staff or equipment...
Zoe Lofgren pushes bill to clean up Washington corruption
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is trying to do what some might say is impossible: Take money out of politics. On Saturday, the veteran lawmaker met with constituents at a town hall meeting in San Jose to discuss a recently passed bill in the House — a sweeping anti-corruption measure aimed at adopting stronger voting rights, enforcing stricter ethical...
San Jose students, cannabis leaders put pressure on DA Jeff Rosen
South Bay college students and cannabis advocates on Wednesday pressured District Attorney Jeff Rosen to comply with a California law that clears the records of incarcerated individuals who have cannabis convictions. Assembly Bill 1793, a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, requires district attorneys to review all existing marijuana conviction cases by July 1, 2020 with the...
Chelsea Clinton swings through San Jose on book tour
Chelsea Clinton made two stops in San Jose on Wednesday as part of a book tour — but the topic for the outspoken former first daughter wasn’t politics. It was all about animals. Clinton on Wednesday met with elementary school students before headlining a sold-out book signing at the San Jose Woman’s Club in downtown...
San Jose City Manager Dave Sykes releases ‘stable’ budget
Stable but limited. That’s how San Jose City Manager Dave Sykes describes the city’s budget for 2019-2020. Sykes on Tuesday released his proposed operating budget for the next fiscal year, which will be mulled in a series of study sessions and public hearings. Following the lead of Mayor Sam Liccardo’s March budget message, Sykes warns...