Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen will no longer pursue the death penalty, needlessly compound charges and prosecute minor crimes as part of a slew of reforms he unveiled Wednesday. Instead, Rosen said, his office will pursue sentencing alternatives to incarceration, refrain from requesting fines and fees from low-income defendants, work to end cash bail in...
Santa Clara County proposes ‘regressive’ sales tax hike for COVID-19 costs
Despite admitting that sales tax hikes are “regressive,” Santa Clara County lawmakers want taxpayers to help foot the bill for COVID-19 costs that have drained the county coffers. On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a referral from Board President Cindy Chavez to explore placing a general five-eighths of one cent retail...
Santa Clara County Latino leaders tackle pandemic, policing inequities
Faith and family. Those are the two things South Bay Latinos turn to while confronting racism and a pandemic that’s infected and killed a disproportionate number of people in their community. “In this time of COVID and police hyperactivity targeting our community, we invoke (Our Lady of Guadalupe’s) image as we resist the vestiges of...
San Jose narrowing down designs for iconic landmark
After a yearlong international competition yielded almost 1,000 designs, San Jose is one step closer to getting its iconic landmark. The Urban Confluence Silicon Valley competition, hosted by the nonprofit San Jose Light Tower Corporation, was launched last July with the goal of creating an “impressive and recognizable” structure unique to San Jose that will transform the Arena...
A rift in the labor camp: San Jose unions break on ‘strong mayor’ measure
Several San Jose city union representatives fear that city leaders will be beholden to political agendas if a ballot measure in November expands the authority of Mayor Sam Liccardo. That measure, which last month was narrowly advanced in a 6-5 vote, would give the mayor the ability to hire and fire the city manager and would allow...
Alum Rock community demand answers after DA Jeff Rosen declines to charge contractor
Community leaders on Monday demanded an explanation for why criminal charges won’t be filed against a contractor accused of mismanaging millions of dollars and violating the law while under contract with the Alum Rock Union School District. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced last week he wouldn’t pursue legal action against Del Terra...
As country grapples with racism, activists renew call for justice in SJSU killing
In the early fall 2008, Gregory Johnson Jr. could be found riding around the San Jose State University campus on his longboard, going from his classes to his job as a personal trainer at Bally’s Total Fitness nearby. He was an exemplary student, excelling in his classes and on the school’s wrestling team. He aspired...
San Jose residents receive fireworks warnings in error — again
As San Jose residents blasted their way through an arsenal of fireworks on July 4, Charlie Murray was frustrated. The explosions rattled his Blossom Valley home and caused his 4-year-old Golden Labrador — Brody — to cower and whimper in terror. The next morning Murray spotted a bit of chalky ash on his daughter’s car...
After years of debate, San Jose releases study on commercial development fees
For years advocates have demanded Silicon Valley charge high-tech office developers fees to fund affordable housing. And now San Jose has taken the first step by releasing its first study on commercial linkage fees. A commercial linkage fee is paid by developers of new commercial development to fund affordable housing. The fees, which are based on...
San Jose nonprofits say city hasn’t coughed up money for free meals
As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated hunger in San Jose, nonprofit food distributors say city leaders have stalled on reimbursing their costs to supply food to the South Bay’s most vulnerable residents. Nonprofit executives say demand for food has tripled since the pandemic shuttered businesses and slashed jobs in mid-March following Santa Clara County’s shelter-in-place order....