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First candidate enters San Jose District 2 race

South San Jose is where resident Babu Prasad raised his children, established his first business and bought his first house. Now it’s where he’s running for office to continue serving his community. Prasad announced his run for the San Jose City Council District 2 seat on Sunday. He hopes to replace current Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, who leaves office in 2024 after two...

What new court records reveal about troubled Santa Clara official

Newly-released transcripts reveal astonishing details of the ongoing legal saga featuring Santa Clara Councilmember Anthony Becker, who pled not guilty to charges for the alleged leak of a secret grand jury report. The criminal grand jury heard testimony from 21 officials in March and April — from city leaders to political insiders and 49ers’ executives. Deputy District...

San Jose shrinks in population and desirability

San Jose has dropped down to the 12th most populated city nationwide following an exodus of residents during the peak of the pandemic—but it continues to rank as one of the top 15 best places to live in the country. Residents said there’s a disconnect. The city’s population has dropped from 1,014,545 residents in April...

San Jose casinos could lose a big bet

A San Jose ballot measure on gambling is turning into a one-way benefit and none of it’s going to the casinos as originally intended. San Jose voters approved Measure H in 2020, allowing the city’s two casinos—Bay 101 and Casino M8trix—to add more tables in exchange for paying higher taxes. Since the measure passed, the...

San Jose hilltop development moves forward after delays

A hilltop in Almaden Valley is set to be developed with 10 single-family homes following years of delays. Sridhar Pillarisetty, a Fremont resident who owns and is developing the land, plans to put the homes up on a nearly 8-acre parcel near the corner of Coleman Avenue and Almaden Expressway, across from Almaden Lake Park....

Will ranked choice voting come to Santa Clara County?

A new voting system may come to Santa Clara County—if officials decide to pursue it. Assembly Bill 1227, authored by Silicon Valley Assemblymembers Evan Low and Alex Lee, would allow the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to implement ranked choice voting for county elections. Ranked choice voting—recently adopted in Bay Area cities such as...

San Jose supporting hundreds of affordable apartments

Hundreds of apartments for people earning lower incomes or who are homeless are set to be constructed in San Jose, a move by city leaders to help alleviate the affordable housing crunch. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved a plan Tuesday for the city to issue roughly $120 million in housing revenue bonds that...

Palo Alto mayor launches bid for state Assembly seat

Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou stumbled into politics accidentally as an active member of her community—now she wants to run for higher office. Kou declared her candidacy for state Assembly on Monday. She will run against incumbent Marc Berman who represents District 23, which includes Mountain View, Palo Alto, most of Menlo Park, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Saratoga and Campbell. Her focus is...