Fighting a lawsuit from a group of prominent San Jose retirees who say the city started shortchanging their pensions five years ago could cost San Jose taxpayers $1.4 million — and those costs could keep rising. The San Jose City Council voted in September to spend up to $1.4 million on an existing contract with law...
San Jose
San Jose
Poll: Majority of San Jose voters don’t support strong mayor government
Months after a poll sponsored by a business group revealed that San Jose voters favored switching to a strong mayor government, a new poll sponsored by a labor organization is suggesting the opposite. The poll, obtained by San José Spotlight, was conducted by EMC Research and found that at least 56 percent of respondents were not interested in...
Production vs. preservation: San Jose leaders split on anti-displacement
Increasingly, more families and communities of color in San Jose are struggling to stay in their homes and keep their businesses. As the city prospers amid an economic boom, vulnerable residents in low-income neighborhoods affected by a spike in development and increasing cost of living expenses are subject to higher rates of displacement in the...
After a hard battle, East San Jose wins a seat on the planning commission
A drawn-out, months long battle over racial representation on San Jose’s Planning Commission came to an end Tuesday after two new appointees were chosen by the City Council, following hours of intense debate from both sides of the political aisle. After a lengthy interview process, Rolando Bonilla and Mariel Caballero were appointed to one of...
San Jose airport therapy animal program continues to spread ‘pawsitivity’
In the aftermath of 9/11, Silicon Valley’s airport became the first in the country to pioneer a therapy animal program to ease passengers’ fears and anxieties before boarding flights. Now, 18 years later, the program is still going strong, and the animals are bringing joy to airport-goers of all ages. Adam Albert, a volunteer since 2015, brought Johnny, his...
San Jose to tackle anti-displacement amid concerns of developers on panel
Amid the region’s housing crunch and an increasing homeless population, San Jose is searching for solutions to temper the ongoing crisis, as more families and communities of color are subject to displacement. In response, the City Council on Tuesday will discuss anti-displacement strategies to curb the adverse effects of Silicon Valley’s economic boom. “The City Council’s study...
San Jose: East Side leaders call for more equity on powerful panel
For months, a long-winded battle over the appointment of a new commissioner to San Jose’s Planning Commission has had the city’s East Side community up in arms, as they demand the city’s leadership for equal representation on the powerful committee that makes important planning and land use decisions. Days before the City Council is set...
San Jose lawmakers approve extension of tax breaks for high-rises
At the forefront of Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting, lawmakers discussed how the two interwoven crises plaguing the region — housing and homelessness — are alarmingly growing worse. In response, the councilmembers passed a smorgasbord of housing measures, which include expediting the study of a commercial linkage fee and extending a contentious tax break...
San Jose lawmakers to discuss strategies to end homelessness
The San Jose City Council is set to hear several big ticket items on Tuesday, including a proposal to extend a tax break for high-rise developments in downtown and updates on the city’s homelessness and housing crises. Lawmakers will hear an annual update on the city’s ongoing homelessness crisis, and a proposal led by Councilmember...
Hundreds marched through downtown San Jose for climate strike
Hundreds of climate protestors marched from Diridon Station to City Hall in a climate strike Friday afternoon, one of dozens of environmental protests planned around the Bay Area. “We need to save our world,” said Devon Johnson, 22. “Nothing’s really working, so we need to pull out all the stops. We need to be making this...