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A new poll floating around San Jose is trying to gauge how much support former Mayor Sam Liccardo would receive if he ran for Congress. The mysterious survey asks questions that pit Liccardo against Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, who currently represents parts of San Jose. About 10 questions tout the former mayor’s accomplishments, including his gun regulation law and leveling out...
Residents don’t want to retire in San Jose
San Jose residents don’t think the city is a good place to retire. In the latest annual audit of city services, 60% of residents surveyed said San Jose was a “poor/very poor” place to retire. It’s a sharp contrast to the 59% who said the city is a “good/excellent” place to work. The city survey randomly sampled...
Glitches spark controversy at San Jose flag ceremony
A flag raising ceremony has sparked concern about respect for San Jose’s Vietnamese residents. The city-sponsored event was held on Jan. 25 to celebrate the previous Lunar New Year weekend. Leaders said technical glitches and a lack of communication leading up to the ceremony were signs of inattention to the Vietnamese community. Dozens gathered last Saturday...
Longtime San Jose official leaves for smaller city
San Jose’s public works director has left to take on a leadership position in a neighboring city. Matt Cano, who worked for San Jose in a variety of roles over the span of nearly 24 years, took over as deputy city manager in Milpitas on Jan. 30. He has an annual base salary of $275,341, plus...
San Jose mayor criticized for secret committee meetings
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan created five committees to meet privately and advise him on the city’s most pressing problems, but some say the move lacks transparency and could flout the law. Mahan formed committees to help him tackle homelessness, crime, blight, permitting for development and downtown vibrancy. There are 123 total people on the committees, including community leaders, business executives,...
San Jose council gets failing grade for policing
F is for failure. That’s the grade the San Jose City Council scored when it comes to decisions on policing, according to Sacred Heart Community Service’s report card. Advocates said the grades, released Monday, represent years of inaction on making meaningful police reform. “We need to make clear that our city council has failed us...
San Jose mayor meets opponent over dinner
Two Silicon Valley political opponents met for dinner last week without staff or any public agenda. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, his former opponent for the seat, dined for more than an hour at downtown eatery Original Joe’s on Jan. 30. Mahan ate ravioli and Chavez had a salad, but the main course was...
15 of the most influential Black leaders in Silicon Valley
Black residents make up about 3% of Santa Clara County’s population, but the impact of Black leaders on the region is undeniable — even while facing adversity. The Black community in Silicon Valley and across the nation face systemic disparities: The population is overrepresented among the homeless and historical housing segregation has resulted in lower...
Silicon Valley director faces gender discrimination complaints
Newly-elected Valley Water board Director Rebecca Eisenberg is facing a slew of workplace complaints alleging she made discriminatory remarks after she accused the agency of sexism. It’s a dysfunctional situation for the 7-member board that oversees the region’s largest water supplier—a body that’s long been plagued by deep political rifts, animosity and division. In November, Eisenberg unseated embattled predecessor Gary...
San Jose police are getting slower at responding to calls
Despite an increase in cash and staff, San Jose police are taking longer to respond to calls. The San Jose Police Department this year has 30 more street-ready officers and nearly $20 million more in its budget compared to last year. It still failed to respond to emergencies on time. When San Joseans call for...