Between wildfires, a mass shooting and an unprecedented pandemic, VTA and other Bay Area transit agencies face constant threats to long-term stability. Some transit advocates are concerned agencies aren’t prepared for the next catastrophe. “They’re not ready for when the big 8.0 (earthquake) hits the Hayward Fault and takes out BART,” Silicon Valley Transit Users founder...
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Food benefits increase as need in San Jose continues to soar
As food insecurity has dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, CalFresh and local nonprofits have ramped up services to meet this need. Starting Oct. 1, recipients of CalFresh, a federal nutrition program, received about 22% more in benefits compared to pre-pandemic levels—bringing a family of four up to an extra $155 per month. Coincidentally, an...
San Jose VTA approves changes to how residents can speak at meetings
Residents hoping to speak at future VTA board meetings might find themselves waiting until the end of the night. On Thursday, VTA’s governance and audit committee unanimously approved guidelines for public comment that will go into effect in January. Public comment for items not on the agenda will now be split between the start and...
Santa Clara County sets conditions for removing indoor mask mandate
Santa Clara County has set the stage for lifting health orders that require face coverings in most indoor public places. Public health officers announced on Thursday that nine Bay Area jurisdictions can remove their indoor mask mandates under certain conditions. “Whenever possible, our aim was to adopt a metric that would be easy for the...
Santa Clara County approves COVID hazard pay for workers
Santa Clara County employees can likely expect a bonus in their paychecks come December in recognition of their hazardous work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a request to pay more than $76 million to help each of the county’s 22,000 employees by Dec. 3. Employees will receive $2,500 for...
What does Santa Clara County’s transit agency lobby for?
VTA’s priorities were dramatically shaken following a mass shooting in May, but the transit agency continues to lobby for its bread-and-butter projects. In the first two quarters of 2021, VTA paid $86,000 to its state lobbyist, California Advisors LLC. VTA paid $80,000 to its federal lobbyist Van Scoyoc Associates for the first half of 2021. Neither...
Silicon Valley transit agency lacks COVID vaccine mandate
VTA has a substantial number of unvaccinated employees, but the South Bay transit agency isn’t taking any steps to require a COVID-19 vaccine. As of Tuesday, 1,258 workers are fully vaccinated, while 1,470 are at least partially vaccinated—69.37% of VTA’s workforce. The agency has about 2,100 employees. Since the public transit agency is an independent...
Prosecutor sues Santa Clara County DA for retaliation
A deputy Santa Clara County district attorney is suing his boss for allegedly retaliating against him for writing a critical op-ed. Daniel Chung filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday against Santa Clara County and District Attorney Jeff Rosen. The suit claims Rosen violated Chung’s freedom of speech by disciplining and demoting him after he wrote...
Santa Clara County renters, landlords prepare for life after eviction ban
As the state ban on evictions draws to a close, tenants, landlords and elected officials in Santa Clara County are bracing for an uncertain future. The eviction moratorium, which protects tenants from being kicked out for not paying rent, ends on Thursday. Starting Friday, tenants have to pay at least 25% of their owed rent from...
How San Jose renters can protect themselves after eviction ban ends
With just three days left, thousands of Santa Clara County renters are still waiting for eviction assistance, and those are the ones who have applied. As of Monday, 7,721 households in the county have filed for rent relief with the California Housing is Key program, which provides financial assistance to people who can’t pay rent...