A Santa Clara official wants the city attorney to review mayoral candidate Kathy Watanabe’s campaign donations, alleging violations of the city’s donor limits. Councilmember Suds Jain’s Oct. 5 complaint said Watanabe’s July campaign filings reported $500 contributions each from Paul Larson and Michael McWalter, but the contribution limits per person are $380. The filing shows...
San Francisco 49ers spending big on Santa Clara mayoral race
Special interest groups are pouring money into Santa Clara’s mayoral race, with the San Francisco 49ers funding a political action committee that’s backing one candidate and opposing two others. Recent campaign finance filings show the PAC — Affordable Santa Clara Supporting Ferraris and Opposing Watanabe and Kertes for Mayor 2026, Sponsored by Forty Niners Football...
Santa Clara mayoral candidates share positions on key issues
Six candidates vying to become Santa Clara’s next mayor laid out competing visions for the city at an election forum that discussed council dysfunction, data center growth, budget stability, Great America and the San Francisco 49ers’ role in local politics. Candidates include former city maintenance worker and labor representative Armando “Gary” Ferraris, David Kertes, director...
Santa Clara candidate failed to disclose AI images, complaint says
A Santa Clara mayoral candidate is facing a state-level complaint over his campaign’s undisclosed use of AI-generated images. Diana Torres, a freelance political consultant, filed the complaint against candidate Gary Ferraris to the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) on Sept. 24. The complaint alleges Ferraris’ campaign website used images created with artificial intelligence without...
Santa Clara mayoral candidate claims Levi’s Stadium financials fall short
Former Santa Clara Councilmember Kathy Watanabe is calling for an independent analysis of the economic benefit Levi’s Stadium provides to the city, saying residents deserve a clearer accounting of the stadium’s costs, revenues and contributions to city coffers. Watanabe, a mayoral candidate in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, held a news conference Thursday in front...
Santa Clara looks to ban recreational nitrous oxide sales
Santa Clara is preparing to ban recreational sales of nitrous oxide products, also known as whippets. But smoke shops within city limits have already started moving away from selling them. The City Council on Tuesday received an update on the proposed ban, which would prohibit the sale and distribution of nitrous oxide for recreational use...
Ex-Santa Clara officials’ confrontation leads to free speech lesson
A recent confrontation caught on video between two former Santa Clara councilmembers, with one running for mayor, led to the cops being called. But instead of anyone ending up in handcuffs, officers informed them of their First Amendment rights. At the city’s annual Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, Anthony Becker approached Kathy Watanabe at...
Santa Clara ditches idea to hold council meetings at libraries
Santa Clara has shelved plans to explore holding City Council meetings at locations outside City Hall after staff estimated it could cost up to $260,000 to install the audiovisual equipment needed at two libraries. Councilmembers unanimously voted Tuesday to maintain its current practice of holding meetings in the council chambers. The discussion stemmed from a...
Four candidates face off for two Santa Clara council seats
Santa Clara City Council representation is about to change in Districts 2 and 3, with both councilmembers terming out in December — and the open seats each have two new challengers. Yvonne Inciarte and Kimberley Williams will be vying for the District 2 seat held by Councilmember Raj Chahal, while Eric Crutchlow and Kyle Madej...
Six candidates vie for Santa Clara mayoral seat
A seismic change is about to take place in Santa Clara politics, when Mayor Lisa Gillmor terms out at the end of December. For the first time in 10 years she will not serve in the city’s top spot come January 2027. Instead, six individuals from various sectors of industry and the community are vying...