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Five candidates with various elected office experience are fighting to represent a California Assembly district with the largest Asian voting bloc in the state. Assembly District 24 includes Milpitas, Fremont, Newark and the Berryessa area in North San Jose. The new district boundaries were adopted through a redistricting process that happens once a decade. Roughly 53.81% of...
Bay Area poll shows support for high-speed rail
A new poll suggests strong public support for California’s ambitious high-speed rail project, but the challenges of stretching it to San Jose are daunting. UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies reported voters in California favor continuing the high-speed rail project by a five-to-three margin. The poll, which examined a range of issues voters want the state...
Silicon Valley high school grads could get universal basic income
In an effort to disrupt the cycle of homelessness in California, another population may be getting guaranteed funding: low-income high school seniors. State Sen. Dave Cortese’s recent bill SB 1341, which cleared the California Senate Education Committee last week, would provide $1,000 per month unconditionally to roughly 15,000 high school seniors who have experienced homelessness. This guaranteed income would start...
Former Silicon Valley judge leads shift in state juvenile justice
This story was originally published by The Imprint, a national news outlet covering child welfare and youth justice issues. Katherine Lucero—a daughter of farmworkers and longtime juvenile court judge who calls for compassion and support rather than jail and foster care—is now leading the most populous state toward a once-unimaginable goal: a future without youth...
San Jose could split from Russian sister city
Councilmember Sylvia Arenas is recommending San Jose break with its sister city in Russia, adding its voice to international efforts to isolate the country over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Her proposal will be heard by the City Council in the near future. “Ending our city’s formal diplomatic relationship with Russia’s municipal government in Ekaterinburg...
State contest bound to divide Asian voters in Silicon Valley
In a contested California Assembly race where more than half of voters are Asian Americans, four Asian Democrats are vying for the job. Assemblymember Alex Lee, who won the Assembly District 25 seat in 2020, is running for the same job in a new district. His district, which used to encompass Santa Clara, Alviso, Northern San Jose and parts...
Silicon Valley lawmakers want to update public meeting law
California legislators want to change the rules for public meetings following the harassment of local officials in Los Gatos last year. State Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymember Evan Low introduced a bill Wednesday to update the Brown Act. The law, created in 1953, governs conduct at public meetings of legislative bodies. Cortese says the law mostly focused...
Fremont official claims mayor denied recognizing Black colleges
Fremont’s first African-American councilmember in almost 65 years criticized the mayor for not approving a proclamation honoring historically Black colleges. During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilmember Teresa Cox accused Mayor Lily Mei of refusing to approve a proclamation recognizing the contributions of Ohlone College, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and the Divine Nine–historically Black...
Silicon Valley lawmakers advance bill to improve fast-food working conditions
A dramatic change to fast-food worker protection could upend the franchise framework, and while labor advocates are happy to see it advance, franchise owners aren’t entirely onboard. State assemblymembers voted 43-13 on Thursday to approve amendments to Assembly Bill 257, the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act (FAST). The bill envisions a state-appointed council to...
Silicon Valley lawmaker’s single-payer health care plan faces ‘uphill fight’
A bill proposing a state single-payer health care system, which would be the first in the nation if passed, has a swell of public support. But it’s unclear if that will be enough to make it over the finish line. Assembly Bill 1400, also known as CalCare, would address issues such as the lack of...
