Special interests’ spending on the San Jose mayoral race has exceeded $5 million—with most of the money coming from outside the city. After more than a year of campaigning, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan are locked in a heated, costly—and at times, ugly—competition, with Mayor Sam Liccardo terming out at the end...
San Jose wants to double pot shops to increase revenue
San Jose wants to more than double the number of cannabis dispensaries to increase tax dollars, but officials are struggling to find a policy that works. Last week, the San Jose City Council voted 10-1 to relax various regulations. Councilmember Matt Mahan was the lone dissenter. The new policy aims to change three issues to...
In Silicon Valley life after prison is a complex path
Joseph Vejar didn’t believe the phone call that ultimately led to his freedom. When he called his wife from a Solano prison in late 2020, she told him his case was being reviewed for early release. Vejar was skeptical. After three years in prison, he wasn’t used to getting good news. “I was waiting for...
Reader Panel: San Jose voters prepare for election day
With less than a week until election day, local voters participating in San José Spotlight’s reader panel have mostly made up their minds on key contests. San José Spotlight hosted its fifth panel of six readers on Wednesday to hear their thoughts on the election overall, the ways San Jose mayoral candidates have tried to differentiate...
Dozens of San Jose commission seats are empty
San Jose commissions play a significant role in city government, giving residents an official capacity to provide input on local policies and decisions. But with dozens of vacancies, some worry those voices are missing. San Jose’s 25 active commissions need 289 commissioners, and 59 seats are vacant. This means one out of every five seats...
Mysterious group wants to ‘Take Back San Jose’
A new group has emerged in San Jose politics just in time for a consequential election with an ominous message to “take back” the city—but no one seems to know who is behind it. It started two months ago when signs with a QR code began lining San Jose neighborhoods like Naglee Park. The signs...
San Jose mayor’s groups linked to attack ads
When San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo quietly formed an advocacy organization last year, he insisted it would only weigh in on “common sense” policy issues. Eight months later, he launched a political action committee (PAC) and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars before stepping away. Now Liccardo’s two organizations are deeply intertwined and linked to some...
Money in San Jose mayor’s race tops $8M
The costs of this year’s high-profile San Jose mayoral race is one for the record books, at $8.5 million—with special interest groups making up 51% of spending in an effort to sway voters. With roughly two weeks until the Nov. 8 election, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez and San Jose Councilmember Matt Mahan are...
San Jose mural honors life lost in mass shooting
Keyla Salazar had her whole life in front of her when she was shot at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in 2019, just days before her 14th birthday. Salazar loved creating art and cared deeply for the humans and animals in her life. Her family wanted to honor Salazar’s memory with a mural, and two years...
San Jose mom slapped with restraining order after police kill son
Cindy Chavez was standing outside her apartment complex last week when a Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputy approached her clutching paperwork. She was being served a restraining order, the deputy explained, to protect the officer who killed her son. Chavez is not related to Supervisor Cindy Chavez, a San Jose mayoral candidate. The temporary restraining...