Speaker after speaker rose to the podium outside VTA headquarters in San Jose Thursday to speak the names and stories of those lost in yesterday’s mass shooting. Pictures of all nine Valley Transportation Authority workers killed were displayed beside more than a dozen VTA leaders and allies—some struggling to hold back tears as they described the friends and...
UPDATE: San Jose council approves Google’s Downtown West project
After more than three years of community wrangling and negotiations, one of the world’s largest tech giants will have a home in downtown San Jose. The San Jose City Council Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Google’s Downtown West project, a multi-billion dollar plan by the company to expand into downtown San Jose. “Thousands of our...
San Jose tightens grip on illegal fireworks
San Jose residents could face harsher consequences for taking part in illegal fireworks this summer. The San Jose City Council voted unanimously this month to move forward with the Social Host ordinance, which would fine tenants and property owners for fireworks launched on their property, regardless of if they set off the fireworks or not....
San Jose rejects sanctioned homeless encampments
The San Jose City Council won’t be authorizing sanctioned encampments like advocates had hoped for. Councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday to reject a sanctioned homeless encampment plan. Sanctioned encampments are designated places where homeless people could live and gather without fear of being cleared out. The city would provide sanitation and hygiene services such as portable...
Can San Jose have publicly-financed elections?
The promise to get money out of politics has propelled several San Jose politicos to office. Actually implementing corporate-free elections is tougher. Councilmembers and local activists are pushing for a way to level the playing field for contributions through publicly-financed elections. In that system, the local government provides each registered voter with a voucher to spend...
UPDATE: San Jose City Council approves new downtown landmark
San Jose’s new iconic landmark has cleared another hurdle but will now face environmental analysis. Councilmembers on Tuesday unanimously approved “The Breeze of Innovation,” a project that won an international competition launched in 2019 for a new landmark at Arena Green, located at the southern tip of Guadalupe River Park. The council’s unanimous vote will...
San Jose lawmaker asks for $1M to reopen small businesses
Small businesses lost millions over the course of the pandemic. One local lawmaker wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. San Jose Councilmember Raul Peralez requested Wednesday that $1 million in federal funds go to support businesses as they reopen. Peralez, whose district includes downtown San Jose, spoke alongside members of the Greater Downtown...
It’s official: San Jose Councilman Raul Peralez is running for mayor
Nearly a year after telling San José Spotlight he’s eyeing a run for mayor, downtown Councilmember Raul Peralez on Wednesday publicly kicked off his campaign. And he’s already staked out his campaign platform: Affordable housing, equity and boosting disadvantaged communities and local businesses. “I didn’t grow up in a wealthy or a politically connected family,...
San Jose business leader mulls ending political endorsements, new name
The Silicon Valley Organization’s newly-hired chief executive officer says the powerful business lobby should no longer endorse candidates. In the latest episode of The Podlight, CEO Derrick Seaver told host Bob Staedler that he’s looking to ending the organization’s tradition of political endorsements and changing SVO’s name back to a variation of its previous name,...
San Jose panel discussing ‘strong mayor’ wants more money
A San Jose panel tasked with deciding how much power the city’s mayor will wield is getting more than $100,000 to do its work. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved more funds for the Charter Review Commission, along with a bigger push for more community outreach. “I don’t know if we’ve made leaps and...