San Jose lawmakers are cracking down on enforcing stricter workforce protections for construction workers almost two years after the shocking discovery of an unlicensed contractor harboring undocumented immigrants in slave-like conditions at the former Silvery Towers site. On Tuesday, the City Council passed a law that requires contractors to pay workers a prevailing wage while...
Remember the Sonic Runway at San Jose City Hall? It could be coming back.
For nearly four months, more than a million people flocked to San Jose City Hall to catch a glimpse of the jaw-dropping “Sonic Runway,” a light-art installation that converted music into light patterns on 25 giant arches that stretched an entire city block. The art installation was so wildly popular that city leaders are now...
San Jose City Council: Who pays their staff the most?
Who pays interns? Also working on the floor is a few dozen interns – but they’re not all paid. Most of the councilors without paid interns, however, said that they often offer interns salaries if they wish to continue past their internship period. A spokesperson for Liccardo confirmed that while his office offers year-round paid fellowship programs,...
Election 2020: Early endorsements from Silicon Valley business and labor
With eight months until the March primary, San Jose City Council candidates are snatching early endorsements from powerful business and labor groups in an effort to stake out a path to victory. The two powerful and competing interests in San Jose politics — the silicon valley organization and South Bay Labor Council — are picking...
San Jose: Green Party candidate to challenge Councilwoman Dev Davis
Green Party candidate Jake Tonkel has jumped into the San Jose City Council race in District 6, forcing incumbent Dev Davis to fend off two challengers in her re-election bid next fall. “I want to ensure our city is moving forward in a way that addresses income inequality,” Tonkel, 28, told San José Spotlight. “My...
The fight over Willow Glen Trestle goes back to court
A battle between San Jose city officials who want to see a long-delayed trail connection in Willow Glen come to life and a group devoted to preserving a historic train crossing made its way back into the courtroom this week. The bitter court battle has raged on for the past five years, with the most...
Republican challenger emerges in San Jose council race
San Jose Councilmember Sergio Jimenez who handily beat a Republican challenger four years ago is about to face another one — and he’s a familiar name in political circles. Mechanical engineer Jonathan Fleming, who unsuccessfully ran against one-term Councilmember Tam Nguyen in 2016, just moved into Jimenez’s district. And now he’s challenging the longtime Democrat,...
San Jose lawmakers narrowly approve budget amid inequity concerns
San Jose City Councilmembers on Tuesday narrowly voted to approve Mayor Sam Liccardo’s June budget message, despite criticism that it didn’t go far enough to address racial and economic inequities in the city. The split vote marked the first time in recent history that nearly half the City Council voted against a mayor’s fiscal budget, which is historically...
San Jose lawmakers fundraised nearly $3.7M last year. Here’s where it went.
Contact Grace Hase at [email protected] or follow @grace_hase on Twitter.
In split vote, San Jose lawmakers decide to study potential 2020 tax measure
Despite warnings from Councilmembers Johnny Khamis and Sergio Jimenez that San Jose residents are becoming overtaxed, a split City Council on Tuesday decided to move forward with researching a 2020 ballot measure to help build affordable housing and shelter the city’s homeless. Last month, San Jose administrators studied three potential tax measures – two of them were...