San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s moderate campaign for California governor has fared well with billionaires and tech moguls. But two progressive state lawmakers in his own backyard are less enthused. Democratic Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Alex Lee are spurning Mahan’s bid for statewide office as a “handpicked” vessel for big tech’s movement to consolidate control...
2025 in review: San Jose Little Saigon at a crossroads
San Jose’s Vietnamese community sees no shortage of milestones, activism and political drama every year — 2025 was no exception. Little Saigon’s iconic community gathering space – a commercial plaza known as Vietnam Town – is facing a reckoning. The death of a beloved immigrant pioneer has prompted new urgency, from leaders he mentored, to...
Newsom signs off on Silicon Valley lawmakers’ bills
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed dozens of bills into laws earlier this month, tweaking bureaucratic processes to improve voter transparency, election accountability and workers rights. Several state lawmakers from San Jose and Santa Clara County had their bills approved. Here’s an overview of some new laws, which take effect Jan. 1, 2026 unless otherwise stated. Improving...
Op-ed: Protect grieving families from coercive police interrogations
We strongly urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to pass Assembly Bill 572, a bill to protect grieving families from coercive interrogations by law enforcement, after the violent police killing of a family member. As sisters who lost our father to law enforcement — and experienced the coercion ourselves — this bill is deeply personal to us....
Silicon Valley leaders discuss how federal cuts will hurt region
Santa Clara County officials want their largest city’s support in hiking sales taxes to keep their public hospital system alive against federal cuts. But San Jose leaders have conditions. Congressman and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo suggested the city could tie its support for the sales tax measure — now known as “Measure A”...
Silicon Valley lawmakers to take part in town hall on federal cuts
Federal and state lawmakers will converge in San Jose this weekend for an emergency town hall with the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors about how massive federal spending cuts will derail the public hospital system and social safety net services. The community meeting, hosted by District 2 Supervisor Betty Duong, will bring the elected...
Santa Clara County leaders show support for Little Saigon Freeway
A sign telling motorists they’re entering Little Saigon in San Jose is close to being installed — with a fresh stamp of approval from local leaders. But it still needs a final sign-off from lawmakers in Sacramento. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution in support of a state...
Silicon Valley lawmakers want to decriminalize homelessness
As cities across California ban homeless encampments and Gov. Gavin Newsom encourages more sweeps, San Jose lawmakers are standing up against criminalizing homelessness. State Sen. Sasha Perez along with Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, Alex Lee and Matt Haney have co-authored a bill that would make it illegal for cities to prohibit organizations or people from helping...
San Jose highway could be named to honor Vietnamese community
A bipartisan effort to honor San Jose’s Vietnamese American community at the state level has passed a key milestone. The state Assembly has unanimously approved a bill authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra to rename a stretch of Highway 101 in San Jose between the Story Road exit and Interstate 280/680 junction “Little Saigon Freeway.” Supporters say...
Santa Clara County education layoffs unfounded, state lawmakers say
A handful of state lawmakers and Silicon Valley leaders are calling on the Santa Clara County Office of Education to reverse the layoffs of hundreds of teachers serving low-income preschoolers, migrants and special education students. The Monday letter — signed by state Sen. Dave Cortese and Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Patrick Ahrens — questions the layoffs...