Five San Jose city lawmakers have now publicly declared their support to help end the student homelessness crisis at San Jose State University. In a letter released today, Vice Mayor Chappie Jones and Councilmembers Raul Peralez, Magdalena Carrasco and Maya Esparza pledged their commitment to work with SJSU President Mary Papazian to help find housing...
Labor leaders eye Johnny Khamis’ seat, endangering mayor’s agenda
After nearly a decade of conservative leadership, Jenny Higgins Bradanini says San Jose’s affluent Almaden Valley is ready for a change. “I’m definitely more progressive than Johnny Khamis and I think District 10 is ready for a progressive voice,” said Bradanini, 55, president of Women’s March San Jose, who this week announced her run for...
San Jose City Council to explore new policies to help build housing
“The revised numbers show that out of nearly 4,000 housing units permitted or approved last year, only 6 percent were affordable,” Auerhahn told San José Spotlight. “We need to be looking at solutions that add to affordable housing, not proposals to further subsidize luxury downtown homes while zeroing out their affordable housing contributions.” During Tuesday’s council...
Silicon Valley lawmakers applaud Newsom order halting death penalty
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday halting the executions of 737 death row prisoners in the state, repealed California’s lethal injection protocols and shuttered the San Quentin State Prison execution chamber. Of the 737 condemned inmates, who now have stays of execution, 25 of them had their trial in Santa Clara County. Silicon Valley lawmakers...
San Jose council mulls infrastructure backlog, commercial fees and more
Thanks to Measure T funding, San Jose’s infrastructure backlogs are due to get some relief. Approved by San Jose voters in last November, the bond measure aimed at addressing public safety, disaster preparedness and infrastructure needs is expected to bring $650 million for a variety of projects. Roughly half of that money is slated for...
San Jose’s watchdog commission won’t be dissolved
Following a San José Spotlight report that no one applied for four vacancies on the city’s watchdog commission, eight new applications flooded in — and the panel is no longer at risk of being dissolved. The five-member panel — known formally as the Board of Fair Campaign and Political Practices — investigates alleged election law...
San Jose to expand wage theft policy as Silvery Towers contractor goes to court
In the wake of federal proceedings against an unlicensed Hayward subcontractor accused of holding more than a dozen workers in San Jose against their will, city lawmakers on Tuesday prioritized expanding wage theft protections to construction workers. The move comes as part of an increased effort to crack down on battling wage theft, human trafficking and other workplace mistreatments since subcontractor...
San Jose City Council approves six new priorities for the next year
After tallying the votes, San Jose lawmakers locked in six new policy priorities for next year at Tuesday’s San Jose City Council meeting. Prior to the meeting, councilors nominated over two dozen ideas to pave the way for city officials to manage their works load and put the council’s most important initiatives first. Tuesday’s vote to add six new items to the...
No more shredded tents: San Jose unveils new homeless sweeps policy
San Jose officials will now give homeless residents 15 minutes to pack up their belongings, avoid cutting their tents and provide ample notice in multiple languages before sweeping encampments, elected leaders decided this week. The San Jose City Council on Tuesday approved revised guidelines for homeless sweeps as part of a new agreement with the...
Sam Liccardo beefs with NRA over new gun law proposals
Mayor Sam Liccardo caught heat on social media after Dana Loesch, a vocal and controversial spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, took aim via Twitter at his newly-unveiled gun laws overhaul proposal. “Think of the craziest gun control law out there, and I guarantee you that California lawmakers can come up with something more ridiculous,”...