Two San Jose lawmakers’ investments in Amazon and their abrupt departure from a City Council meeting — after they discussed and nearly voted on a policy to pay grocery workers higher wages — is raising questions about why the conflict wasn’t flagged sooner. Councilmembers chalk it up to a lack of forethought. As elected leaders Tuesday debated a $3...
Rodan: Grocery store hazard pay decision showed true colors of San Jose councilmembers
The San Jose City Council on Tuesday led a righteous crusade against the evil conspirings of labor organizers and grocery store workers fighting for a $5 pay increase at stores with 300 national employees or more. The horror! Mayor Sam Liccardo and Councilmembers Dev Davis and Matt Mahan fought back against this socialist onslaught, and...
San Jose takes first step to boost pay for grocery store workers amid COVID-19
After hours of “awkward” debate that included the vice mayor and a councilmember getting booted from a meeting due to a conflict of interest, San Jose is moving forward with giving grocery store employees a pay boost during the pandemic. The San Jose City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday to draft a measure that would require large grocery...
San Jose grocery store clerks and other essential workers could get $5 boost
As new strains of COVID-19 circulate across Santa Clara County, South Bay leaders are taking action to ensure essential workers get a pay boost for putting their health on the line. San Jose leaders this week discussed creating an emergency ordinance that would guarantee select retail food workers an extra $5 per hour in hazard...
San Jose Vice Mayor Chappie Jones reappointed as City Council evaluates process
When Chappie Jones was growing up in a redlined neighborhood in Sacramento, his role models were Black elected officials like Maynard Jackson and Harold Washington — the first Black mayors of Atlanta and Chicago, respectively. Today, he’s creating a legacy of his own by beginning his second term as vice mayor of San Jose. The...
‘Borderline treasonous’: San Jose leaders react to stunning riots at U.S. Capitol
Silicon Valley leaders from both sides of the aisle reacted with horror Wednesday after thousands pushed past police and stormed the U.S. Capitol in a dangerous attempt to thwart a peaceful transfer of power. One local lawmaker was even in tears, comparing the stunning scene in Washington to the terrorism acts of 9/11. The mob...
Three South Bay powerhouses lost their CEOs in 2020 — here’s what’s next
Silicon Valley’s most powerful political circles saw major shifts in 2020 as three prominent men leading San Jose’s influential business and labor organizations were dethroned. The resignation of a trio of kingmakers could signal a sea change for local politics in 2021. In 2020, Ben Field resigned from the South Bay Labor Council after a...
In 2020, San Jose leaders contended with protests, a pandemic, housing shortages — and their own flubs
In 2020, San Jose endured weeks of protest, a housing crisis, a historic election and a pandemic that led to the deaths of more than 650 area residents. Local lawmakers were forced to make tough decisions to keep the city running. Here are some of the year’s most contentious and impactful political moments. George Floyd’s death leads...
A split San Jose council appoints Diep to critical city commission
A divided San Jose City Council voted 6-4 to appoint outgoing Councilmember Lan Diep to a critical city commission created to significantly challenge San Jose’s government. The council voted unanimously Dec. 15 to appoint 22 other members to the newly-formed Charter Review Commission, but opted to vote for Diep separately because he is a sitting...
UPDATE: ‘I am not trying to cripple my successor’ Diep says about San Jose spending plan
After losing re-election, San Jose Councilmember Lan Diep wants to give $440,000 in district funds to the city’s general fund — a move Councilmember-elect David Cohen is calling a Trumpian political ploy. In a memo to the city’s Rules and Open Government Committee, Diep detailed his intent to give his District 4 funds — meant...