As virtual meetings become the new norm, San Jose leaders voted unanimously Tuesday to make local government more efficient and accessible. Attendees of the July 28 and Aug. 3 City Council sessions might have noticed the meetings are now translated into Spanish and Vietnamese. However, to listen to the Vietnamese translation, Zoom users must select...
The next South Bay labor battle: Who will replace Ben Field?
As the dust settles on the failed ‘strong mayor’ measure, there’s a new fight brewing in Silicon Valley’s labor camp: Who will replace Ben Field? The executive officer of the South Bay Labor Council, a powerful coalition of more than 100 unions, abruptly resigned July 13, less than two weeks after a heated, 9-hour debate...
Poll shows Dave Cortese leads Senate race; opponent calls it unethical
A new poll obtained by San José Spotlight shows Santa Clara Supervisor Dave Cortese has a double-digit lead in the November Senate race, but his opponent is calling foul. The poll, conducted by EMC Research, surveyed 815 likely voters in state Senate District 15 between June 11 and 19. It found that Cortese is “well-positioned” for...
San Jose: Debate heats up over plan to install electronic billboards
A plan to allow up to 90 digital billboards in downtown San Jose has some residents fired up, citing worries about aesthetics, safety and even bird health. “The hazards of electronic billboards are manifold,” Puragra “Raja” GuhaThakurta said at a recent city meeting. “Some of you have brought up driver distraction and the damage it...
UPDATE: San Jose council approves police reform, tax hike, food relief measures
As COVID-19 continues to ravage the economy and discussions of race and police brutality dominate the national conversation, city leaders approved measures for the 2020 ballot to address food insecurity, police reform and economic hardship in San Jose. In its first regular meeting since the July legislative break, the San Jose City Council voted Tuesday...
San Jose police chief announces retirement
San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia will retire in December after 28 years on the force, he announced Monday evening. Serving as the city’s top cop since 2016, Garcia’s move comes as the department faces intense scrutiny and calls for defunding months after the police killing of George Floyd and the department’s response to local...
San Jose, AT&T invest in free internet access for students
For many, the pressure to work and attend school remotely during the coronavirus pandemic has amplified Silicon Valley’s digital divide. But a new plan announced Monday by Mayor Sam Liccardo and AT&T will bring 11,000 wireless internet hotspots and 4G LTE data plans to K-12 students and low-income households lacking internet connection. “It is important...
Obama backs local State Senate candidate Ann Ravel
State Senate candidate and attorney Ann Ravel’s list of supporters now includes a prominent national voice and a former U.S. president – Barack Obama. Ravel is set to face off against Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese for the open District 15 seat, which includes San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga,...
San Jose council’s Latino Caucus celebrates a win after ‘strong mayor’ defeat
Those following Mayor Sam Liccardo’s push for — and subsequent dropping of — a strong mayor ballot measure are likely to feel whiplash after Tuesday’s City Council meeting. A fiery debate culminated in a unanimous vote that left some councilmembers wondering why they had to fight so hard in the first place. Prior to Tuesday’s...
San Jose, mayor sue Trump over Census policy that excludes undocumented immigrants
The city of San Jose filed a lawsuit Monday night against the Trump administration over a memorandum that aims to ban undocumented immigrants from being counted in the 2020 Census. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, is among several lawsuits over the president’s Census policy. King County,...