Downtown San Jose residents are launching a recall campaign against Councilmember Omar Torres, claiming they no longer feel represented by him as he continues to evade the public eye. Torres, who represents the downtown neighborhoods of District 3, has maintained his innocence despite dodging his council responsibilities and missing multiple meetings after police filings showed...
East San Jose official wants funds to fix blighted parks
San Jose city parks have a problem — there’s a huge backlog of needed repairs and insufficient funds to bring them up to standard. One councilmember may have a solution, but it’s going to take time. District 5 Councilmember Peter Ortiz is proposing a 2026 ballot measure to fund park maintenance, and has requested the...
Editorial: Omar Torres needs to resign — now
It’s been two weeks since San Jose Councilmember Omar Torres’ shocking text messages were exposed in legal documents. The disturbing messages show the 43-year-old bragging about performing oral sex on a 17-year-old male on a college campus, describing the genitalia of an autistic 11-year-old boy and asking a Chicago man if he’s got “homies under...
Former San Jose mayor holds large funding lead ahead of Election Day
Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has widened the gap between himself and his congressional opponent in their race to represent Silicon Valley. Both candidates for Congressional District 16 have filed their last scheduled campaign finance papers before Election Day, and Liccardo has raised $2.1 million more than state Assemblymember Evan Low throughout the race...
San Jose councilmember says he will try to remove Omar Torres
San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan says he intends to begin proceedings to remove embattled Councilmember Omar Torres under the city charter amid an ongoing investigation into Torres over child sex abuse allegations. Doan said the Torres scandal is shedding light on needed changes to the city charter — including the creation of a mandatory administrative...
East San Jose voters to weigh school parcel tax
East Side Union High School District has placed a parcel tax on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot in an effort to generate a much-needed revenue stream. If approved by voters, Measure N will generate $6.4 million annually for five years to help fund the financially-strapped school district. The $49 per parcel tax needs a...
Collins: How can home buyers prepare themselves to get the best rates?
With the news of interest rate cuts and dropping mortgage rates, there is a renewed interest in home purchasing. However, it is still an incredibly competitive market, so you need to be prepared. I asked Michael Gordon, broker and co-owner of E3 Realty & Loans, what a potential buyer should do to ensure they have...
San Jose Planning Commission says no to hospital expansion
The San Jose Planning Commission recommended denying plans to expand Good Samaritan Hospital based on its controversial owner — a stunning decision for a hospital that has been part of the community for decades. Commissioners voted 7-1 recommending against the hospital’s more than 1 million-square-foot expansion to the San Jose City Council. The final decision...
Fired Santa Clara officials can’t stay away from city politics
Santa Clara political observers worry that former officials are making moves to return to City Hall. The Santa Clara City Council fired City Manager Deanna Santana and City Attorney Brian Doyle in 2022, but they’re still sticking around. Santana recently donated about $100 to each of the four council candidates backed by Mayor Lisa Gillmor. The move...
San Jose City Hall workers want Councilman Omar Torres gone
Some San Jose City Hall employees are criticizing politicians for permitting Councilmember Omar Torres to stay in office despite calling for his resignation. This comes as the embattled councilman is asking for a 30-day leave of absence amid a child sex misconduct investigation. City Hall employees who spoke to San José Spotlight on condition of...