In the heart of Silicon Valley, where progress and innovation are watchwords, San Jose’s democracy faces a crisis of representation. The 2022 election, the most expensive in our city’s history, revealed a troubling truth: the voices of everyday San Jose residents are being drowned out by big money in politics, a trend that continues in...
Silicon Valley homeless residents still eligible to vote
When Gary Diaz was homeless, all he could think about was how he was going to make it to the next day. Now that he’s staying at a temporary housing program at Tully Inn, he’s been able to get his head above water to do things that are important to him — and that includes...
Mendoza: For our kids, the county fairgrounds vote is about more than just soccer
Growing up in East San Jose, it filled me with pride last year to sign my first professional soccer contract at the age of 17 with my hometown San Jose Earthquakes. That said, I’ve been able to witness firsthand the importance of having access to quality fields in our community, which are critical for our...
San Jose official to file complaint over stolen campaign signs
Candidates on both sides of a historic race to seat Santa Clara County’s first Vietnamese American supervisor say their campaign signs have been stolen, torn and defaced. One San Jose leader wants to investigate who’s behind it. District 7 San Jose Councilmember Bien Doan said his office is looking into the theft of campaign signs...
East San Jose district could close nearly half its schools
An East San Jose school district plans to close numerous campuses due to an enormous budget deficit. An Alum Rock Union School District committee is recommending closing 13 of its 21 schools due to declining student enrollment with families moving out of the area, lower birth rates and a steady loss of students to charter...
Sweeney: Vote for a cleaner California, not PG&E’s man in Sacramento
The Assembly District 26 race is seeing the highest level of outside candidate spending by utility giant PG&E, which is pouring unprecedented funds into backing Patrick Ahrens. Far more than in any other state legislative race in California. Our environment, health and pocketbooks are all on the line, and we need leaders who will prioritize...
San Jose leaders want to give developers more control
Downtown San Jose could see an economic boost if city officials adopt a potential initiative for fast tracking large developments. Mayor Matt Mahan and Councilmembers Dev Davis and Pam Foley are proposing an “Innovative Project Pathway Program” aimed at creating a streamlined approach to development in the downtown core. It would apply to developers interested in...
Santa Clara County homeless shelter model displaces seniors
Alma stared at her phone, rattled. She had just received a text from her case manager on Sept. 30 that she’d been evicted from the Sunnyvale homeless shelter while on the way back from work. With nowhere to go, she reverted to sleeping underneath the stairwell of a school. That week, temperatures reached a scorching...
How Silicon Valley candidates are tied to troubled recycler
Candidates running to represent Silicon Valley in Congress are pointing fingers over whose ties are tighter to a Bay Area recycling company under scrutiny by the FBI. In the Congressional District 16 race, Assemblymember Evan Low’s campaign circulated an advertisement titled “Dirty Politics,” calling out Low’s opponent and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s connections...
Rosenfeld: Patrick Ahrens is the clear choice for Assembly District 26
With Election Day around the corner, we face a vital decision for our community’s future. I urge residents to vote for Patrick Ahrens for Assembly District 26, a dedicated public servant, champion for working families and leader who has proven time and again that he understands the challenges we face. He has the vision and...