Milpitas has a new city manager—the fourth in the past six years. The Milpitas City Council removed the word “acting” from Ned Thomas’ city manager title at Tuesday’s meeting and approved his permanent appointment through June 30, 2025, with an option to renew annually. His annual base salary is $279,000, according to his contract. Thomas previously...
Knight Foundation names new San Jose director
The Knight Foundation has selected a new program director to oversee its efforts in San Jose, following a year without a permanent leader. The philanthropic organization that supports nonprofits, the arts and public improvement projects announced today it named Allan Madoc to the role, a Stanford University Sloan Fellow with a background in technology investment banking....
San Jose brings in-person translators to all council meetings
San Jose is launching language interpreter services at some public meetings after translation mishaps earlier this year. Starting today, there will be Spanish and Vietnamese translators in person and virtually at every San Jose City Council and council committee meeting. Prior to this change, people seeking in-person interpreters needed to submit a request ahead of...
East San Jose store faces outcry for obtaining liquor license
An East San Jose convenience store with a controversial history has received a permit to sell alcohol, despite concerns of underage drinking and increasing crime in the area. The San Jose Planning Commission on Sept. 27 granted Fast Mart, a convenience store at 1484 S. White Road in the Mount Pleasant South neighborhood, a conditional use...
New San Jose programs approve permits in days—not months
San Jose’s Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Department is streamlining its permitting process to generate faster turnaround times. The online process is two-fold. One feature—Best Prepared Designer—is aimed at design professionals and contractors who have a good track record with the city on small projects like single-family remodels and commercial projects. The program aims to...
Dean: San Jose residents and business will lose in city’s power play
Just this August, with virtually no public notice, analysis or stakeholder engagement, San Jose city leaders announced to the world that they wanted to get into the business of delivering electricity. The city’s desire to form an electric utility company should be a cause for concern for San Jose residents and businesses, particularly when they...
San Jose officials declare a homelessness emergency
San Jose leaders say homelessness is a crisis, and they intend to jumpstart their stalled progress in meeting ambitious housing goals. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Vice Mayor Rosemary Kamei and Councilmembers David Cohen and Omar Torres jointly unveiled plans today to declare a shelter crisis and homelessness emergency. They want to bypass the bureaucracy they say is...
San Jose spent $58M on police overtime last year
Scores of San Jose police are making six-figures from overtime pay due to a shortage of sworn officers, and it’s straining the city’s tight budget. The city paid out $58 million in overtime to San Jose Police Department officers last fiscal year, according to City Auditor Joe Rois—a 19% spike compared to the $47 million...
Report: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara has $2B economic impact
Events at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara have generated $2 billion in total economic impact for the region in the last decade, according to a report commissioned by the San Francisco 49ers. The report was prepared by Daniel Rascher, a professor of sports economics at University of San Francisco and head of consulting firm SportsEconomics....
The Biz Beat: Rollati Ristorante in San Jose serves one spicy pie
After two and a half years of planning, Rollati Ristorante has already established itself as a destination restaurant in the two weeks since its mid-September opening. Offering an elegant twist on classic Italian-American cuisine in downtown San Jose, it is the newest of the Vine Hospitality Group’s restaurants, which include Santana Row mainstays Left Bank,...