A house divided can fall and the city of San Jose is barely standing. The infighting, regionalism and special interests are tearing the city apart and preventing the approval of policies that could move us forward together. From business opportunities, homelessness, natural and manmade emergencies, the operations of city government is slow, lethargic and often...
Retail returns in Silicon Valley, but challenges and changes loom
Long before the coronavirus spread, retail was changing as big box stores’ popularity sank and experiences became the new must-have. But the pandemic flipped the industry on its head in a new way. Those changes are being felt across businesses in Silicon Valley, a region with several shining examples of retail hotspots that serve as...
Santa Clara County nonprofits primed to take over policing, funding for social needs
Calls to defund the police have spread nationwide, as communities grapple with police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and San Jose’s militarized response to otherwise peaceful protesters in late May. While some support complete abolition of the San Jose Police Department’s proposed $449 million budget, the discussion for many Santa Clara...
After two decades, San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle is retiring
For two decades, San Jose City Attorney Rick Doyle navigated the law through a recession, violent protests at City Hall and a full-scale transition to Zoom meetings because of the coronavirus. Now he plans to retire. He was at the helm when pension reform emptied out the police department and resulted in countless union-led lawsuits. He was there...
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo unveils host of police accountability reforms
Mayor Sam Liccardo presented a nine-point proposal for reforming the San Jose Police Department Wednesday, striving to initiate tangible changes to how the city’s more than a million residents are policed in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The mayor’s vision includes unsealing arbitration files that allow fired officers to keep their badges,...
UPDATE: San Jose leaders advance ballot measure for strong mayor system, campaign finance reform
Despite criticism about a lack of public input, a San Jose council committee Wednesday advanced a proposal from Mayor Sam Liccardo to expand the powers of his office. The unanimous decision means the San Jose City Council next week will consider asking 2020 voters to decide whether the mayor should have more power in city...
Santa Clara County not ready for next stage of reopening, Cody says
Santa Clara County isn’t ready to seek state approval to open more businesses due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that has attracted the state’s attention, Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s top health official, said Tuesday. “At the moment, we don’t meet all the criteria on the variance application,” Cody told the Santa Clara...
Downtown task force pushes San Jose to help businesses survive post-coronavirus
Downtown San Jose community leaders this week gave city officials a to-do list to help the groups limping back to an economic equilibrium following the coronavirus shutdown. The nine recommendations, compiled by a 40-person coalition of downtown business, arts and community organizations, ask officials to create a new marketing program, extend free parking in the...
San Jose lawmakers extend eviction moratorium, expand Wi-Fi hotspots
As the county’s shelter-in-place order extends into its third month and many industries remain closed, San Jose lawmakers extended an eviction moratorium Tuesday to help renters facing hardship from the COVID-19 pandemic. The City Council voted unanimously to extend an eviction moratorium until Aug. 31 for tenants who cannot afford to pay rent because of income loss...
Santa Clara County supports new policies for Sheriff’s Office use of force
In a direct response to curbing police violence and misconduct, Santa Clara County lawmakers Tuesday began “re-envisioning” use of force policies and daily functions of the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported the reform measures, introduced by Supervisor Joe Simitian, following the nationwide uproar and calls to defund the police after the...