San Jose could approve at least one significant data center before its development standards are finalized. This would allow the developer to skirt limitations on noise, emissions, audits and more in spite of the mayor promising to implement the strictest data center standards in the U.S. Google’s data center project in Alviso — which the...
Silicon Valley lawmaker to focus on affordability, AI after election win
Despite the “blue tsunami” in the midterm elections that flipped the U.S. House and Senate, Silicon Valley Congressman Sam Liccardo said he was hesitant to read the results as a mandate for the Democratic party. “It’s not a secret that the Democratic Party is not terribly popular, and we won despite that fact,” he said....
Santa Clara County report shows increased property values
Santa Clara County property values have increased faster than last year, although overall growth has remained below 5% as economic uncertainty and changes in the real estate market continue to shape the region. The total net assessed value of all real estate and personal property — known as the assessment roll — reached a record...
Santa Clara candidate failed to disclose AI images, complaint says
A Santa Clara mayoral candidate is facing a state-level complaint over his campaign’s undisclosed use of AI-generated images. Diana Torres, a freelance political consultant, filed the complaint against candidate Gary Ferraris to the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) on Sept. 24. The complaint alleges Ferraris’ campaign website used images created with artificial intelligence without...
San Jose conference highlights digital divide facing Latinos
As artificial intelligence reshapes Silicon Valley, Latino leaders are pushing for a bigger role in deciding who benefits from the technology and who might get left behind. That question was at the center of a two-day conference in San Jose, hosted by the New York-based Hispanic Federation, which brought together nonprofit leaders and community advocates...
South Bay coalition wants to protect workers from tech
From artificial intelligence to algorithmic surveillance, recent tech advances are rapidly reshaping the workplace. South Bay labor leaders are alarmed — and drawing together an industry-spanning coalition intended to give workers more say in how these technologies are deployed. Dozens of workers gathered in front of San Jose City Hall on Tuesday to unveil the...
San Jose public workers could strike amid contract dispute
Thousands of San Jose city workers have voted to authorize their bargaining representatives to call a strike, ratcheting up the pressure on City Hall amid a protracted contract dispute. After a week of voting, support for the authorization came in at 97%, according to a Monday announcement from IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101....
San Jose residents push for data center moratorium
As San Jose hammers out local review standards for data center projects, some residents are calling for the city to follow the lead of other jurisdictions and enact an immediate moratorium on new developments. The proposed standards are expected to address widespread concerns that a glut of new projects working their way through the city’s...
San Jose wants to set standards for data center development
As San Jose begins to create standards for building data centers, residents, advocates and researchers warn the city needs to develop robust safeguards for community health before approving any new projects. San Jose is kickstarting its community engagement process this month through September, gathering input on what these standards should look like. Outreach will consist...
Mountain View tech showcase amazes crowds
Lasers, self-driving cars and chess-playing robots were on prominent display at Mountain View’s 11th annual Technology Showcase on July 30, which gave residents a glimpse of the innovations being worked on throughout the city and exhibited resources they can use for their own purposes. More than 500 visitors flitted in and out of the free...