Santa Clara County’s three-month sprint to raise sales taxes could stage a showdown between one of California’s most progressive Board of Supervisors and one of the state’s most centrist Democrats. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has declined to state his position on Santa Clara County’s proposed five-eighths cent sales tax increase measure, which county supervisors...
Santa Clara County puts sales tax measure on November ballot
Santa Clara County voters will be asked to approve a five-eighths cent sales tax increase to protect the public hospital system from shattering under federal spending cuts. The Board of Supervisors on Thursday voted unanimously to add the proposed tax to the Nov. 4 special election ballot, which will also ask voters to decide on a...
Santa Clara County approves budget amid Trump cuts
Santa Clara County supervisors took their first step toward adopting a $14 billion budget that weighs the region’s critical services against federal funding losses under President Donald Trump. After weeks of workshops and hearings, supervisors tried to close their budget talks on a high note. But their unanimous vote Thursday – with the final one...
Santa Clara County opens new residential mental health facility
A new residential treatment facility in Santa Clara County will provide people with a safe place to heal and recover. County officials announced the opening of 1072-1082 Vermont St. in San Jose, known as Vermont House, at a Thursday news conference. The two houses can hold up to 15 people who have a mental illness...
Funding falls through for Santa Clara County mental health facilities
Santa Clara County received zero Proposition 1 help from Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand its mental health facilities, despite him turning up the pressure on counties to provide more treatment beds. Last month, Newsom announced $3.3 billion in Prop. 1 grants to 126 recipients across the state. Santa Clara County was left out. The county...
Santa Clara County sheriff expands use of drones
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office wants to expand its use of drones to reduce deputy violence. Yet its oversight agency warns the rules for deployment are too loose, and some officials are concerned about over-policing communities of color. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to move forward with using drones as first responders, with...
Santa Clara County takes over managed health care program
Facing dramatic federal funding cuts, Santa Clara County leaders want to lessen the taxpayer dollars needed to support its massive public hospital system. That means reining in an institution the county created decades ago — which officials warn risks putting its own survival over health services. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 20 to...
Santa Clara County works to save services amid federal cuts
A massive structural budget deficit is forcing Santa Clara County leaders to get creative in finding ways to avoid hits to critical social safety net services. A San José Spotlight review of County Executive James Williams’ budget recommendations for fiscal year 2025-26 shows four main takeaways about what services could be eliminated, reduced, saved and...
Santa Clara County politicians want local funds for friend’s group
A massive budget deficit means the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will make hard decisions about grant funds for competing community groups that help residents with food, housing and immigration resources — yet two supervisors want to provide a significant grant to a national political group based in Washington, D.C. Supervisors Margaret Abe-Koga and...
Santa Clara County leaf blower ban dropped over ICE fears
A discussion among Santa Clara County supervisors on everyday gardening tools this week morphed into concerns about immigration witch hunts. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously axed Board President Otto Lee’s proposal for banning the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in unincorporated neighborhoods. Other supervisors worried the law would send a message encouraging residents...