Oct 29, 2015
With its decision to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2018 and tie future wage increases to the regional San Francisco Bay Area Consumer Price Index (CPI), Mountain View has set a new regional standard. To keep pace, Silicon Valley cities will need to allow their minimum wage increases to be driven by either the national or…
Oct 28, 2015
The latest victory in the fight to raise the wage occurred last night when Mountain View became the first city in Santa Clara County to increase its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018. The vote was 5-2 with Mayor John McAlister and Councilmember John Inks opposing the ordinance. The City Council agreed to raise the City’s minimum wage…
Oct 27, 2015
The City of Palo Alto is considering a minimum wage tip credit, despite the fact that it is illegal. The proposed credit would authorize employers to pay tipped workers less than the local minimum wage, with the assumption that the employees’ tips would make up the difference. Specifically, Section 351 of the California Labor Code, which makes tips “the sole…
Oct 26, 2015
City of San Jose San Jose is considering recommendations related to the agreement with Taxi San José for the On-Demand Ground Transportation Program It is recommended that Council accept the report regarding citywide taxicab regulations and operations of taxicabs and Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) at the Airport, as recommended by the Transportation and Environment Committee on Oct. 5, 2015. Where: …
Oct 23, 2015
The process for filling the vacant seat on the West Valley-Mission Community College District is underway. Nick Heimlich resigned his seat, creating the vacancy on the board that oversees the maintenance and operation of West Valley College in Saratoga and Mission College in Santa Clara. Here are the candidates, as of today, who are looking to fill the position. Randi…
Oct 20, 2015
County of Santa Clara Overview of the Charter Revocation Process. After the discussion on October 7, 2015 regarding the failure of Spark Charter School to ensure all staff have the clearance and credentials required by state law and the city’s charter, and the closure of the school until these violations were corrected, the Board requested an information item on the…
Oct 15, 2015
The on-demand industry is not only affecting employment and workers, but also consumers and communities. One particular segment of the on-demand industry, the short-term rental of homes as hotel rooms via Airbnb, HomeAway, FlipKey and a number of others, is already having significant negative impacts on cities and neighborhoods. Short-term rentals worsen Silicon Valley’s housing crisis by taking land that…
Oct 14, 2015
The recent investigation at Spark Charter School in Sunnyvale has lit a fire under the Santa Clara County School Board (County Board). In the wake of the child molestation accusations against a Spark employee, the County Board now seems ready to take responsibility for the more than 9,000 students attending the 23 county-approved charter schools. At the October 6, 2015…
Oct 12, 2015
City of San Jose San Jose Neighborhoods Commission will discuss Crime-Free Multi-Housing proposal by Council Members Khamis and T. Nguyen; would evict residents for any violation. On October 7, 2015, the Rules Committee referred the proposed Crime-Free Multi-Housing memo to the Council’s Neighborhood Services and Education Committee for future action, and to the Neighborhoods Commission to discuss the possibility of…
Oct 9, 2015
The City of San Jose is considering the adoption of a Crime Free Multi-Housing Program supposedly designed to facilitate the eviction of problem tenants. However, it is written so badly it places at risk victims of domestic violence, residents who engage in acts of civil disobedience and others who are in no way a threat to their neighborhood. The discussion…