Author Archives : The Left Hook

Policy Watch: Week of 3/11


County of Santa Clara Report from the County Executive on adherence to Project Labor Agreement requirements for Job Order Contracts Since 2001, the County has used Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for construction projects that exceed a certain project spending threshold. The most recent amendment to this requirement, approved by the Board on April 26, 2016, set the project spending threshold…

Saratoga Council Member Rishi Kumar Challenges Congresswoman Eshoo for 18th Congressional District Seat


Rishi Kumar, current Saratoga City Council Member, has decided to run for Congress against incumbent Anna Eshoo.  Over the weekend, Kumar quietly updated his social media and LinkedIn accounts to announce that he was throwing his hat in the ring for California’s 18th Congressional District, a seat that Eshoo has held since 1993. Tweet

Wage Theft Protection Makes List of San Jose’s 2019 Priorities


Yesterday, the San Jose City Council voted to include wage theft as one the of City’s 2019 priorities. The City’s current Wage Theft Prevention Ordinance, which was originally enacted in 2016, excluded one of the industries most impacted by wage theft: construction. Since 2011, approximately 7,000 Bay Area construction workers at over 500 companies have had their wages stolen from them…

Policy Watch: Week of 3/4


City of San Jose Direction on increasing allowable heights for Downtown development; staff recommend Scenario 4, using FAA guidelines on a case-by-case basis for Downtown building heights 3/1/19 NEW LETTERS FROM PUBLIC – 4 NEW MEMOS on 2/22/19 – Four memos from aviation consultants Landrum & Brown provide the work products on their study on airspace and development capacity. These…

Early Fundraising Numbers are in for 2020 Senate District 15 Race


Early fundraising numbers for the 2020 Senate District 15 race show a clear front runner: Dave Cortese. The former City Council Member and current Santa Clara County Supervisor ended 2018 by raising $136,000, in the year’s final reporting period, and having $176,000 cash on hand. Nora Campos, former San Jose City Council Member and State Assembly Member, raised nearly $40,000…

Early Fundraising Efforts for Senate District 13 are Taking Shape


Early Fundraising Efforts for Senate District 13 are Taking Shape Early fundraising efforts for Senate District 13 are underway and the most recent reports showed some candidates starting 2019 in a strong financial position, while others struggled to keep up.  With four candidates in the race, any financial advantage will matter. Here is the breakdown of their fundraising efforts as…

Candidates Line Up to Take Over Jerry Hill’s Senate Seat


Jerry Hill, who represents the 13th Senate District, is terming out in 2020, and candidates are lining up for the chance to take the open seat.  First on the list is Josh Becker, founder of the Full Circle Fund, a community leadership and policy innovation organization that helps fund non-profits that create positive change in the Bay Area. Becker previously…

Policy Watch: Week of 2/25


County of Santa Clara Updates on ongoing labor negotiations between County and nursing staff of newly acquired St. Louise & O’Connor Hospitals At the February 12, 2019 meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Ellenberg requested that Administration provide a report at the February 26, 2019 Board of Supervisors’ meeting regarding the schedule of ongoing discussions with the Registered Nurses…

Beall’s Open Senate Seat Attracts Political Heavy Weights


Senator Jim Beall is termed out in 2020 and his soon-to-be vacant seat is attracting a number of political heavy weights. First on the list is Dave Cortese. Cortese, who is termed out of his Supervisorial seat in 2020, is no stranger to the political scene. He is a former San Jose Council Member, served for eight years as a…

Two Candidates Vie for Senate Seat Vacated by Bill Monning


There are two candidates vying for the open 17th Senate District seat. The position is currently held by Bill Monning who is terming out in 2020.  The front runner, John Laird, is a former Santa Cruz City Council Member, a former State Assembly Member and most recently served as the State Secretary for Natural Resources under Governor Jerry Brown.  His opponent,…