Author Archives : The Left Hook

Alejo Drops Out of State Senate Race


Yesterday, Monterey County Supervisor and former State Assemblymember Luis Alejo announced, via social media, that he will not be running for the District 12 State Senate seat Anthony Cannella is vacating. Alejo cited his new duties as Chair of the Board of Supervisors as the reason for his decision. However, there is some speculation that it was difficult for him…

The Left Hook’s Top 10 San Jose Women’s March Signs


The signs at Saturday’s Women’s March in San Jose did not disappoint.  They were witty, clever, poignant, and downright hilarious. Thank you to all who joined the march and brought us these, and many more, catchy and meaningful words of wisdom: 80% Pay = 100% Wrong No one says “grab em by the weenie” We are not ovary acting I…

Policy Watch: Week of 1/22


County of Santa Clara Update & direction on Child Care Services, plus approving $50,000 increase for 4Cs The board is consider approving a funding increase for the Community Child Care Council and receive a report on the state and budget of the Child Care Services department. The recommended actions will have the following fiscal impact Recommended Action (a) The CalWORKs…

Vulnerable San Jose Councilman Tam Nguyen off to a Good Start


  Councilmember Tam Nguyen, who many view as being vulnerable in this year’s election, is off to a good fundraising start.  As campaign fundraising numbers begin to trickle in ahead of the January 31st reporting deadline, Nguyen has disclosed that he was able to raise over $85,000 in the final weeks of December.   Two years ago, District 6 Council…

Lawsuit Filed Against City of San Jose’s Review of Toxic Site Planned for Development


Last week, labor organizations and local residents filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara County Superior Court to prevent the City of San Jose from planning development of a site, contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals, without evaluating the public and worker health risks and safety and environmental impacts. The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health found that the project site, located in downtown…

“Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere”


Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We reflect and honor his commitment to improving the lives of thousands of Americans, while continuously putting his own life at risk. We respect his non-violent approach, we are grateful for his courage and wisdom.  He was a man of action and his unyielding desire for equality…

Policy Watch: Week of 1/15


Santa Clara County Discussion on possible ballot measure to extend County’s 1/8-cent sales tax  The current County 1/8 cent sales tax (2012 Measure A) is set to expire on March 31, 2023.  The Board directed the Administration to provide information to the Board regarding the County’s one-eighth cent tax, including: Workplan or decision matrix for the Board to examine the…

Could the Mayor’s Race Be Liccardo versus Honda?


In recent days there have been rumblings that former Congressman Mike Honda might consider running for San Jose Mayor. To date, Honda has only said that he is not ruling out the possibility. The City of San Jose has been plagued with a number of issues that have not been adequately addressed by the current Mayor – increase in crime…

Vice Mayor Carrasco to Face Opponent in Bid for Re-election


San Jose Vice Mayor Magdalena Carrasco will face an opponent in her bid for re-election. Yesterday, Jennifer Imhoff, Secretary for the Santa Clara County Libertarian Party and Communications Director for the Libertarian Party of California, submitted her Candidate Intention Statement for District 5 to the San Jose City Clerk. Currently, there are 156 registered Libertarians out of 32,500 registered voters…

SVO Flips on Decision to Stay Out of Board of Supervisors Race: Rumored to Back Their Employee’s Opponent


In our January 5th post, The Silicon Valley Organization and Its Employee Candidates, The Left Hook shared that the Silicon Valley Organization (SVO), formerly known as the Chamber of Commerce, had committed to staying out of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors race because it employs Susan Ellenberg, a candidate for the open Board seat.  The SVO stated that…