May 21, 2014
Sunnyvale City Council members forged ahead with a bold policy to raise the minimum wage in their city to more than $10 an hour, a 2-dollar jump in the current minimum. Council members voted 6 to 1 last night to create a city ordinance which raises the minimum wage and ties it to the consumer price index, so it could…
May 20, 2014
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors took the first step toward establishing the nation’s most comprehensive living wage ordinance. On a unanimous vote, the Board directed County Administration to develop a framework for an ordinance that would set a new standard of higher wages, healthcare security and a better standard of living for tens of thousands of low wage…
May 16, 2014
The California Apartment Association, which has endorsed Sam Liccardo for mayor, has sent out the sleaziest political mailer of the year so far. At first glance the mailer appears to be from organized labor. It praises Dave Cortese as if he opposed pension reform. Only the small print shows that the mailer actually comes from the California Apartment Association PAC.…
May 14, 2014
There is something about political campaigns for law enforcement offices that makes them particularly vicious. Maybe it’s that some candidates who see themselves as the champions of law and order tend to see their opponents as villains. The result is self-righteous campaigns that cross ethical boundaries. The use of crime victims for political purposes—especially without their consent — certainly crosses…
May 12, 2014
Santa Clara County Rural/Metro The County board of supervisors will accept a report from the County Public Health Department relating to performance of Rural/Metro as the 911 exclusive operating area ambulance provider. Since January 2013, Rural/Metro’s response time performance has consistently met or exceeded the contractual response time performance standards. Tweet
May 9, 2014
Cannibalism is an unusual tactic in political campaigns, but that is what we are seeing in the campaign to elect Kevin Jensen Sheriff. The Deputy Sheriffs Association (DSA) and Correctional Peace Officers Association (CPOA), which are running the Jensen campaign in the absence of any real campaign by Jensen himself, have attacked Sheriff Laurie Smith with mail that blames her…
Ro Khanna Field Director William Rinehart, channeling Tea Party anger against working families, hoisted the American flag and yelled anti-union slogans at a campaign rally last Saturday. “Don’t let the unions own your vote,” Reinhart screams. Faux-Democrat and congressional candidate Ro Khanna has always claimed to be pro-Labor. In fact, he features his union ties in his new TV ad.…
May 6, 2014
San Jose Campaign Finance Law Regarding Card Clubs Councilmember Sam Liccardo is asking the city attorney for guidance on his efforts to block Card Clubs from their constitutional right to give campaign donations to political organizations. Currently, San Jose law prohibits the Clubs from donating directly to individual candidates, but he’s running for Mayor and doesn’t have the Card Clubs’…
Judging from his recent TV ad, Sam Liccardo must be hoping that San Jose’s voters either have very short memories, or just moved into town yesterday. The ad shows mock politicians stuffing themselves at dinner while a voice accused the pols of piling up debt. But not to worry, the voice continues, smart Sam won’t leave our kids to pick…
May 5, 2014
City Council candidate Magdalena Carrasco has a problem. She told the Mercury News’ Joe Rodriguez that she is a political consultant, but on the ballot she listed herself as State Commissioner/Educator. This discrepancy reminded us of the last time truth-challenged Carrasco ran for council and claimed falsely that she had a master’s degree in social work from San Jose State. …