Author Archives : The Left Hook

Policy Watch: Week of 12/19


City of Gilroy Declaring vacancy on City Council to be filled by Council appointment Council will be declaring a vacancy on City Council as a result of former Council member Roland Velasco’s election to Mayor, and directing staff to post a notice of intention to advertise and fill the vacancy. Former Council member Velasco’s term was set to expire in…

Yet Another Recount in District 8 Race


Jimmy Nguyen, candidate for San Jose City Council’s District 8 seat, has requested a manual recount of all the votes cast in the race. In a letter  sent to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, Nguyen also asks for the opportunity to see “all rejected vote-by-mail and provisional ballot envelopes, all defective or ‘spoiled’ ballots which were remade by…

Campbell Votes to Increase Minimum Wage to $15 by 2019


By a 3-2 vote on Tuesday, the Campbell City Council chose to raise its minimum wage to $15 by 2019.  The decision to increase the minimum wage sooner than mandated by the State of California was, in large part, led by Councilmember Jason Baker. Joining him in support of $15 by 2019 were Vice Mayor Liz Gibbons and Councilmember Michael…

Council Member-Elect Sergio Jimenez Takes His Seat at City Hall


Yesterday, San Jose City Councilmember-elect Sergio Jimenez was appointed to fill the District 2 vacancy that will be left after Councilmember Ash Kalra heads to the State capitol for his new role as Assembly Member. Kalra, who won California’s 27th Assembly District race will take office in early December, approximately one month before his term as Council Member is up.…

Policy Watch: Week of 11/28


City of San Jose Liccardo / Peralez memo proposing extension of downtown residential high-rise incentives Mayor Liccardo and Council Member Peralez are requesting that the Rules Committee agendize for City Council deliberation on December 13, 2016, to direct the City Manager to extend the Downtown High-Rise Incentive Program for new construction of residential buildings of at least 12-stories in height…

Sylvia Arenas Wins District 8 Seat


As The Left Hook predicted based on voting trends, Sylvia Arenas has secured a victory in the race for the San Jose City Council District 8 seat. After nearly two weeks, the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters tallied the last vote, solidifying Arenas’s lead and earning her a place on the City Council. The margin by which Arenas won…

Sylvia Arenas Headed to Victory in District 8


The neck and neck race for San Jose City Council’s District 8 seat appears to have a winner: Sylvia Arenas. Arenas is currently up 88 votes and with less than 300 votes left to be counted, it is nearly impossible for the results to sway in her opponent’s favor. Since Election Day, the margin between Arenas and Jimmy Nguyen has…

Policy Watch: Week of 11/21


City of San Jose Approving amending the Minimum Wage Ordinance to reach $15 by July 2019 & adding exemption for youth under 18 Recommended action: Approve an ordinance amending the San José Municipal Code relating to Minimum Wage. On November 15, 2016, City Council directed staff to return on November 29, 2016 with an ordinance to modify the existing minimum…

Policy Watch- Week of 11/14


Santa Clara County Approving authority to purchase property interest in the San Jose Marriott hotel from the former Redevelopment Agency The Property is currently comprised of a 510-room, 27-story hotel that provides many benefits to the public and the San José downtown economy, not to mention the many jobs provided to service the hotel.  The Real Property Interest is being…