Browsing Category : Community

Policy Watch: Week of 6.18


County of Santa Clara Direction on Inclusionary Housing Ordinance & Housing Impact Fee for Stanford development  HLUET will review two related items that apply to new development at the Stanford University campus: the draft policy framework for an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance that would create new affordable housing units when new market-rate units are constructed, as well as an Affordable Housing…

Don Rocha Comes From Behind to Take Final Spot in November Runoff 


As the results for the Supervisor District 4 race came in on Tuesday, June 5th, San Jose Councilmember Don Rocha, endorsed by the South Bay Labor Council, was more than a percentage point, about 200 votes, behind Pierluigi Oliverio, leaving the two candidates uncertain about who would face Susan Ellenberg in the November runoff. In the early days of counting,…

Santa Clara to Vote on Appointment to Open Council Seat


Today, the Santa Clara City Council will vote to make an appointment to the Council seat vacated by Dominic Caserta last month. To pass, the appointment must receive five of the remaining six Council members’ votes. The City Charter gives the Council two options in case of a Council seat vacancy:  either appoint or hold a special election.  If an…

Election Day Recap: Council Races Decided, Supervisor Race Too Close To Call


Yesterday’s election left some local races clearly decided and others much too close to call. As most folks expected, Mayor Sam Liccardo won his second term, with Steve Brown, the second place candidate falling far behind. In the San Jose City Council races, District 3 Council Member Raul Peralez, who ran unopposed, was officially re-elected last night.  Vice Mayor Magdalena…

Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Creates Campaign Committee Using Different Name


Voters in the County Board of Supervisors (BOS) District 4 race just received nearly identical mailers for Susan Ellenberg and Pierluigi Oliverio. Both candidates are vying for the seat, which is now occupied by Ken Yeager.  It seems that the mailers targeted voters by gender, with women getting the Ellenberg piece and men getting the Oliverio version of the mailer. Who…

RM 3 Provides Traffic Relief for South Bay Residents, Commuters


The East and South Bay are thriving – attracting new residents while seeing our business community expand. The cities in our community are at the nexus of a major transportation hub for the region and West Coast. From highway systems to public transportation like AC Transit and BART to bicycle and pedestrian paths, we rely on infrastructure and transportation investment…

Policy Watch: Week of 5/28


City of San Jose Ending negotiations with current residential waste haulers for new contracts (CWA, Garden City, Green Team and GreenWaste) The City provides residential recycling and garbage services through four contracted service providers: California Waste Solutions (CWS), Garden City Sanitation Inc. (GCS), Green Team of San Jose, and GreenWaste Recovery. Combined, this system is one of the largest privatized…

Policy Watch: Week of 5/21


City of Sunnyvale Selecting a preferred option for the Housing Study in the Lawrence Station Area Plan; continued to June 26 Staff are requesting a continuance to June 26, 2018 for the public hearing of the amendment of the Lawrence Station Area Plan, which includes 319 acres adjacent to the Station. This is to allow additional time to complete the…

Dominic Caserta Suspends Campaign after Mounting Sexual Harassment Allegations, Time for Pierluigi Oliverio to do the Same


After growing calls to resign from office and drop out of the Santa Clara County Supervisor’s race, Dominic Caserta has suspended his campaign and resigned from his position as a city councilman for the City off Santa Clara.  Calls for his resignation grew louder over the week as more former students came forward with sexual harassment allegations.  His campaign’s full statement…

Why Does the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce Exist?


Sometimes it is hard to understand why businesses join the Silicon Valley Organization (SVO), otherwise known as the Chamber of Commerce.  The SVO’s record in political campaigns certainly does not stand its members in good stead.  It has opposed, abandoned or offended a majority of the San Jose City Council and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. The SVO’s…