Feb 1, 2017
Yesterday, the San Jose City Council voted on a critical change to the banking component of the City’s rent control law. The original ordinance, passed by the previous Council, allowed landlords who did not raise the rent in a given year to save or “bank” the unused rent increase and apply it at a future date. With a vote of…
Jan 30, 2017
County of Santa Clara Special hearing on hate crimes The Committee will convene a special meeting on issues related to hate crimes in light of the 2016 Presidential election, and determine the next steps for developing a hate crimes communication and services plan. The hearing will have panel presentations on public safety, civil rights, race and religion, education, and LGBTQ…
Jan 16, 2017
City of San Jose Appointing Vice Mayor Council will be voting on the Mayor’s recommended appointment of a member of the Council to serve as Vice Mayor. The Mayor has not yet announced who he will nominate. Where: San Jose City Council When: January 24, 2017, 1:30pm Link to item: http://sanjose.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=2668&meta_id=611437 Link to agenda: http://sanjose.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=ab9181ab-2ca0-483f-86c6-30ab43f6864a Tweet
Jan 9, 2017
County of Santa Clara Report on County contracting policies, including pay equity, living wage, DBE contracting & Ariba implementation The Committee will receive a report on Countywide contracting, including proposed policy revisions and contract language related to Pay Equity and Living Wage policies. The proposed living wage changes include an expansion of applicable solicitation types covered by the policy to…
Dec 22, 2016
At the behest of big corporations, the federal government has all but taken away the freedom of workers to organize in order to get their fair share. When workers lack the freedom to organize, wages stagnate, the middle class shrinks and inequality soars. Contrary to Republican dogma, it is workers and not businesses who are over-regulated. American workers are crying…
Dec 21, 2016
This year organized labor dodged a bullet when Justice Antonin Scalia’s death left the Supreme Court tied in the case of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. If Scalia had lived, the Court would have decided in Friedrichs that public sector workers cannot be required to pay for the services they receive from the union that represents the employees at their…
Dec 19, 2016
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…
Dec 9, 2016
If you heeded the warnings that San Jose City Councilmember Johnny Khamis and the California Restaurant Association (CRA) offered at the Council meeting last Tuesday, you probably rushed out in the last couple of days to buy as much steak as you can before the city’s new minimum wage sends restaurant prices through the roof. That is, unless you’re…
Dec 8, 2016
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…
Nov 28, 2016
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…