Rules to Discuss Rocha Memo on Recruitment of Department Heads
May 28, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Business, Culture Comments (9)
San Jose Councilman Don Rocha sent a memo to the Rules and Open Government Committee that questions the way the city finds and recruits new department heads.
Should the city recruit more department heads from outside or promote from within? Councilman Don Rocha says he thinks the city needs to do a better job casting its net to outside talent.
County Assessor Report Notes Resurgence in Housing Prices
May 28, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Business Comments (1)
The price of single-family homes in San Jose’s Mount Pleasant area increased by 24 percent compared to last year, topping all neighborhoods in Santa Clara County. Areas with darker shades of red had the largest increases.
Silicon Valley home values saw double-digit appreciation in the past year, outpacing the nation’s rebounding real estate market. Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone last week released a detailed breakdown of single-family home and condo prices. The report of prices in 25 South Bay neighborhoods shows growth in single-family home values ranging from 4 to 24 percent, and 13 to 46 percent for condos.
Memorial Day 2013
May 27, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Culture Comments (4)
(Photo by eddiecoyote, via Flickr)
Today we honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, dying in the line of duty while serving our country’s military. San Jose Inside will return tomorrow. Have a good Memorial Day.—Editor
Wag the Dog: How to Change the Conversation from Dirty Politics to Sex
May 24, 2013 by Josh Koehn Politics, Business, Culture, Media Comments (29)
County prosecutor Chuck Gillingham made some bold accusations about Metro in a press conference Wednesday. (Photo by Sugar Wang, courtesy of Singtao Daily)
County prosecutor Chuck Gillingham Jr., son of the former county sheriff, called a press conference Wednesday to accuse Metro of being an accomplice to prostitution and underage sex trafficking. Gillingham said he was acting in an unofficial capacity as a concerned citizen. But it seems something much greater is at play.
Corporate Citizenship Benefits San Jose Parks, Local Youth
May 24, 2013 by James P. Reber Business, Culture Comments (3)
Children take part in the Junior Games, which is among several programs that provide fitness activities and education for at-risk youth through San Jose’s Parks and Community Centers (Photo by Zak Mendez).
San Jose Parks Foundation’s plan has always been to build a base of individual donors large enough to support a lean organization that leverages funding from other sources and directs those funds to programs and projects for our public parks and trails.
Family Health Fiasco: King Broke Law by Asking Campos for Endorsement
May 23, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (17)
State Assemblymember Nora Campos received an email from Kathleen King, executive director of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation, that appears to have broken state and IRS laws.
The Santa Clara Family Health Foundation was created to help raise money to pay for poor children’s health insurance premiums. In recent years, however, the tax-exempt organization has also acted as a political entity, helping the South Bay Labor Council and Working Partnerships USA fund local tax measures through year-round planning and coordination. While there are some allowances for tax-exempt organizations to get involved in issue campaigns, nonprofits and public agencies cannot play a role in individual candidate campaigns. Kathleen King, executive director of the Health Foundation, has not always followed this rule.
How Santa Clara Scored Big in Attracting the 49ers, Super Bowl L
May 23, 2013 by Rich Robinson Politics, Business Comments (6)
This graphic rendering of the new San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara should be a reality next year.
Here it comes. The biggest, baddest sports spectacular in the United States of America. Super Bowl L—that is L as in roman numeral 50; and “L” as in “L”ove it—will be an unofficial national holiday. This is an extravaganza and event so special that it dwarfs all other sporting events. And to think it all started with one man’s vision, a letter and a personal visit.
Family Health Fiasco: Cindy Chavez Wanted to Sue Metro
May 22, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (15)
Cindy Chavez speaks to a crowd at the Labor Temple on election night last November.
County supervisor candidate and labor organizer Cindy Chavez has not always been the biggest fan of San Jose Inside and Metro‘s coverage of local politics. In fact, she was so perturbed by a report in March about the political activities of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation, on which she was previously a board member, that she suggested a lawsuit.
Family Health Fiasco: Kathleen King Wanted Better Push Polls for Measure A
May 22, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (9)
A flyer with pictures of elected officials who in 2012 supported Measure A, the 1/8th cent county sales tax increase that will collect $500 million over 10 years.
Push polls are a common occurrence in campaign season. They are designed to leave voters with a more positive or negative reaction to topics and/or individuals after answering questions. Political consultant Rich Robinson recently wrote a column on San Jose Inside about his distate for the leading questions, which are often asked without proper context, he argued. Based on email records obtained through a court order last week, it can be said that Kathleen King, executive director of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation, does not share this opinion about push polls.
Rules to Discuss Confidential Police Arbitration Records Request
May 22, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Culture Comments (0)
A Menlo Park cop’s fling with a prostitute prompted one local reporter to investigate confidential police arbitration cases across the Bay Area, including those in San Jose. The city’s Rules and Open Government Committee seems ready to deny the reporter’s second request for records, according to the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting.
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