Property Values Continue to Climb in 2013
Jun 6, 2013 by Christiana Cobb Politics, Business Comments (3)
About 47,000 county homeowners will soon find out that their homes are worth more than what they paid for them. Assessor Larry Stone announced in a press release Thursday that the South Bay’s residential property market continues to trend upward.
If Stupidity Were a Felony
Jun 6, 2013 by Rich Robinson Politics Comments (16)
George Shirakawa Jr. found himself in more legal trouble this week, when the District Attorney’s office announced new charges related to fraudulent political mailers sent in the 2010 San Jose City Council race between Xavier Campos and Magdalena Carrasco.
If stupidity were a felony, ex-county Supervisor George Shirakawa would be spending a lot more time in jail. The new charges filed by District Attorney Jeff Rosen against Shirakawa, resulting from DNA samples found on a political dirty trick mailer, is the latest example. But this brings us to a new problem: Shirakawa didn’t act alone. The pieces were written, designed and printed by others. There must be more DNA out there that identifies those who helped. These folks should be lawyering up right now.
Recent Spate of Violence Spurs Community Vigil Tonight at City Hall
Jun 6, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Culture Comments (8)
As San Jose copes with one of its most violent years in decades—22 homicides since the start of 2013—a group of community members will gather tonight at City Hall to honor the memory of those lost.
Further Adventures in the New Paradigm
Jun 6, 2013 by James P. Reber Politics, Culture Comments (3)
Dog owners have a greater responsibility when visiting San Jose parks ever since the city stopped supplying bags for droppings. (Photo by Tom Clifton)
I have mentioned before that we are now all part of a new paradigm in civic life, especially as it relates to our parks, trails and recreation programs. The new paradigm is not a great distance from this traditional view. It is merely a small step forward by the citizenry toward a closer level of ownership and participation than we have generally assumed. That one step is active care. A recent example relates to bags supplied at our local dog parks.
DNA Links Shirakawa to Fraudulent Mailer that Helped Campos in 2010 Council Race
Jun 5, 2013 by Josh Koehn Politics Comments (24)
District Attorney Jeff Rosen points to a picture of a fraudulent mailer that investigators say George Shirakawa Jr. was responsible for sending.
A cloud has been cast over the 2010 election of San Jose Councilman Xavier Campos with this morning’s announcement that George Shirakawa Jr. participated in a covert effort to change the election’s outcome, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney. Shirakawa, the disgraced former county supervisor who will be sentenced for unrelated crimes Friday, allegedly licked stamps affixed to fraudulent campaign mailers that were designed to discredit council candidate Magdalena Carrasco, who lost two close elections to Campos, a friend and staffer of Shirakawa’s at the time of the crime.
Campaign Coordination: A (Legally Interpretive) Labor of Love
Jun 5, 2013 by The Fly Politics, The Fly Comments (3)
Cindy Chavez, right, celebrates her special election primary victory Tuesday night. (Photo by Aron Cooperman)
The Fair Political Practices Commission awarded a cookie last week to Cindy Chavez, champ of Tuesday’s county supervisor primary. FPPC Chief Enforcement Officer Gary Winuk ruled that mass mailers shared between Chavez, the county Democratic party and the South Bay Labor Council followed the Political Reform Act to the letter, which must mean it was written in some kind of Cyrillic and Arabic scramble. Part of the ruling stated that anyone who registers with a party is considered a member, even if they don’t pay dues, which means a party’s candidate of choice basically has an unlimited amount of coordinated funds at their disposal.
Alvarado, Chavez to Meet in Runoff; SBLC Flack Denies Media Access
Jun 4, 2013 by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics, Media Comments (23)
County Supervisor candidateTeresa Alvarado and San Jose Councilman Sam Liccardo talk at Alvarado’s election night party. Alvarado finished second to Cindy Chavez, whom she will now face in a runoff. (Photo by Aron Cooperman)
Tuesday night’s special election ended with Cindy Chavez and Teresa Alvarado placing first and second, respectively, in the primary for the county supervisor seat formerly held by George Shirakawa Jr. But while each candidate hosted parties to celebrate making it to the runoff, one of Chavez’s handlers was less than thrilled to allow media access.
Silicon Valley Must Lead the Nation in Improving Public Education
Jun 4, 2013 by Joseph DiSalvo Politics, Culture Comments (0)
President Ronald Reagan’s administration delivered a scathing report on public education in our country more than 30 years ago. Many of the recommendations in that report have yet to be followed, says Joseph Di Salvo. (Photo by pingnews.com, via Flickr)
How many more years will the country and Silicon Valley put up with broken promises made to our children, before it is too late for us to recover from the lack of political will? This year we commemorate the 30-year anniversary of a national report that provided a clarion call to improve our public education system.
Special Election Day: Alvarado, Chavez Hope to Replace George Shirakawa Jr.
Jun 4, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics Comments (4)
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Teresa Alvarado and Cindy Chavez are considered the most likely candidates to win the county supervisor seat previously held by George Shirakawa Jr.
Today’s primary for the District 2 county supervisor seat is an enormously critical one-issue ballot. Seven candidates are up to to replace disgraced former county Supervisor George Shirakawa Jr., with Teresa Alvarado and Cindy Chavez looking like the frontrunners to extend the race to a runoff.
Council to Discuss Taxes for Affordable Housing, Medical Marijuana
Jun 3, 2013 by Jennifer Wadsworth Politics, Business, Culture Comments (3)
A proposal for a new construction fee to rake in more money for affordable housing has sharply divided the City Council. Vice Mayor and 2014 mayoral candidate Madison Nguyen and Councilman Don Rocha say San Jose desperately needs another funding source for low-income housing since the state-ordered end of Redevelopment Agencies (RDA). But councilmen Pete Constant and Johnny Khamis strongly disagree. Other issues at Tuesday’s City Council meeting include a public hearing to raise the medical marijuana tax and a fight over a recycling facility near the San Jose Flea Market.
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