Opposition to Prop 16 Grows in Silicon Valley

Mar 05, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (9)

If it is passed, the Proposition 16 amendment on this year’s ballot will require local governments to obtain two-thirds voter approval before they can provide electricity to new customers or expand their services. In other words, citizens could block attempts by their city councils to expand the service area for existing public utilities or create new ones.

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Students Rally at SJSU

Mar 04, 2010, by Jessica Fromm Politics Comments (41)

More than 700 protesters marched in downtown San Jose as part of a statewide Day of Action for Public Education.

Mitchell Colbert lifted a copy of his student transcripts above his head. With his free hand, he raised a lighter. “During the Vietnam War, soldiers would burn their draft cards to protest the war,” the senior San Jose State University political science major shouted into the microphone. “Well, I have for you today a copy of my transcript.”

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City’s Deficit Rises Yet Again

Mar 04, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (27)

There’s bad news for the City Council again. The deficit is up 16 percent and now stands at $116.2 million. The problem, says City Manager Debra Figones, is employee pension costs, and especially the pension costs for retired policemen and firemen. While they were expected to grow by $38 million during the next fiscal year, the estimate has been adjusted and now stands at $53 million. Exacerbating the problem is reduced revenue from business tax receipts, which continues to drop.

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Is the Airport Expansion Another Costly Mistake?

Mar 03, 2010, by Pete Campbell Politics, Business Comments (17)

“Those who don’t understand history are condemned to repeat it.”  When it comes to the San Jose Airport expansion and renovation project, it’s looking more and more like city officials failed to learn from the costly experience of the Taj Mahal city hall.

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Tech Museum Revival Loses Momentum

Mar 03, 2010, by Silicon Valley Newsroom Politics Comments (16)

When Peter Friess came to the Tech Museum in 2006, he brought with him a vision of transforming it into a world class institution with “blockbuster” traveling exhibits and constantly updated permanent exhibits. He believed that this would stop the museum’s sharp decline from 1999 to 2005, when revenue dropped 50 percent and attendance declined from 809,000 visitors to just 391,000.

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Top-Down Education Reform

Mar 02, 2010, by Joseph DiSalvo Politics Comments (8)

“RTTP” is part of the new parlance of school and government employees. In a few days we will be told by U.S. Secretary of Education Duncan which Race To The Top state applications are considered finalists for funding in the first round of competition.

Forty states applied for the S4.25 billion in total funding. The prize, financed by the economic American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will range from $350 million to $700 million per state and be awarded in April. Will California be on the list in this first round?

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