San Jose Inside

As morale continues to sink and police officers resign or retire from the San Jose Police Department in record numbers, the Police Officers Association‘s board of directors could call for a vote of no confidence in Police Chief Chris Moore. City Manager Debra Figone sent an email in support of Moore on Thursday to the City Council, Mayor Chuck Reed, Independent Police Auditor LaDoris Cordell, City Attorney Rich Doyle and two members Figone’s staff, David Vossbrink and Ed Shikada.

San Jose Police were called to the headquarters of the San Jose Mercury News on Wednesday afternoon after an independent distribution firm discovered its news racks — along with those of other local publications — in a metal recycling dumpster behind the daily’s plant. News outlets whose news racks were found in the garbage container included Metro, the Palo Alto Daily Post, the Mountain View Voice, Good Times, La Oferta, the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications.

Edesa Bitbadal finished third in the District 10 San Jose City Council primary, just 90 votes short of second place and a spot in the November runoff. That race will feature Johnny Khamis and Robert Braunstein. But a look at how Bitbadal spent money, and how those who opposed her spent their money, paints an interesting picture.

Councilmember Rose Herrera not only raised the most money of any candidate for the San Jose City Council primary in June; she also spent more than any other candidate raised in the five districts. Nonetheless, she’ll still face Jimmy Nguyen in the November runoff.

San Jose is about to have the dubious distinction of having the first store in the Bay Area. If we’re lucky, it will close down within a month. Whether the food is any good is not the question. At some point conscience must control a person’s pocketbook.

The South Bay Labor Council held a kickoff party Tuesday night promoting the November ballot initiative to raise the city’s minimum wage to $10. While many expect the coming months of debate to be framed in 99 vs. 1 percent terms—labor groups and low-wage workers battling lobbying heavyweights like the California Restaurant Association (word is the lobbyist group has already kicked in millions to defeat a similar federal ballot measure)—it seems some incongruous characters in Silicon Valley are working toward a compromise.

Semi-annual campaign disclosure documents show that San Jose Councilmember Kansen Chu spent a total of $123,786.19 for his District 4 primary race against San Jose police detective Tam Truong. Chu won the race with more than 54 percent of the vote. But a closer look at Chu’s expenditures show the councilmember had an unusual amount of dining entires in the final weeks of his campaign.

And we’re back! The Rules Committee gets to business Wednesday after a six-week layoff, and among the items on the docket are the city clerk’s library initiative gaffe, a push for less transparency regarding election swag, a review of public officials’ calendars and a City Hall gadfly offering his services to lead a department.

At the upcoming Aug. 7 City Council meeting, the discussion will focus on how to prioritize city spending IF revenues increase. So, in the example below, if revenues increase by $10 million—either by revenue growth or tax increase—this is how I think it should be spent by percentage.

The San Jose Police Officers Association, with help from the Victim Assistance Fund, started a foundation this week to help support three children who witnessed the double homicide of their parents. Marybel Jimenez, 27, and Pedro Jimenez, 28, were killed earlier this week at their North Seventh Street home. Neighbors heard the shots and came running to find the three children, ages 8, 7 and 4. Members of the public wishing to make a donation may do so online at the POA’s website.

News reporters are human beings who have a difficult job. Public officials have a tough job, but don’t always appear to be human. The divide stems from a failure to communicate. Here are a few rules for candidates and public officials in dealing with the press.

It was such an honor to be named a White House Champion of Change on July 12 for my work with homeless children and youth. After working with runaway and homeless youth for 40 years, 29 years of which have been in Santa Clara County, it is great to have such recognition. I’m now working on ways to use this honor to further the work in our area to end youth and family homelessness by 2020.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors took the month of July off from work as usual, but some discreet construction has been occurring behind closed doors. As part of a $900,000 project approved in closed session in October 2011, a panic room is being installed in the Board chambers.

On Monday, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced that more than 60 people in Santa Clara County have been sentenced to too harsh of sentences under the Three Strikes law, and his office intends to scale back punishments or even free some of these individuals.

August is on the horizon, which means the local political landscape is about to heat up. Campaigns will kick back into gear, ballot initiatives will pit voters against their more indulgent neighbors, and a couple of the more intriguing local elected officials will call it quits.