While Mountain View considers upping the hourly minimum wage from $9 to $10.15, activists are saying that's not enough.

Here comes the clutter of political advertisements. The public's least favorite time of year, when mailboxes are full of negative mailers and television ads assault the senses. First rule to remember: there is nothing that can't be said in politics, no matter how outrageous the claim.

Most California voters would rather have the U.S. shelter rather than deport the tens of thousands of unaccompanied Central American children entering the country illegally, according to a poll released Wednesday.

At this point, anyone interested in running for elected office should be required to take a crash course in social media. For example, one candidate running for San Jose City Council might want to stop posting pictures of vagina cupcakes.

Civil rights groups castigated San Jose city leaders for approving a drone purchase without public debate over privacy concerns. They're now asking the city to reform procedures for acquiring surveillance technology to make the process more transparent.

An academic team recently released a report that the State Water Resources Control Board has promised five times the water that is actually available. This was alarming news to share with a population that is slowly but surely coming to grips with the drought.

A state bill that would have paved the way for Bay 101's move to Milpitas died over the weekend, leaving the fate of the San Jose card room uncertain.

Fearing backlash from the public, San Jose police have opted to get rid of a heavily armored 15-ton truck, a military hand-me-down the city received from the Pentagon earlier this year.

California looks poised to become the first state to pass a plastic bag ban. Senate Bill 270, which passed out of the Assembly on a 44-29 vote, would phase out single-use plastic bags starting in 2015. A vote on the issue failed earlier this week, but it’s now expected to move through the Senate.

Rep. Mike Honda agreed with Huffington Post and San Jose State University to an Oct. 6 debate date. But challenger Ro Khanna says he has still yet to receive an invite.

Santa Clara's most vocal NIMBYist, Deborah Bress, has changed her focus to running for mayor and accusing city officials of killing her dog.

San Jose Inside takes a look at several programs designed to reduce homelessness in Silicon Valley. The different approaches show there is no easy solution.

Rep. Mike Honda may finally have agreed to a debate date—it’s just he didn’t consult his opponent, Ro Khanna, on the details.

Mike Wasserman’s special brand of milquetoast conservatism has made him the Ray Romano of local politics. He’s beloved for his affable nature, frequent banquet and ribbon-cutting attendance and unwavering commitment to ensuring no boat is rocked unless steady to sleep.

August 26 marks a turning point in the history of the struggle for equal treatment of women and women’s rights, and it’s appropriate to ask this week: How far have we really come?

In the second installment of an interview with San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, we discuss his administration's legacy, mistakes that were made along the way and the battle over pension reform.