San Jose will consider skirting its living wage policy to appease a massive corporation and some developers. The City Council on Tuesday will discuss an appeal from Starbucks and other vendors to be exempt from the rule—they’re interested in leasing space at City Hall and the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
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City Manager Debra Figone’s Exit Interview
San Jose Inside’s Josh Koehn sat down in late October with City Manager Debra Figone, who will retire at the end of next week, to discuss her 44-year career in public service. The free-flowing discussion, which has been edited for clarity, touches on topics such as the city’s adversarial relationship with the Police Officers Association, the validity of international travel for elected officials, the possibility of another sports franchise coming to San Jose if the Oakland A’s cannot relocate here, and how Figone views the media’s coverage of local politics.
San Jose’s Next Mayor Can Lead on Education
There is a dangerous shortsightedness about constricting the role of mayor in San Jose and the campaign to only things that he/she can influence. Doing so makes San Jose seem small minded and insignificant. Are we not the Silicon Valley, the economic engine for the state, nation and world? Are we not the 10th most populous city in America? We must think bigger or we will lose out.
Rocketship Asks City for Help Securing a $35 Million Loan
A private nonprofit charter school chain wants the city to act as a conduit financer for a $35 million loan to build another campus and make improvements at a couple others. Rocketship schools, owned by San Jose-based Launchpad Development Company, will ask the City Council to approve the bond issuance when it meets Tuesday. The council also considers plans to regulate pot clubs, accept an insurance settlement for a burnt-down historic home and OK a contract with the city’s police union.
San Jose Considers Stricter Pot Club Ordinance, Outright Ban
Leveraging anecdotal evidence of increased crime and a poll conducted by teenage prohibitionists, the city aims to tighten restrictions on local pot clubs. Under new rules—if they garner a majority vote Tuesday from the City Council—dispensaries would operate no closer than 1,000 feet from a school, 500 feet from a substance abuse clinic and 150 feet from a home.
Councilman Kalra Wants San Jose to Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
Councilman Ash Kalra wants to deliver San Jose from the evils of gas-powered leaf blowers. Also on the Rules and Open Government Committee agenda for Wednesday is a plea from senior citizens for the city to protect older affordable homes, like mobile home parks.
Magdalena Carrasco to Run Again Against Xavier Campos for Council Seat
San Jose Councilman Xavier Campos will face a familiar opponent when he runs for re-election in the June 2014 primary. Magdalena Carrasco, who lost the 2010 race for the East Side council seat by a slim margin, quietly filed papers this week to give it another shot.
District 3 City Council Race Shaping Up
An intellectual property attorney has thrown his name into what is becoming a crowded race to replace downtown San Jose Councilman Sam Liccardo. Gagliardi joins four others who have filed statements of intent to run in the June primary for the District 3 seat. Other candidates include community organizer Kathy Sutherland, San Jose police officer and sometimes-model Raul Peralez, downtown club owner Mauricio Mejia and youth sports league founder George Kleidon.
Team San Jose Doubles Revenue Goals
Team San Jose, the city’s tourism and facilities management agency, vastly exceeded gross revenue goals last year. In 2012-13, the decade-old nonprofit generated $23.8 million—more than twice the projected target, according to an annual audit up for review at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Also on the agenda are plans to bring a music stage to St. James Park, a citywide financial audit and a discussion about changing building height requirements around the San Jose airport.
Rose Herrera Files Notice of Intent to Run for Mayor of San Jose
It’s official: Councilwoman Rose Herrera’s running for mayor, bringing the potential headcount in the race to replace Chuck Reed up to 14. A member of the City Clerk’s office confirmed that Herrera filed a notice of intent to run for mayor Tuesday.
Sam Liccardo Calls for Longer School Days in San Jose
Sam Liccardo says kids are never too young to get on that 9-to-5 grind. The downtown San Jose councilmember and 2014 mayoral candidate created a petition last week to pad San Jose school days an hour or few longer to match adult work schedules.
San Jose Police Salaries Restored under Tentative City-POA Agreement
San Jose’s police union reached a tentative agreement with the city this week that would give officers a 10 percent raise over the next three years. The Police Officers Association is expected to be on board with the plan, and so is the City Council.
Youth Homelessness a Growing Problem in San Jose, Santa Clara County
A point-in-time count on the number of homeless individuals and families in San Jose and Santa Clara County was completed earlier this year. Santa Clara County had 1,200 homeless youth under age 25—either in homeless shelters or on the street. This was more than the number counted for San Francisco during the same time. It is hard to believe that we have more homeless youth and young adults than San Francisco, but the numbers don’t lie.
City to Revisit Softball Complex Discussion
Two minutes shy of deadline to place it on the Nov. 19 City Council agenda, Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio logged a request for the city to revisit the discussion about where to place a softball complex paid for by the remaining balance of a $228 million pool of bond funds. That and more at Wednesday’s Rules and Open Government Committee.
Ed Shikada Named San Jose City Manager
Following a closed session meeting for the City Council on Tuesday morning, San Jose City Manager Debra Figone announced that Ed Shikada will take over her role when she retires in December.
Proposals for San Jose Police Substation, Academy Retention under Scrutiny
Police Chief Larry Esquivel suggests holding off on opening the new-but-empty police substation in south San Jose until later next year. But are there enough officers on the force to staff a second field office? While the city considers the chief’s proposal, there are also a couple plans making their way to Wednesday’s Rules and Open Government Committee meeting to get cadets to foot the bill for their own training if they leave too soon after receiving their training.
