Category: San Jose Politics

This category covers all topics on politics in San Jose, CA.

San Jose san jose mayor San Jose Politics
July 22, 2020

A Current Review of the San Jose Mayor

profile photo of mayor at conference

The San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is now backing a proposal to move away from the city’s recent city manager-council form of government. For many years, political leaders already debated if San Jose will benefit from giving further authority to its incumbent mayor and in return, abandon the latest council-manager form of government.

In the proposal by Mayor Sam Liccardo, a hybrid of strong mayor system was employed by the greatest number of the major metropolitan cities in the United States. Among the country’s 10 most populated cities, only Phoenix, Dallas as well as San Jose implements the council-manager form of government.

The latest proposal will push the mayoral election to 2024 wherein labor wants. This means Mayor Liccardo gets an additional of 2 years in the office, or a decade’s total since he was sitting as mayor since 2014. Even more important, it can also provide the mayor more power to direct, appoint, and fire the city manager.

This provision neither goes into effect until July 1, 2023, 18 months before Sam Liccardo terms out, nor can it be applied to the city clerk, city attorney, independent police auditor, or city auditor. In this proposal, both the mayor and the city manager will have the power to fire over dozens of department heads. The city council can also overturn any firing through a 2/3 vote.

The mayor has been frustrated for his inability to implement and initiate action on problems in times of crisis, like the recent coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Liccardo stated that the public expects the mayor to have the authority to act. The recent system doesn’t allow that. It is about a fake accountability.

The mayor will still be a voting member of the council. However, unlike the strongest major forms of government, he doesn’t have the … Continue Reading

San Jose San Jose Politics
June 4, 2020

The Current State of Politics in San Jose CA

san jose city hall

The politics in San Jose, CA, is considered liberal. Meanwhile, the presidential election for 2020 is approaching. It diverts the attention of the public on what will be the outcome. San Jose California also supports the Democratic Party.

As San Jose turns Democratic generally, the conservative democrats can be rare in places they used to be. On the other hand, No Party Preference voters or independents lean on more Republican in some parts of the state. However, there are still issues with their geographic patterns.

  • In most places, there is a warm support for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
  • The concerns on the housing cost can divide the interior and coast, though citizens are concerned in most parts of the state.
  • The citizens in California from coast and interior feel that they have too high taxes. In addition, most of the people in the state believe that immigrants are advantages to the state.

Even though the Democratic Party’s support has improved, opinion on some policy problems continues to grow more polarized in some parts of the state. It suggests that registering eligible residents to vote can be moderate the stronger partisan areas.

These days, San Jose is widely considered as a solidly Democratic state. Almost statewide elected officers are Democrats like the governor and United States senators. The last elected Republican statewide was back in 2006.

state capitol building
California State Capitol

Furthermore, Democrats also hold the supermajorities in the legislature chambers. They also represent 7 state out of the 53 congressional districts. In fact, Democrat Hillary Clinton had a landslide win of 62% presidential votes compared to Donald Trump of the Republican party way back in 2016. The state is not always Democratic, and Republican for president is voted for many years. Overtime, Republican dominates Democratic.

Meanwhile, California accepted applications … Continue Reading