Political news, Local politics and government news reporting in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
Whether safety is the goal of reducing motorist speeds in neighborhoods was the topic of much discussion among the Sunnyvale City Council. At its most recent meeting on Dec. 3, the council discussed measures aimed at curbing how fast people drive in residential areas. These measures — which include things such as speed bumps, traffic … Read more
City Councilmember Anthony Becker submitted a letter of resignation on Friday, Dec. 6, effective immediately. View Mr. Becker’s letter of resignation. The circumstances surrounding Mr. Becker’s resignation relate to a recent criminal trial and conviction, which was announced yesterday, December 5, 2024. Criminal convictions of elected officials are governed by Government Code Section 1770. The … Read more
It took less than three hours of deliberation on Thursday, Dec. 5 to find Santa Clara City Council Member Anthony Becker guilty of felony perjury charges. On the second count of willful violation of duty, the jury found Becker guilty. “I think that we all expect more of our elected officials, and this prosecution is … Read more
The perjury trial of Santa Clara City Council Member Anthony Becker is now in the hands of the jury. Just after four o’clock at the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill on Dec. 4, a deputy walked the 12 members of the jury back to the deliberation room. The morning started with closing arguments. Judge … Read more
At the rate it’s going, Santa Clara may have to change its nickname to “The Data Center of What’s Possible.” At its most recent meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Santa Clara City Council went against the planning commission, overturning its rejection of a data center project, set to be located at 1231 Comstock St. … Read more
The prosecution and defense both rested their cases on Dec. 3, which means the perjury trial of Santa Clara City Council Member Anthony Becker is nearing its end. Tomorrow, Judge Javier Alcala will read the jury instructions and oversee closing arguments before handing the case over to the jury. The jury instructions will not include … Read more
Over the past decade, the amount of money each Santa Claran forks over to the government for services has nearly doubled. Santa Clara’s population in 2010 was 116,648, but a 2023 estimate shows that it rose by 14,594, according to census data. City budgets go back to 2014. Spending that year averaged across the 2010 … Read more
A new concept for one of Sunnyvale’s parks left the city council weighing several competing goods. At its most recent meeting Nov. 19, the Sunnyvale City Council approved the renovation of Lakewood Park, but the item stirred several concerns among residents. Among those concerns, three issues were most prominent. The first was balancing the benefits … Read more
After a week-long break, the jury returned to the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill on Dec. 2 to continue the perjury trial of Santa Clara City Council Member Anthony Becker. District Attorney’s Office investigator Ben Holt returned to the stand to resume the cross-examination that started on Nov. 22. Holt testified the DA’s Office … Read more
The Sunnyvale City Council has decided to allow sites that accommodate parking for the homeless. At its Nov. 12 meeting, the council adopted a safe parking ordinance and got the ball rolling on a city site earmarked for people living in their vehicles. Amanda Sztoltz, homeless services manager, told the council that the city’s point-in-time … Read more