In 2018, CalPERS opened a fraud investigation into Santa Clara after seeing possible evidence that now dismissed City Manager Deanna Santana put Mark Danaj on the payroll for a three-day-a-week job just weeks before the six-month deadline for Danaj to remain on the CalPERS classic pension plan. Danaj had been fired from Manhattan Beach in … Read more
The weather in Santa Clara has a different outlook these days. The catastrophic cumulous clouds of doom and gloom hovering over the city have begun to shift. This is not by chance. It is due to the dedicated energy inspired by the winds of wisdom and hard work blowing away the clouds of despair. Sensible, … Read more
Efficiency is a buzzword. It gets bandied about in all walks of life. Whether it is road construction or public outreach for a housing development, everybody wants it. Efficiency is paramount. It is essential. But, like many things, there is a divide between stated preference and revealed preference. Simply stating efficiency is needed does not … Read more
Reality as opposed to perception is most often a Grand Canyon of disparity. This is true with politics in Santa Clara. The new era members of the Santa Clara City Council have reviewed the issues, past personnel appointments, outrageous salary awards, costly and horrendous legal decisions. These previous actions endorsed by Mayor Lisa Gillmor and … Read more
Thursday night the Santa Clara City Council dismissed City Manager Deanna Santana in a 4-2 vote, with Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Council Member Kathy Watanabe voting “no,” and Council Member Suds Jain absent. The City Manager is an at-will employee, whom the Council can dismiss at any time and without cause. Santa Clara … Read more
The Santa Clara City Council has called a special meeting for 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24 for “Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release.” As there are only two employees reporting to the City Council, and one of those positions — City Attorney — is vacant, the process of elimination leaves the City Manager Deanna Santana. Since she was … Read more
Making decisions is part and parcel to being alive. It doesn’t matter what junction you have arrived at in life, your next decision determines what train you ride on to the next station. In the case of City Council representatives, they have been elected to make prudent decisions on behalf of those whom they represent … Read more
Santa Clara supported hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Levi’s Stadium. The Council passed a resolution essentially waving a flag saying it is excited to be considered for the soccer championship. Although Santa Clara has not been named a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the resolution brought forth by Councilmember Karen … Read more
You could say the Santa Clara City Council’s 2022 priority-setting session was consistent with established precedent: the Council continued much of the agenda to another meeting, including the goal-setting and a discussion of process and governance. 10-Year Budget Picture: No Relief on the Horizon Santa Clara continues to have a $17.6 million general fund budget … Read more
Santa Clara’s City Council added an affordable housing complex to the City’s list of below-market-rate housing, dealt with a request from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force and changed council member committee assignments including who serves on the VTA board during its meeting on Jan. 25, 2022. The Santa Clara City Council has taken … Read more