Economy

The leaders of the state Legislature have a message for voters: We know you’re frustrated with how expensive California is—and we’re going to fix it. After a painful election that sparked recriminations and soul searching among Democrats across the country, state Senate President Pro Tem...

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren on Monday presented five checks totaling 2.45 million for community projects for public safety and infrastructure projects in Morgan Hill and Gilroy. The Community Project Funding was requested by Lofgren and was included in Fiscal Year 2024 government funding legislation, signed into...

With seemingly constant rain storms pummeling the South Bay so far this winter, a federal drought monitoring program recently downgraded most of Santa Clara County from “Severe” to “Moderate” drought. But local water supply authorities warn that residents and property owners should continue to...

With election day approaching, voters have several state propositions from which to choose. Below is a brief description of each of them. For a deeper dive, visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions. Proposition 2 Public School and Community College Facilities Under Prop. 2, the state would sell a $10 billion bond...

A Bay Area nonprofit launched an emergency weekend meal program last weekend in partnership with the Gilroy Unified School District, and is planning to serve 500 children and their families every Saturday and Sunday in November.  The program, led by Community Seva, was launched in...

Housing costs and inflation are the top concerns for California's 9 million Latino registered voters, according to a report issued Sept. 10 by the Latino Community Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to Latino voter engagement.  Although some blame political candidates for high costs, most blame...

The Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal program that provides internet access to low-income families, has ended after Congress failed to reach an agreement to keep funding it. Over 23 million households—including thousands in Santa Clara and San Benito counties—will no longer receive federal subsidies...

California is in a budget hole, its depth measured not in feet, but in dollars. How deep? A projected $38 billion deficit, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Jan. 10 he will declare a fiscal emergency when necessary and unveiled his initial plan to...

Despite drenching rain and strong winds, people weren’t deterred when it came to dropping off unwanted guns Saturday during a gun buyback program staged by Santa Clara County law agencies and the District Attorney’s Office. Spread out in several tents with a motor vehicle drive-thru...

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Sen. Nancy Skinner announced a proposal Dec. 5 to penalize oil companies in an effort to deter gas price gouging. The proposal would make it illegal for oil companies to charge excessive refining margins—the price difference between the cost of...