Politics

Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders reached a nearly $300 million budget agreement on June 21 that closes a $46.8 billion deficit that was projected for the coming fiscal year with across-the-board cuts of nearly 8% to every department.  The $297.5 billion budget is proposed...

Voters in Gilroy will be asked in the Nov. 5 election to approve a quarter-cent local sales tax that would be dedicated strictly to increased police, fire protection and related public safety services.  At the June 17 meeting, the Gilroy City Council voted 6-1 to...

The City of Gilroy has halted negotiations with a company that previously showed interest in purchasing the city’s 536-acre property that includes Gilroy Gardens.  In a May 9 announcement, Gilroy Communications Manager Rachelle Bedell said the city has ceased talks with BayEcotarium that began under...

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen is moving to eliminate the county’s death row, looking to sentence the 15 local men still sitting on it to serve life in prison without the chance of parole instead, according to an April 5 press release.  “Judges...

Longtime U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren cruised to a commanding lead as ballots were counted for the March 5 primary election.  Lofgren, who is running for her 15th term in office, will face Hollister resident Peter Hernandez—the only Republican in the five-candidate primary field—in a runoff...

The Gilroy City Council on Feb. 26 rejected a proposed resolution calling for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire.  The council’s vote followed more than an hour of public comments presented by more than 70 people in the audience who spoke passionately about whether a local resolution on...

All voters in Santa Clara County can drop off their March 5 primary election ballot at any ballot dropbox location throughout the county. There are also a total of 104 vote centers open in the county this weekend for the presidential primary election, and...

Former San Benito County supervisor talks about 18th District issues

Longtime congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is locked in a contentious battle with Muwekma Ohlone tribal leader Charlene Nijmeh and former San Benito County Supervisor Peter Hernandez that will be decided in November, when the two highest primary vote getters face off. The normally routine business of...

Nearly four months after forming a bipartisan select committee and two hearings later, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced legislation Feb. 15 to combat shoplifting and organized retail theft—just beating a legislative deadline to introduce new bills. The Hollister Democrat joined Democratic Assemblymembers Rick Zbur of...