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Open Space Authority to Return Assessment Funds San Jose, CA, May 29, 2009 – Property owners who have property within the jurisdiction of the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority will soon be able to claim refunds of an assessment charged by the Authority on their real estate tax bills between 2002 and 2008. In 2001, the Authority approved a $20 annual assessment on single-family homes located within the Authority’s territory to help purchase and maintain open space and parkland. Higher amounts were charged for multi-family and commercial properties. The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and...

(04-09) 16:37 PDT SAN JOSE -- Vandals cut fiber-optic cable lines belonging to AT&T at two locations early today, knocking out phones and access to 911 emergency services to thousands of residential customers and businesses in southern Santa Clara County, in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties and along the Peninsula, authorities said. Four AT&T fiber-optic cables in an underground vault were severed shortly before 1:30 a.m. along Monterey Highway north of Blossom Hill Road in south San Jose, police Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said. Four more underground cables, at least two of which belong to AT&T, were cut about two...

CBS 5 Poll: South Bay BART Measure Falling Short SAN JOSE (CBS 5/KCBS/BCN) ― A new poll of Santa Clara County voters finds Measure B, a one-eighth-cent increase in the sales tax to help pay for the BART extension to San Jose, still has not garnered the two-thirds majority it needs to pass. A CBS 5 poll conducted by SurveyUSA found that 62 percent of likely voters either lean toward voting or are certain to vote for the extension. The Yes on B campaign has lined up big names such as former Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta to convince the 17...

Mayor Jose Esteves has made two key endorsements this year: for a political unknown running for mayor of Milpitas and a vetted South Bay politico vying for Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Esteves, who terms out as mayor at the end of the year after six years in office, is backing Craig Donnelly, an underdog mayoral challenger to Milpitas' most veteran politician, Bob Livengood. "Yes, I endorsed Craig for mayor," Esteves said. "He's new to the city, but he's not new in government in the public sector." Donnelly, 61, works as a district director for state Assemblyman Gene Mullin...

Editorial: Assessment ruling won't serve state well Monday's state Supreme Court decision striking down an assessment by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority was one more nail in the coffin of California's quality of life. Not that the court was unreasonable. The justices were interpreting Proposition 218, as convoluted and mean-spirited an anti-tax law as California voters ever passed. The 1996 initiative aimed to tighten the rules set by Proposition 13 to make it even harder for government to raise revenue, and it's succeeding all too well. Californians must come to grips with the kind of place they want...

California high court strikes down Santa Clara County open space tax The California Supreme Court today struck down a special fee on Santa Clara County homeowners used to pay for open space acquisition, possibly wiping out more than $50 million collected over the past seven years for parks, trails and other services. In a unanimous ruling, the justices found that the 2001 special assessment by the county's Open Space Authority violated Proposition 218, a 12-year-old voter-approved law known as the "Right to Vote on Taxes Act." Proposition 218 was designed to limit local governments' ability to raise revenue without voter...

CA, November 7, 2006 Election E-Mat's Last Minute Voting Endorsement Lists (Differentiating Factors) Statewide Arnold SchwarzeneggarTom McClintock! (PL)Bruce McPhersonTony Strickland (PL)Claude Parrish (PL)Chuck Poochigian (PL)Steve PoiznerRichard "Dick" Mountjoy (PL) Prop. 1A Transportation Funding Protection:  YESProp. 1B Transportation Bond:  NO!  Prop. 1C Housing Bond:  NO!  Prop. 1D Education Bond:  NO!  Prop. 1E Levee Bond:  YESProp. 83 Jessica’s Law:  YES!  Prop. 84 Park Bond:  NO!  Prop. 85 Parental Notification: YES!  Prop. 86 Cigarette Tax:  NO Prop. 87 Oil Tax:  NO!  Prop. 88 Parcel Tax:  NO!  Prop. 89 Taxpayer Funding of Campaigns:  NO!  Prop. 90 Protect Our Homes:  YES! CA Initiatives (Propositions/Measures)http://www.tommcclintock.net/news.php?news_id=85&start=5 Judicial: State Supreme Court Joyce Kennard – NO! An enemy or...

Gilroy - A federal judge next week could invalidate a controversial land-use initiative slated for the November ballot based on claims that environmentalists, who circulated the petition only in English, violated the civil rights of residents who don't speak English. According to a lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for Northern California, in San Jose, county officials violated the federal Voting Rights Act by certifying a petition that was not translated for signers into Spanish and several other languages, the standard practice with election pamphlets and ballots. The suit, which seeks a fast-tracked court hearing Aug. 25, was filed...

Please use this thread to post information, discussions, or links that will help readers decide on the California Statewide Partisan Republican Ballot Offices below. Please refrain from rants, petty arguments, name calling, and other unhelpful replies. Santa Clara County Open Space Authority Director; District 5 William J. GarbettJohn A. DiquistoVirginia HoltzThere are 7 SSC Open Space Authority districtsFor other candidates and measures, please refer to other threads, some I plan to post later: ***State*** CA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, Statewide Partisan Republican BallotCA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, Statewide Nonpartisan Offices & MeasuresCA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, State...

Please use this thread to post information, discussions, or links that will help readers decide on the California Statewide Partisan Republican Ballot Offices below. Please refrain from rants, petty arguments, name calling, and other unhelpful replies. Judge - Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 8 Douglas B. AllenWilliam J. MonahanGeorge S. ColeJudge - Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 13 Timothy PitskerMichele McKay McCoyShawna Schwarz Assessor; County of Santa Clara Pete "Primo" McHughLarry StoneDistrict Attorney; County of Santa Clara Marc BullerDolores CarrJim ShoreKaryn SinunuSheriff; County of Santa Clara Laurie SmithMeasure A. Sales Tax -- County of Santa ClaraMeasure...

Please use this thread to post information, discussions, or links that will help readers decide on the California Statewide Partisan Republican Ballot Offices below. Please refrain from rants, petty arguments, name calling, and other unhelpful replies. Judge - Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 8 Douglas B. AllenWilliam J. MonahanGeorge S. ColeJudge - Superior Court; County of Santa Clara; Office 13 Timothy PitskerMichele McKay McCoyShawna Schwarz Assessor; County of Santa Clara Pete "Primo" McHughLarry StoneDistrict Attorney; County of Santa Clara Marc BullerDolores CarrJim ShoreKaryn SinunuSheriff; County of Santa Clara Laurie SmithMeasure A. Sales Tax -- County of Santa ClaraMeasure...

Please use this thread to post information, discussions, or links that will help readers decide on the California Statewide Partisan Republican Ballot Offices below. Please refrain from rants, petty arguments, name calling, and other unhelpful replies. United States Representative; District 16; Republican Party Charel Winston California has 53 California U.S. Representative Districts http://www.calvoter.org/voter/maps/index.htmlFor other candidates and measures, please refer to other threads, some I plan to post later: ***State*** CA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, Statewide Partisan Republican BallotCA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, Statewide Nonpartisan Offices & MeasuresCA Freepers Voter Guide, 6/6/2006 Primary, State Assembly District 23, Partisan Republican...

The Bay Area real estate market kept sizzling in January, with house prices rising 20 percent compared with January 2004, and local real estate agents saying there are still plenty of buyers hitting weekend open houses this month, despite the spiraling prices. In Santa Clara County, the median resale house price reached $615,000 in January, breaking a previous record of $610,000, set in December. For condos sold last month, the median price was $400,000, down slightly from a record $405,000 in December, according to DataQuick Information Systems. The county's overall sales volume -- of new and resale houses and condos...

A fire caused by a possible explosion has injured at least two people this afternoon in Los Gatos, according to Santa Clara County dispatchers. Ambulances have been sent to the Los Gatos Auto Mall for two burn victims. Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud explosion then saw a fire erupt at the Office Depot (map) which is in the auto mall complex.

San Jose's City Council on Tuesday launched an unprecedented investigation into one of its own, putting Councilman Terry Gregory under the spotlight for allegedly strong-arming local business leaders for free meals and donations to his district. In a break from earlier blueprints for the investigation, Mayor Ron Gonzales also proposed that the bulk of the inquiry be handled by the city's blue ribbon task force on ethics -- and not by his office -- to keep the process as open and as public as possible.

We need volunteers to walk the precincts and your meet neighbors, who are Republican and DTS (Declined to State) registered voters and to GOTV (Get Out The Vote)drive in last 72 hours. Santa Clara county Bush Cheney organization is active and growing day by day. Join one of the fastest growing organization in California of campaign volunters. Help President Bush win California and have fun. This prganization will become a permanent campaign organization to help elect Republicans at City, County, State and Federal level. If you would like to volunteer, send an email to sccbush04@yahoo.com

A logging protester with the Earth First! environmental group has died after a 50-foot fall from a redwood tree, Santa Clara County officials said Thursday. The man, who was not identified, was found by loggers who heard moans in an area where a group of tree-sitters has been camped since August, Earth First! said. It was unclear how long the man had been on the ground. The man was taken by helicopter to a San Jose hospital, but the county coroner's office said he had died. The group said the man had been living in the tree 20 miles south...