Last Chance to Register to Vote in Primary Election

The deadline to register to vote in the state's primary election, held June 5, is May 21, and the deadline to submit a request to vote by mail is May 29.

With all the campaign commercials, stump speeches and kissing of babies, it might be difficult to actually remember to register to vote in California's upcoming June 5 primary election. That's why Campbell Patch is here to remind you that the deadline for voters looking to cast their ballots in the election season's first round is Monday, May 21. To register to vote in Santa Clara County, voters can pick up a registration form from the Campbell City Clerk's office, located inside City Hall, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Registrants can also call the Santa Clara Registrar of Voters at 1-866-VOTE. For those that wish to vote by mail, the deadline to submit a request for a vote by mail ballot is Tuesday, May …

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Who’s Funding Eshoo’s 2012 Campaign?

Anna Eshoo’s top donors revealed.

A look at Open Secrets’ profile for U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) reveals a predominantly high-tech list of donors to her 2012 reelection campaign. Eshoo’s top backer is Gilead Sciences, of Foster City, which has given $22,000 to her campaign committee from individuals and PACs combined, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which runs OpenSecrets.org. Gilead’s PAC has given the same amount of money to Republicans as to Democrats so far this year: $10,000 each, including $5,000 to Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), $5,000 to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and $5,000 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). In the number two slot is Oracle, which gave Eshoo $15,500 total this cycle. Oracle’s campaign spending has slightly favored …

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Santa Cruz City Council to Consider Cutting Police, Fire and Tourism and Raising Parking Fees and Taxes

At its 3 p.m. meeting Tuesday the Santa Cruz City Council will consider cutting police, fire and tourist services, while increasing parking fees and hotel taxes in order to move closer to a balanced budget. This will be as controversial as Obama's plan to

Mayorship Changes Hands

Campbell's City Council will vote on a new Mayor, Vice Mayor Dec. 6.

On Tuesday, Campbell will get a new mayor.   Every year, in the month of December the city council discusses and then votes for the city’s next mayor during its regular city council meeting. In 2010, Jason Baker was voted and sworn in as the Orchard City’s mayor. “People do not directly vote for the mayor,” said Campbell Interim City Manager Al Bito. “It is informal practice for the council to rotate the mayorship.” In Campbell, the public only votes in the city council members. Then, the council votes on who will be the mayor. The term for mayor is one year, ending and starting in December. Council members serve a four-year term, with a two-consecutive-term limit. Both Kotowski’s and Baker’s terms will be up November 2012. Councilmen Evan…

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Occupiers Regroup After Camp Dismantled (UPDATED with Occupy Statement)

The Occupy Santa Cruz Camp was dismantled early Sunday morning. Occupy issued a statement late Sunday claiming police had unfairly targeted a few people in the movement.

About 10 tents and the Occupy Santa Cruz “Dome” were removed from the front of the Courthouse around 6:30 on Sunday morning. Sixty Santa Cruz Sheriff's deputies in riot gear also removed about 25 protesters from the encampment. Their belongings were put in a storage pod across the street until they can collect them later in the week. No arrests were made. Already, protesters have begun to trickle back to the courthouse steps, as they have been told they are allowed to occupy the space until 7:30 p.m. each night. The yard where many of the tents had been set up is now roped off.  Occupy Santa Cruz will hold a General Assembly meeting at 2:30 p.m. for the next four Sundays, inviting the community to the discussion.  Late Sunday the group …

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Final Results from Nov. 2 Election

Campbell City Council approves the final counts this week.

The final numbers of the Nov. 2 General Election are in, and the results show Campbell residents came out in force to vote. According to the final numbers presented at the Tuesday Campbell City Council meeting, 68.4 percent or 13,753 votes were cast in Campbell, in comparison to Santa Clara County as a whole, which had 67.16 percent or 523,427 votes. On the ballot were nine candidates for City Council, a record number. Here are the results: Also on the ballot were two tax measures: Measure M and N. Here is how Campbell residents voted:   Campbell residents also voted to appoint the Campbell city clerk and city treasurer with Measure O, though the numbers on this one were closer than those of the tax measures. Here is how they voted:

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Debt and Taxes

Campbell businesses make their peace with the tax measures that passed.

With a sigh and shrug, Campbell's business community endorsed two measures on the November 2 ballot that would raise the price of a municipal business license and increase hotel taxes. Now that Measures M and N passed, local business owners would like to see the city start looking for new ways to make money. "It's hard to keep giving to the community when the community keeps taking it away," said Sonya Paz, who owns an art gallery on East Campbell Avenue and has helped organize events for the Downtown Campbell Business Association. Pending Campbell City Council approval, Measures M and N are set to take effect next year. Under Measure M, most businesses in Campbell will see an increase of $50 in their license fees to $110. Businesses …