San Leandro takes step closer to Nov. sales tax measure, but disagrees on length By Steven Tavares The San Leandro City Council is supporting a bid to place a quarter-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot, but how long… Read More ›
Jim Prola
Fend for Yourself, Kid
Stephens abstains from backing council resolution against state cuts to child care servicesHey kids, don’t ask San Leandro Councilman Bill Stephens for sympathy when the governor cuts funding for child care because you won’t get it from Mr. Conservative. The… Read More ›
Economy, Sales Tax to Highlight Mayor’s Race
Plenty of ‘what-ifs’ built into city’s budget forecast By Steven TavaresYou don’t need the Ragin’ Cajun James Carville to tell you, “It’s the economy, stupid!” but with five months before San Leandro decides whether to give Mayor Tony Santos four more… Read More ›
Council Gladly Pays For Budget Monday For A Hamburger Today
San Leandro approves $69.6 million budget; closes deficit with dwindling reserves for 4th straight year By Steven Tavares“I hate this budget,” motioned San Leandro Councilman Jim Prola. “I hate this budget, too,” seconded Councilman Bill Stephens as the council unanimously approved… Read More ›
BRT Tries to Woo San Leandro with Alternative
AC TRANSIT’S BRT PLAN RETREATS TO CITY’S EARLIER DEMAND By STEVEN TAVARESThe Citizen BRT IN SAN LEANDRO AC Transit’s Bus Rapid Transit line (BRT) is half the man it use to be. After a setback from the Berkeley City Council… Read More ›
The Times’ Anti-Union Stance Against City Workers
KAISER STOPS PAYING PROPERTY TAX AROUND ’14; TIMES DOESN’T THINK ECONOMY WILL IMPROVE? SL TIMES POST-PRODUCTION MEETING San Leandro Times Editor Jim Knowles is not present, nor is his reporter or the lady who answers phones. I brought Krispy Kremes…. Read More ›
Ranked Choice Voting Is A-Go…No, Seriously!
COUNCIL APPROVES ORDINANCE, 5-2; STAROSCIAK, SOUZA VOTE NO By STEVEN TAVARESThe Citizen SAN LEANDROThe economic argument against Ranked Choice Voting, oddly, became the very same reason the city ordinance implementing the election system for next November was approved, 5-2. Vice… Read More ›
Devastating Cuts Proposed in San Leandro
PROPOSAL STILL LEAVES OVER $1.4 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL CUTS TO BE DECIDED ******* POLICE FORCE WOULD DROP TO 84; 64 FTEs CUT, LIBRARY HOURS CUT, POOLS CLOSED By STEVEN TAVARES The Citizen SAN LEANDROBudget cuts proposed by the San Leandro… Read More ›
City Employees Agree to No Wage Increases, Furlough
CITY’S SAVINGS: $980,000; WORKERS’ COSTS: 4.6 PERCENT PAY CUT By STEVEN TAVARES The Citizen The new contracts San Leandro city employees agreed upon will not add extra money to their pockets for a second consecutive year, but the deal approved… Read More ›
Black Cat Brings Bad Economic News to Committee
FINANCE DIRECTOR PROJECTS DEFICIT TO RISE TO $7.3M AS REVENUES DECLINE By STEVEN TAVARES The Citizen You know you’re in big trouble when a black cat strolls into the afternoon finance meeting. The ominous scene actually happened Wednesday as the… Read More ›
Santos Joins the Fight
MAYOR ‘DEMANDS’ HOSPITAL AND ER KEPT OPEN; RESIDENTS CALL FOR RATNESAR’S RESIGNATION By STEVEN TAVARESThe Citizen HAYWARD, Calif. – San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos made his most forceful public plea yet to save San Leandro Hospital and its ER. Speaking… Read More ›
Council Votes to Push RCV Decision to January
COUNCILWOMAN REED VOTES WITH PROPONENTS OF RCV….SANTOS AND PROLA ATTEMPT TO LOWER CITY’S ONE-TIME COSTS BY JAN. VOTE…..SWING-VOTE STEPHENS APPEARS AGAINST RCV FOR NOW. RCV QUICKLY BECOMING EARLY BATTLE FOR MAYOR BY PROXY By STEVEN TAVARES The Citizen It’s always… Read More ›
The Poll That Told Us What We Already Knew
THE EDITORIALWhen it comes to government, the best way to get things done is to arrive at new ideas and construct a coalition. Some call it accountability; let’s just call it good politics. What is not good policy at the… Read More ›
Budget Advisory Group May Lack City’s Poorest
13-MEMBER COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY DISTRICT, EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND HOA By STEVEN TAVARESThe Citizen When mayoral candidate Stephen Cassidy called for a committee of San Leandro residents to help determine possible budget cuts in the near future, he envisioned its composition… Read More ›
‘They’re Not Even Listening!’
RESIDENT OBJECTS TO MAYOR, COUNCIL CHATTING WHILE SHE SPEAKSAs San Leandro resident Madeleine Budnick was addressing the city council Monday night she abruptly stopped in mid-sentence and glared for a few seconds. Budnick and others were at a finance meeting… Read More ›
Pandemic Fears may Keep Hospital Open until January
SANTOS TELLS COUNCIL SUTTER WILL KEEP ER OPEN UNTIL JAN. 2010 San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos, during a city council meeting Tuesday night, said Sutter will keep emergency room services at San Leandro Hospital open until the end of January… Read More ›
Eden CEO Threatens to Call Sheriff on Supporters
TIMID GROUP MORE READY FOR BEDTIME THAN TIME IN SLAMMERCASTRO VALLEY, Calif. – San Leandro City Councilman Jim Prola was grinning with a hint of exasperation. “I’m not making this up,” he told man from Eden Medical Center assigned to… Read More ›
Public Shutout of Hospital Meeting; District Agrees to Mediation
GROUP OF OVER 30 NOT ALLOWED TO ADDRESS BOARD…..EDEN CEO THREATENS TO CALL SHERIFF IF SUPPORTERS DID NOT ‘DISPERSE’….MEMBER ROGERS SAYS BOARD WAS NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE ON LETTING CITIZENS IN….ROGERS WILL SERVE ON MEDIATION COMMITTEE, KRAN ALSO A POSSIBILITY… Read More ›
The Slowly Disappearing City Council
DOCTOR LASHES OUT AT ABSENT COUNCIL MEMBERSDr. Miles Adler is not afraid to tell you how he feels. His manner can be brusque and pointed. In the past he has reserved both qualities for San Leandro’s elected officials. While discussing… Read More ›
Fmr. Health Director Skewers Leaders of San Leandro
COUNCILMAN CHARGES KEARS WITH SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITY By Steven TavaresThe Citizen Retirement has a way of loosening lips. The former Director of Alameda County Health Services David Kears volleyed a barrage of pointed remarks at local politicians and specifically urged San… Read More ›
No Hospital Action, ‘Hybrid’ Model Gains Steam
KEARS: “COURAGE AND COMMITMENT WILL SAVE THE HOSPITAL”……LAI-BITKER DOES NOT CALL FOR PROMISED WITHDRAWAL OF COUNTY PROPOSAL…..PRESIDENT OF BOS FAVORS “HYBRID MODEL” HOSPITAL PLAN…..NO ACTION MAY BE TAKEN FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS By Steven TavaresThe Citizen People buy hybrid… Read More ›
Where in the World is Tony Santos?
SANTOS GIVES COMMENCEMENT INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR HOSPITALMayor Tony Santos has taken some heat as of late over perceptions he is not providing sufficient leadership during the current hospital saga. Santos has been missing from numerous rallies and town hall… Read More ›
County Reiterates Proposal; Possible Bidder Wows Crowd
REDDY GIVES AUDIENCE WHAT THEY WANT: HOPE(?)Dr. Prem Reddy knocked them dead. The possible savior-in-waiting for San Leandro Hospital whipped an overflow crowd into a frenzy of hooting and hollering before eliciting a standing ovation during Monday night’s hearing to… Read More ›
Budget Approved Despite Opposition
$134 MILLION BUDGET LEAVES CUPBOARD BARE FOR NEXT YEAR.San Leandro is placing a big bet the economy shows signs of life in the next year by approving Monday night a $134 million city-wide budget. The adoption of the budget did… Read More ›
Q&A with Mayor Tony Santos
Here’s an excerpt from San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos’ interview May 26:Q: On the budget, it seems the reserves are dwindling. What’s the outlook?A: Budgets for local government have always been a test any way. Cities just don’t have the… Read More ›
Alameda Supervisors Delay Vote on CV Hospital
PROVING ‘LINKAGE’ BETWEEN PLANS GAINS STEAM San Leandro ER Nurse Jennifer Hom speaks to demonstrators before Tuesday’s Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting. By Steven TavaresThe Citizen OAKLAND, Calif. – The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted today to postpone… Read More ›
Alameda County Supervisor Offers to Lobby Sutter
HAGGERTY AGAIN ADMONISHES S.L. CITY COUNCIL Alameda County Board of Supervisors Scott Haggerty again took a few hearty shots at the San Leandro City Council a day after slam dunking a letter in a garbage can that urged the board… Read More ›
