Mercury News: Elect Bhatia, Park, and Jain for Santa Clara

Story Summary

The San Jose Mercury News endorses Harbir Bhatia, Kevin Park, and Suds Jain for Santa Clara City Council in Districts 1, 4, and 5, emphasizing their experience and leadership. No endorsement is made for Anthony Becker or his opponents in District 6. The editorial frames the election as a decision between progress and regression, largely focusing on the SF 49ers versus Mayor Gillmor, as well as key issues like the city’s deficit, infrastructure, and decision-making.

Story Grade

The Editorial Board (the editor is Daniel Borenstein) receives a D+ for ignoring critical ethical issues central to Santa Clara’s governance. It fails to mention three Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury reports, including two from this year and one from 2022, which accused the council majority of prioritizing the 49ers’ private interests over the public good. The editorial dismisses the grand jury’s findings regarding legal settlements with the 49ers, offering no evidence to support its assertion that the settlements were “wise.”  Additionally, the paper’s close relationship with the 49ers should be disclosed for transparency.

While the endorsement briefly addresses the 49ers’ outsized influence, it downplays the severity by calling it a matter of “tainting good candidates” and “tilting the playing field.” In reality, the team’s spending—over $8.4 million since 2020, including $4.5 million in 2022—goes far beyond mere influence. In a city where candidates spent up to $38,000 and independent committees no more than $320,000 in 2022, the 49ers’ spending is a major issue.  Assertions about Council conflict of interest,  Santa Clara as a “company town,” or the long-term impact on Santa Clara governance are never discussed. The people of Santa Clara deserve better from their local paper: true transparency, fairness, and accountability, which this editorial fails to deliver.