At the same time, as the layoffs continued a six-month trend of Silicon Valley downsizing, overall statewide employment slipped slightly, unemployment claims grew and the total number of unemployed Californians grew.

An unprecedented surge of new development in San Jose has sped up plans to raise the limits of the historically low-lying cityscape.

With nearly half the council on a taxpayer-funded junket, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo says it’s time to rethink the city’s travel policies.

A new report shows just how many millions of dollars San Jose could save if it implemented open recommendations from the city auditor.

San Jose will hear a report on its Sister City program and consider whether to double the number of committee members for each city.

Since their advent in the mid-80s, enterprise zones have sparked economic development. But, in some cases, these geographic areas that provide companies a litany of tax breaks have also granted corporations a chance to game the system. Two competing bills in the state legislature could either eliminate these zones or modify their scope. On Wednesday, San Jose’s Rules and Open Government Committee will consider taking a stance on the bills, as well as discuss the future of the Willow Glen trestle.

Cops who make a buck on the side directing traffic or working uniformed security gigs will remain exempt from business taxes if the City Council on Tuesday updates the tax code. Other items on the council agenda include a critical audit of the Office of Economic development, tax proposals to repair San Jose’s roads and a staffing grant for the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant.

Increasing the tax base helps government provide services at levels that meet most residents’ expectations. At the national level it’s clearly impossible to grow the economy to pay off the national debt. At the state level, the current rate of economic growth is unlikely to keep the budget balanced this year. However, at the local level where budget deficits are not allowed, an increased tax base could go towards providing services to residents and thus restoring key positions.

A report commissioned by San Jose’s Office of Economic Development claims that relocating the Oakland A’s to San Jose would add $130 million to the local economy and create as many 2,100 jobs, almost 1,000 of them new jobs. The anticipated economic benefit to the city is expected to approach $3 billion over the next thirty years. Beneficiaries of the move would include local schools, which can expect to see as much as $842,000 per year from it, and Santa Clara County, which would get $948,000 because of a profit sharing agreement with the city in redevelopment areas.