Santa Clara

Santa Clara is a city of 130,000 at Silicon Valley's geographic center — home to the 49ers, birthplace of Intel, and founded in 1777 as California's first Spanish civil settlement. Governed by a seven-member at-large Council with its own major municipal utility, Silicon Valley Power.

CivicCause organizes issues, meetings, elections, and public activity around Santa Clara so you can see what is happening locally and how it connects to broader county decisions.

Santa Clara is preparing to ban recreational sales of nitrous oxide products, commonly known as whippets, following new state regulations. Smoke shops in the city have already begun phasing out these products ahead of a City Council review. This move is part of broader local efforts tied to public health and safety concerns.

Also in Santa Clara politics, mayoral candidate Karen Hardy has been highlighted in recent local coverage, while former Councilmember Kathy Watanabe has called for an independent analysis of Levi’s Stadium’s financial impact on the city. Residents should watch the Santa Clara City Council meeting scheduled for September 30, where key local decisions will be discussed. Elsewhere, the county Behavioral Health Board will meet on September 28 with public comment expected, which may be relevant given ongoing mental health budget challenges. Transit issues remain on the horizon with multiple upcoming Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority board meetings.

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