San Jose Council Races and Budget Crunch

San Jose’s City Council races are heating up, with most districts headed to a November runoff as early vote totals show tight contests for second place. Candidates in Districts Five, Seven, and Nine are vying for spots that come with massive responsibilities: closing a $50 million budget deficit while tackling homelessness, housing, and public safety. In District Nine, Genny Altwer leads, but Gordon Chester, Scott Hughes, and Mike Hennessy are locked in a fierce battle for the runoff. District Five’s incumbent Peter Ortiz holds the edge, with Nora Campos and Vy Dang fighting for the second slot amid economic and immigration pressures. In District Seven, Bien Doan leads but needs to hit 50% to avoid a runoff, with Van Le close behind. Beyond the races, new council members must navigate state housing mandates requiring 62,000 new homes by 2031, explore funding tools like developer fee waivers, and improve police retention, cut waste, and modernize city operations—all while managing a $55 billion budget with a $50 million shortfall. The public can weigh in at a June 8 hearing before the council votes on the budget. The stakes are high, and the work ahead is monumental. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3a54a961461cd63d