Editing San Jose, California (section)

== Law and government ==
{{main|Government of San Jose|San Jose City Council|Mayor of San Jose, California}}
{{see also|List of pre-statehood mayors of San Jose}}
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| image1 = San Jose City Hall-03.jpg
| caption1 = [[San Jose City Hall]] was designed by [[Pritzker Architecture Prize|Pritzker Prize]]-winning architect [[Richard Meier]]; {{Circa|2005}}.
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=== Local ===
San Jose is a [[charter city]] under California law, giving it the power to enact local ordinances that may conflict with state law, within the limits provided by the charter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ceres.ca.gov/planning/bol/1999/charter.html |title=List of California Charter Cities |work=The California Planners' Book of Lists |year=1999 |access-date=June 9, 2007 |publisher=California Governor's Office of Planning and Research |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208132759/http://ceres.ca.gov/planning/bol/1999/charter.html |archive-date=February 8, 2007}}</ref> The city has a [[council-manager government]] with a [[city manager]] nominated by the mayor and elected by the [[city council]].

The [[San Jose City Council]] is made up of ten council members elected by district, and a mayor elected by the entire city. During city council meetings, the mayor presides, and all eleven members can vote on any issue. The mayor has no veto powers. Council members and the mayor are elected to four-year terms; the even-numbered district council members beginning in 1994; the mayor and the odd-numbered district council members beginning in 1996.<ref name=Charter>{{cite web |url=http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Charter.htm |title=San Jose City Charter |publisher=Sanjoseca.gov |access-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112063906/http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Charter.htm |archive-date=January 12, 2010}}</ref> Each council member represents approximately 100,000 constituents.

Council members and the mayor are limited to two successive terms in office, although a council member that has reached the term limit can be elected mayor, and vice versa. The council elects a vice-mayor from the members of the council at the second meeting of the year following a council election. This council member acts as mayor during the temporary absence of the mayor, but does not succeed to the mayor's office upon a vacancy.<ref name="Charter"/>

[[File:Matt Mahan Web Summit 2015 3 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Matt Mahan]] is the current [[Mayor of San Jose, California|Mayor of San Jose]].]]

The city manager is the chief administrative officer of the city, and must present an annual [[budget]] for approval by the city council. When the office is vacant, the mayor proposes a candidate for City Manager, subject to council approval. The council appoints the manager for an indefinite term, and may at any time remove the manager, or the electorate may remove the manager through a [[recall election]]. Other city officers directly appointed by the council include the City Attorney, City Auditor, City Clerk, and Independent Police Auditor.<ref name=Charter/> Like all cities and counties in the state, San Jose has representation in the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]].

Like all California cities except San Francisco, both the levels and the boundaries of what the city government controls are determined by the [[Local Agency Formation Commission]] (LAFCO).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.santaclara.lafco.ca.gov |title=Local Agency Formation Commission |publisher=Santaclara.lafco.ca.gov |access-date=July 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212043113/http://www.santaclara.lafco.ca.gov/ |archive-date=February 12, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The goal of a LAFCO is to try to avoid uncontrolled [[urban sprawl]]. The Santa Clara County LAFCO has set boundaries of San Jose's "Sphere of Influence" (indicated by the blue line in the map near the top of the page) as a superset of the actual city limits (the yellow area in the map), plus parts of the surrounding unincorporated county land, where San Jose can, for example, prevent development of fringe areas to concentrate city growth closer to the city's core. The LAFCO also defines a subset of the Sphere as an 'Urban Service Area' (indicated by the red line in the map), effectively limiting development to areas where urban infrastructure (sewers, electrical service, etc.) already exists.

San Jose is the [[county seat]] of [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sccgov.org/SCC/docs%2FSCC%20Public%20Portal%2Fattachments%2F628168County_Charter.pdf |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20071106045551/http://www.sccgov.org/SCC/docs/SCC%20Public%20Portal/attachments/628168County_Charter.pdf |archive-date=November 6, 2007 |title=Charter of the County of Santa Clara, Article 101 |publisher=Santa Clara County |access-date=February 16, 2008 }}</ref> Accordingly, many county government facilities are located in the city, including the office of the County Executive, the Board of Supervisors, the District Attorney's Office, eight courthouses of the Superior Court, the Sheriff's Office, and the County Clerk.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sccgov.org/sites/scc/Pages/Search.aspx?svtyp=Contacts |title=County of Santa Clara Contacts |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121184343/http://www.sccgov.org/sites/scc/Pages/Search.aspx?svtyp=Contacts |archive-date=January 21, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

San Jose is protected by the [[San Jose Police Department]] and [[San Jose Fire Department]]. Drinking water is supplied by the San José Municipal Water System (Muni Water) along with the privately owned [[San Jose Water Company]] and Great Oaks Water Company. The [[San José–Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility]] provides [[Tertiary treatment|advanced wastewater treatment]] and [[reclaimed water]].

=== State and federal ===
[[File:Old Superior Court - San Jose, CA - DSC03821.JPG|thumb|right|[[Santa Clara County Superior Court]]]]
In the [[California State Senate]], San Jose is split between the [[California's 10th State Senate district|10th]], [[California's 15th State Senate district|15th]], and [[California's 17th State Senate district|17th]] districts,<ref name=ssd>{{cite web
 |url = http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_sd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |title = Communities of Interest – City
 |publisher = California Citizens Redistricting Commission
 |access-date = October 10, 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151023054153/http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_sd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |archive-date = October 23, 2015
}}</ref> represented by {{Representative|casd|10|fmt=spfl}}, {{Representative|casd|15|fmt=spfl}}, and {{Representative|casd|17|fmt=spfl}} respectively.

In the [[California State Assembly]], San Jose is split between the [[California's 23rd State Assembly district|23rd]], [[California's 24th State Assembly district|24th]], [[California's 25th State Assembly district|25th]], [[California's 26th State Assembly district|26th]], and [[California's 28th State Assembly district|28th]] districts,<ref name=sad>{{cite web
 |url = http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_ad_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |title = Communities of Interest – City
 |publisher = California Citizens Redistricting Commission
 |access-date = October 10, 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151023054757/http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_ad_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |archive-date = October 23, 2015
}}</ref> represented by {{Representative|caad|23|fmt=spfl}}, {{Representative|caad|24|fmt=spfl}}, {{Representative|caad|25|fmt=spfl}}, {{Representative|caad|26|fmt=spfl}}, and {{Representative|caad|28|fmt=spfl}}, respectively.

Federally, San Jose is split between California's [[California's 17th congressional district|17th]], [[California's 18th congressional district|18th]], and [[California's 19th congressional district|19th]] congressional districts,<ref>{{cite web
 |url = http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_cd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |title = Communities of Interest – City
 |publisher = California Citizens Redistricting Commission
 |access-date = September 27, 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130930184128/http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_cd_finaldraft_splits.zip
 |archive-date = September 30, 2013
}}</ref> represented by {{Representative|cacd|17|fmt=pfl}}, {{Representative|cacd|18|fmt=pfl}}, and {{Representative|cacd|19|fmt=pfl}}, respectively.<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|17 |access-date=March 13, 2013}}</ref>

Several state and federal agencies maintain offices in San Jose. The city is the location of the Sixth District of the [[California Courts of Appeal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/courtsofappeal/6thDistrict/ |title=Courts of Appeal: Sixth District San Jose |publisher=California State Courts |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722014717/http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/courtsofappeal/6thDistrict/ |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also home to one of three courthouses of the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]], the other two being in Oakland and San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/CAND/FAQ.nsf/840afa494a77a59388256d4e007d54ff/de9a30b748bc1e5388256ebc0055acf4?OpenDocument |title=Court Info: San Jose |publisher=United States District Court for the Northern California District |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211114946/http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/CAND/FAQ.nsf/840afa494a77a59388256d4e007d54ff/de9a30b748bc1e5388256ebc0055acf4?OpenDocument |archive-date=February 11, 2008}}</ref>

=== Crime ===
{{main|San Jose Police Department}}
Like most large cities, crime levels had fallen significantly after rising in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |title=FBI Uniform Crime Reports |url=http://www.ucrdatatool.gov/Search/Crime/Local/RunCrimeTrendsInOneVarLarge.cfm}}</ref> From 2002 to 2006, [[Morgan Quitno Press]] named San Jose the safest city in the United States with a population over 500,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |title=SJPD Efforts To Maintain Safest Big City Status |url=http://www3.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Agenda/092507/092507_08.02.pdf |publisher=City of San Jose |access-date=August 28, 2021 |date=September 11, 2007 |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828060036/http://www3.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/Agenda/092507/092507_08.02.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Crime in San Jose had been lower than in other large American cities until 2013, when crime rates in San Jose climbed above California and U.S. averages.<ref>{{cite news |title=San Jose crime rate surpasses U.S. average, arrests plummet |newspaper=The Mercury News |date=December 16, 2013 |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/pensions/ci_24737175/san-jose-crime-rate-surpasses-u-s-average-arrests-plummet |access-date=December 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218223300/http://www.mercurynews.com/pensions/ci_24737175/san-jose-crime-rate-surpasses-u-s-average-arrests-plummet |archive-date=December 18, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, violent crime per 100,000 people has been the lowest the city has seen in 2017 while the homicide rate has been the highest since 2016; property crime per 100,000 people has been the lowest the city has seen in over ten years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crime Statistics – Annual |url=https://www.sjpd.org/records/crime-stats-maps/crime-statistics-annual |publisher=San Jose Police Department |access-date=August 28, 2021 |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828060031/https://www.sjpd.org/records/crime-stats-maps/crime-statistics-annual |url-status=live }}</ref>

;2021 mass shooting
{{main|2021 San Jose shooting}}
On May 26, 2021, a [[mass shooting]] occurred at a [[Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority]] (VTA) [[rail yard]] in San Jose. Ten people were killed, including the gunman, 57-year-old VTA employee Samuel James Cassidy, who shot and killed himself.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-shootings-873c4d8b0189f3f985ab3bc31ae5837f |title=Authorities ID 8 victims of California railyard shooting |agency=Associated Press |last1=Gecker |first1=Jocelyn |last2=Mendoza |first2=Martha |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526152444/https://apnews.com/article/san-jose-shootings-873c4d8b0189f3f985ab3bc31ae5837f |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/bomb-squad-police-search-home-of-suspect-in-san-jose-mass-shooting/2554947/ |title=Bomb Squad, Police Search Home of Suspect in San Jose VTA Yard Mass Shooting |publisher=NBC Bay Area |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526184330/https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/bomb-squad-police-search-home-of-suspect-in-san-jose-mass-shooting/2554947/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/employee-samuel-cassidy-named-as-gunman-in-san-jose-rail-yard-mass-shooting |title=Gunman in San Jose Mass Shooting Identified as Employee Samuel Cassidy |publisher=The Daily Beast |last=Rohrlich |first=Justin |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526185619/https://www.thedailybeast.com/employee-samuel-cassidy-named-as-gunman-in-san-jose-rail-yard-mass-shooting |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/police-deputies-respond-to-shooting-near-downtown-san-jose/2554847/ |title=Mass Shooting Leaves 8 Dead at VTA Yard in San Jose |publisher=NBC Bay Area |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526152619/https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/police-deputies-respond-to-shooting-near-downtown-san-jose/2554847/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The shooting led to a day-long suspension of [[light rail]] services in the area.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/26/us/san-jose-shooting/index.html |title=Gunman who killed eight co-workers at California transit facility knew victims well, mayor says |publisher=CNN|last1=Levenson |first1=Eric |last2=Chan |first2=Stella |last3=Mossburg |first3=Cheri |last4=Murphy |first4=Paul P. |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526163614/https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/26/us/san-jose-shooting/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-respond-shooting-san-jose-california/story?id=77916470 |title=Co-workers of suspect among 8 shot to death at California transit facility |publisher=ABC News|location=United States |last1=Shapiro |first1=Emily |last2=Pereira |first2=Ivan |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526144419/https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-respond-shooting-san-jose-california/story?id=77916470 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Victims, shooter identified in Bay Area's deadliest mass shooting |first1=Maggie |last1=Angst |first2=John |last2=Woolfolk |first3=Aldo |last3=Toledo |first4=Julia Prodis |last4=Sulek |first5=Robert |last5=Salonga |first6=Jason |last6=Green |work=[[The Mercury News]]|location=San Jose, California |date=May 26, 2021 |access-date=May 26, 2021 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/26/active-shooter-response-underway-near-san-jose-vta-light-rail-yard/ |archive-date=May 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526144856/https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/26/active-shooter-response-underway-near-san-jose-vta-light-rail-yard/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2021, roughly a month following the shooting, San Jose became the first city in the United States to require gun owners to carry liability insurance after a unanimous vote by the city council.<ref>{{cite news |last=Thorn |first=Dan |date=June 30, 2021 |title=San Jose becomes 1st city in CA to pass sweeping gun reforms |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/san-jose-becomes-1st-city-in-ca-to-pass-sweeping-gun-reforms/amp/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702022108/https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/san-jose-becomes-1st-city-in-ca-to-pass-sweeping-gun-reforms/amp/ |archive-date=July 2, 2021 |access-date=June 30, 2021 |newspaper=Kron4}}</ref>