Tag: <span>Around Milpitas</span>

What should drivers do? To drive in the FasTrak lane or not?

Cash is not being collected at Bay Area bridges due to COVID-19. Use FasTrak to pay your toll. If you do not have FasTrak, you will receive a bill in the mail for the amount of your toll. It is called a violation, but there are no penalties – just pay the toll by mail with a check or online. If you have FasTrak, this change does not apply to you.

The I-680 Sunol Express Lanes are designated lanes that can be used during heavy traffic to bypass congestion. Express lanes are usually located on the far-left side of select major freeway corridors (described below) and are indicated with white descriptive text on the pavement and electronic signage above the roadway.

How the heck do I drive along SR-237 now with the new FasTrak lane?

How to Order a Transponder and Use the SR 237 Express Lanes

Step 1: Order your transponder
Step 2: Set up your account
Step 3: Mount your transponder. Transponder mounting help.
Step 4: Use the Express lanes

About Express Lanes

An Express Lane is a portion of a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, also known as a carpool or diamond lane, that has been converted to a toll lane in order to better manage congestion. VTA monitors its Express Lanes to maintain a minimum speed of 45 mph, based on federal requirement.

Express lanes are marked by large overhead signage, and smaller signs located in the median. The toll amount is posted on a changeable board within the large overhead sign.

VTA currently operates Express Lanes on State Route 237. Learn more about the planning and history of VTA’s Silicon Valley Express Lanes Program and the 237 Express Lanes project page.

How can I enter the FasTrak lane coming from Milpitas?

Entering from Calaveras Blvd. westbound on SR237 will be a real pain, just as currently. You will not be able to get into the FasTrak lane until just slightly after Zanker, and it ends just before Lawrence. About half your commute will still be in heavy traffic. To avoid the congestion, you might try…
Drive north on Milpitas Blvd. to Dixon Landing Rd, and get on 880 south. Get in the HOV lane there as it swings over and onto 237.
Take Tasman. Turn right at Zanker. Enter 237 to right just after 237 overpass. Also good strategy for those heading north on 880 wishing to go west on 237.
Going eastbound on SR 237, there are double white lines west of Zanker Road prior to the 237-880 connector. Express lanes traffic wanting to access I-880 South, McCarthy Boulevard, or Calaveras Boulevard will have to exit the lane at Zanker Road.

FAQs about FasTrak

Questions about FasTrak? The FasTrak team is here to help! If you can’t find the information you’re looking for below, please contact us. Our Customer Service team wants you to get the most out of your FasTrak account.
FasTrak toll tags are also available to order online.

What hours and days is the Express Lanes operational?

SR 237 Express Lanes will now operate from 5:00 am – 8:00 pm weekdays, which is consistent with all other Bay Area Express Lane facilities. At all other times, the lane will be available to regular traffic.
Weekends everyone may drive in any lane they want to, with any number of people. FasTrak will not be in force.

What if I have a qualified clean air vehicle?

Clean air vehicles (CAVs) with valid clean air vehicle decals can travel toll free or at a discounted rate on Bay Area express lanes and state-owned bridges. In order to receive the correct discount, eligible clean air vehicles should use a FasTrak Flex or FasTrak CAV toll tag.
On 237, solo drivers in eligible CAVs will receive a 50% discount off the toll if they use a FasTrak CAV toll tag. The FasTrak CAV toll tag is the only transponder that will communicate the discounted toll rate to roadside toll equipment. Clean air vehicles with two or more people can travel toll free as a carpool, but must use a FasTrak Flex or FasTrak CAV toll tag.

Is it charging me each time it beeps?

No. It detects when you enter and leave the lane, and so charges you for total time spent in the FasTrak lane.

How do I know how much I am being charged?

Express lanes are free for qualifying carpoolers, vanpool, buses, and other toll-exempt vehicles.
For solo drivers with a FasTrak toll tag, the prices to drive to specific destinations will be posted on signs above the the express lane. The toll on VTA’s State Route 237 Express Lanes varies dynamically based on congestion. Minimum will be $0.30 and the maximum will be $8.00.
The actual toll deducted from your FasTrak deposit will depend on the total distance you travel in the express lane.
Tolls for solo drivers increase with congestion, and decrease with light traffic. But here is an example: the average toll paid by solo drivers in the I-680 Express Lane from Pleasanton to Milpitas in the morning commute period for January 2015 was $3.11, an average of $0.22 per mile over the 14 mile express lane length.

How do they know how many people I really have in my car?

Video cameras on the sign posts
Vigilant police
Setting you make on your tag for 1, 2, or 3+ people. Motorcyclists should leave their setting at 3+.

If I accidentally drive in the FasTrak lane without a transponder what happens?

You will get a bill based on your license plate registration. The price is listed on the overhead signs.

Bay Area FasTrak Facebook Page
This is the official Facebook page of Bay Area FasTrak. FasTrak is an electronic toll collection (ETC) system that allows you to prepay your tolls at all Bay Area toll bridges, eliminating the need to stop at the toll plaza. The system has three components: a toll tag, which is placed inside your vehicle; an overhead antenna, which reads the toll tag and collects the toll; and video cameras to identify toll evaders.hicles per hour than a cash lane.

As you pass through a toll lane, the toll tag is read, and your tolls are deducted from your prepaid toll balance. When you reach your replenishment threshold, your account is replenished automatically, if you opened your account with a credit card. If you opened your account as a cash/check account, then you are responsible for replenishing your account by making regular payments.

The FasTrak system tracks your usage and account balance. A monthly or quarterly statement itemizing your bridge use and account balance will be sent to you through the mail or emailed to you.

LoopWorks joins race to build 1st Bay Area smart transit

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2021

Contact: Rob Means, Rob@MilpitasPRT.com

LoopWorks joins race to build 1st Bay Area smart transit

Historically, Bay Area mass transit has grappled with limited connections and timely service. While Caltrain and BART are great, getting to either and then to your final destination is often a challenge.

Attempting to solve these problems are 3 different projects using Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) technology. Each project plots a different approach to success, and each has already secured some of the necessary resources. According to LoopWorks President Matt Kennedy, “After decades of design, development and small-scale projects, PRT technologies are finally being implemented on a larger scale. These are exciting days for a technology that helps solve the connectivity issues that have limited public transportation services.”

The City of San José plans to connect its airport with Diridon train station using Measure A funding authorized by the voters in 2000. The Milpitas project also starts as a small, short-range system, but expects expansion to serve more of the city. The Contra Costa PRT system starts with a vision that spans 4 cities over a 28-mile corridor – Antioch, Pittsburg, Martinez and Concord.

LoopWorks’ Secretary, Rob Means, enthusiastically supports the quick and convenient technology, but is most excited about the data we will get from 3 different approaches. To help himself make sense of what can be learned from the Bay Area trio, he developed the following table of major factors at play in this contest. Listed are resourcesneeded to build a PRT system – and which projects have likely secured them. He believes “These different ways of solving resource needs creates an opportunity for scientific studies comparing the different approaches.”

Resource	Available now, or expected soon, by these projects …
Hardware Design	Milpitas, open source design. Contra Costa Co., proprietary design.San Jose will issue RFP, then choose a design.
Route Selection	Milpitas, dual loop; Contra Costa Co., 28-mile corridor; San Jose will issue RFP, then choose a route.
Funding	San José, 2020 Measure A. Contra Costa Co., private/v enture c apital. Milpitas expects foundation funding.
Government Support	San Jose and Contra Costa Co. support their projects.
Project Governance	San Jose, government agency. Contra Costa Co., private/for profit firm (Glydways). Milpitas, (LoopWorks)
Projected Public Use	Milpitas, 2028; San Jose, 2028; Contra Costa Co., 2030

“Upon completion of all 3 systems”, Means says, “we will know better which factors are most favorable to success. That will inform and ease a rapid, nation-wide adoption of PRT. Widespread use of PRT is just one of the big changes needed to reverse our Climate Crisis.” Citing the appeal of PRT, he continues, “Just imagine walking a few blocks to board an awaiting RPT cab that takes you to your destination with no hassle and no stops!”

The Contra Costa project offers perhaps the best solution to climate change by going beyond zero to negative carbon emissions by combining PRT’s power-efficiency with photovoltaics embedded into the infrastructure that generate more energy than the PRT system consumes. The project developer, Glydways, is pursuing other projects in the Bay Area.

Learn more about each project:

Milpitas project is led by LoopWorks
Contra Costa Co. project is led by Glydways, 43-page Feasibility Report with maps, Glydways also sees an opportunity in South San Francisco.
San Jose project is led by City of San José. VTA article about the project.

LoopWorks is a taxable non-profit mutual benefit corporation that is creating a smart transit system to serve the Metro Area around the Milpitas BART Transit Center using convenient and quick Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) technology.

For more information, visit MilpitasPRT.com or email info@MilpitasPRT.com.

Main Street History Tour

Joann Souza narrates a tour of Main Street telling about the historic buildings and sites along the way.

Created by MilpitasHistory

Prepare for a Fire or Earthquake Emergency

I will try to be as specific here to Milpitas residents as possible about how to prepare for emergencies such as wild fires, earthquakes, and sometimes floods. The preparation for all three are the same, but you will get more warning for some than others.

Home-Selection
Day to Day Tips
Make a 72-hour Survival Kit in Advance
3 Kits Are Better Than 1
Prepare for your Babies and Kids
Remember to Prepare for Your Pets
Where to Flee

Home Selection

Buy or rent in areas generally far from the wild lands of the east hills. Every section of those hills have had a fire at one time or another, though the scars have long faded as new grass returns. So far fires there have not crossed Piedmont Road, but warnings to prepare for evacuation have been giving to those in neighborhoods on the west side of that road.

Never get a home at the top or bottom of a cliff, even if the view is great. Look at the hills. It is fairly easy to see where there has been running water and sections of the hills have slipped.

Avoid areas that have flooded in the past. That creek may look charming and harmless now, but can become a torrent in heavy rains. The creeks have been fortified, true, but that once in a lifetime flood could still happen. Coyote Creek area can liquefy during a quake.

There is no escaping the fact that our hills were formed by the Calaveras Fault. We will always have earthquakes, but most aren’t bad…yet. The 2003 Working Group for California Earthquake Probability assigned an 11% probability that the Calaveras Fault would produce a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake in the next 30 years. See the shake map on our Earthquake page.

Expect that your Milpitas home will be made of wood and stucco, and never brick. Make sure your home has been anchored to its foundation. Do not buy or rent a home that has not been bolted to its foundation!

Day to Day Tips

I know your mom told you to put your clothes back in the closet or laundry hamper each night. Here in Milpitas leave your shoes next to the side of the bed away from a window, and the clothes you just wore nearby, ready to put on should you prefer not to run from your home naked. You can always put the clothes away in the morning. Your bedroom window may break, so don’t place your bed right near it. Assume glass may have gotten in your shoes, so inspect first. Keep a sweatshirt or jacket nearby, even in hot summer weather. Nights can be cool around here.

Keep your medications in box or drawer you could grab fast to take with you. You may need to take extra precautions if you have small children to keep that box or drawer locked. I use a pretty box I found at Michaels.

Keep a flashlight and a battery operated radio in your bedroom, so you can find out what is going on. Should you get trapped, also have a loud whistle. Remember that the call for help is three short bursts, three long bursts, then three short bursts. Wait a little bit to start it up again.

Everything but the clothes could go in a big enough box for your medications.

Know where every family member is at any time of the day or night. You will need to round them up and get them all to safety.

Keep you car’s gas tank always half full minimum, or fully charged each night.

Get everyone over age 12 trained in first aid and emergency preparedness through a youth program such as Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, Red Cross, local CERT team, or whatever source you can find. Businesses often train teams of employees in these skills.

Make a 72-hour Survival Kit in Advance

You will probably save money and have exactly the stuff you really use if you prepare an Emergency To Go Bag yourself. Many items can be found at local pharmacies, hardware, groceries, and sporting goods stores.

OK, Let’s Prepare the Basics

Water – there’s NOTHING more important! You’ll need one gallon of water per person, per day. And you should plan for at least three days. So if there are 5 people in your family, that’s 5 gallons of water per day for three days, equaling 15 gallon of water at the ready!
Food. Choose something nonperishable that’s easy to store and carry, like canned goods or freeze-dried food. Remember a can opener!
Flashlight – remember extra batteries!
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio – NOAA Weather is best.
First aid kit – Red Cross recommended kit contents
Medications – any prescription drugs you or your family need to live, plus over-the-counter items you use like aspirin or allergy meds. Remember an extra pair of glasses if you wear corrective lenses!
Multi-purpose tool and duct tape
Sanitation and personal hygiene items – Remember a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, feminine products
Copies of personal documents – birth certificate, Social Security card, driver’s license, deed/lease to home, passports, insurance policies plus list of medications. Put all of these in a plastic ziplock bag. If you have the means, scan all important documents and store in one of your cloud accounts. Be sure to have ID and Password to your Cloud account written down.
Your backup hard drive or laptop
Cell phone with chargers, but prepare to deal without them, too.
Family and emergency contact information – and keep this not only in your mobile phone, but in a separate book. If you have no ability to charge a dead mobile phone, you’ll need those contacts written down and accessible.
Cash – if there are widespread power outages, ATMs don’t work, and stores won’t be able to process debit and credit cards. In a widespread emergency, cash is still king! Jewelry that could be traded in desperation might also be handy.
Emergency blanket – light-weight foil blankets are easiest to pack and carry
Map(s) of the area. Drop by the AAA store near Staples to get some.
Masks for COVID protection.

3 Kits Are Better Than 1

Everyone needs a survival kit. In California, families need to be prepared for wildfire and earthquake emergencies in particular. It’s a good idea to not only pack an emergency kit that you keep at home, but to have one at work, and one in your car.

Do NOT store near your chimney, swimming pool, large trees, or anything else that might fall down in an earthquake or wet supplies in heavy rain. A jam packed garage is also not the best place. In a small place, you may want to disguise your kit as a coffee table or footrest.

Prepare for your Babies and Kids

You know best what your children might really need, so prepare to have duplicates in their To Go bags. Ideas here from the CDC.

You may want to write your name and cell phone number with indelible ink on your child, should you become separated, and they be unable to give a responder that information. Same thing can be done on large pets with spray paint.

Remember to Prepare for Your Pets.

WATER!
Collar
Leash
ID/License
Food
Carrier
Bowl

Where to Flee

This is where things get interesting. You really must prepare your escape routes ahead of time, depending on if you might be at home, work or school.

If the East Hills are on fire, go west, toward Mountain View, on 237. But in an earthquake or flood, the Coyote Creek could be flooded or the area around it liquified, and unpassable.

680 north has slides and faults going under it. Know those dips near where Mission Blvd. goes under the freeway and your coffee spills? Land gives way there continuously, and during a big quake, that section will give way.

880 has major overpasses that could give way. It is closest to the Bay so could liquify going north. In the ’85 quake, large sections disappeared up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Wouldn’t want to be up there in fire season either.

Now Piedmont Road, up against the hills, can get you pretty far south without any bridges. And eventually you could get on 101 South. But Anderson Reservoir dam could give way and flood 101.

As our major source of earthquakes is the Calaveras Fault, you do not want to try to escape an earthquake here by going up in the hills via Calaveras Blvd. Epicenter is often at the Calaveras Reservoir. Fires and landslides, too, are more likely in the hills than down in the valley. That’s a pretty tough drive even in the best of times.

If you are in the middle of town, take Abel St. south and continue south on Oakland Road. Or Milpitas Blvd. north to Warm Springs into Fremont, depending on source of danger.

So, my recommendation: after an earthquake, if your home is safe, plan to stay put in your home or yard, or tent in a City Park until help comes.

Wildlife of Silicon Valley

Many wild animals make their home in the hillsides of Milpitas, and sometimes make their way into back yards. We often see raccoons, gray squirrels, bats, garter snakes, opossums, skunks, and roof rats.

Animals in Your Home or Business

If a wild animal or injured bird is in your yard, here is what to do:
In San Jose, Milpitas, Los Gatos, Cupertino, or Saratoga:
Call: San Jose Animal Care and Services at (408)794-7297. They will transport the animal to WCSV- it is not safe for you to handle or transport.

AAA Creature Catchers
If you need a professional wildlife trapper in San Jose, CA call 408-338-0560. Our range extends from Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Campbell, to Milpitas.

Milpitas Wildlife Control
We are a full-service Milpitas animal trapping and removal company. We specialize in wildlife only.
408-550-6660

Observing Wildlife

Alviso Boat Tour
Due to COVID-19 and the current shelter-in-place, we will place the Alviso Boat Tours on-hold until further notice. You can call it a floating classroom for guests who will travel past the salt marshes alongside the Alviso Slough out to where Coyote Creek meets the open waters of San Francisco Bay.

Bay Nature
A new quarterly magazine dedicated to the intelligent and joyful exploration of the natural places of the San Francisco Bay Area and the species that inhabit them.

Wildlife Education Programs
Because our valley provides excellent homes for many species of wildlife, you can find anything from a tiny hummingbird to a large raccoon in our backyards and city parks. Despite the fact that your yard supports wildlife so well, problems occasionally arise with them living so close to people. For example, what would you do with a bird your cat brought to you? Hopefully the suggestions will help prevent potential problems and help us coexist with our wild neighbors.

Coyote Ridge: Treasure of the Santa Clara Valley
Imagine a place of sweeping vistas, singing grass, wildflowers, eagles, falcons, coyotes, but few people. All this within view of the third largest metropolis in America. All this two miles from an interstate highway. The hills on the eastern side of the Santa Clara Valley, known collectively as the Diablo Range, are made up of a rock known as serpentinite.

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Field trip information. Bring your class to one of the nation’s largest urban wildlife refuges for your next field trip. It’s fun, it’s interesting, and your students will remember what they learn at the refuge for years to come. Official site

San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society – Whats Happening
Plan to join the expert guides on a walk through a natural area. Walks every weekend somewhere in the Bay Area.

Sunol Regional Wilderness
Guided science and nature walks in Little Yosemite.

Threatened and Endangered Species of California
From the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Includes plants and animals.

Urban Wildlife Research Project
To help maintain California’s natural genetic diversity, UWRP’s goal is to map, protect, and enhance the corridors that wildlife use to travel from one region to another. We will partner with other wildlife organizations and government agencies to research and link the wildlife corridors to create a San Francisco Bay Area Wildlife Corridor to ensure the protection of the region’s rich natural heritage.

What is a habitat conservation plan (HCP)?
An HCP is a document that meets federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements and enables local agencies to allow projects and activities to occur in endangered species’ habitats. In exchange, those projects and activities must incorporate HCP-prescribed measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse effects on natural communities and endangered species.

Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley
A rehabilitation and release facility. We care for injured, sick and orphaned wild animals. 2650-B Senter Road, San Jose, CA 95111, 408-283-0744

Youth Science Institute
A natural science museum serving Santa Clara County in Northern California with three sites, the Youth Science Institute focuses on the delicate interrelationship of people with the natural world.

Wild Animals

Bats
The ones most common in Santa Clara County are the pallid bat, the Yuma bat, the Mexican free-tailed bat, the red bat, the hoary bat, the big brown bat, the silver haired bat, and the canyon bat. The vast majority of bats are insectivores and the rest feed on fruit, mice, and small vertebrates. Because so many bats consume insects, they are very valuable in keeping the insect population down. One bat can catch hundreds of insects in an hour.

Bay Area Puma Project
The Bay Area Puma Project will make a major contribution by gathering and linking habitat and physiology data. The project includes an advisory group of puma researchers and conservationists who will provide input and guidance over the course of the study.

Bobcat
This cute little bobcat came wandering up to our house about a month ago in the morning while my brother and I were watching TV.

California wild pig population far larger than imagined
There are wild pigs in the east hills and in some of the regional parks ringing Silicon Valley.

The Coyote
A pack of coyotes can frequently be heard howling in the east hills. A pack of coyotes is frequently seen and heard in Ben Rodgers Park, where they raid the garbage cans and terrorize pets left outside at night.

Living with California Mountain Lions
Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet and elusive. But once in awhile, Milpitans living along the east hillside have spotted one in their back yards.

Opossum
If you see an opossum by the side of the road between March and September, check to see if it’s a female with babies in its pouch. When they are four or five inches long, they start leaving the pouch to ride on their mother’s back. When they have reached seven to eight inches body length, they leave the parent to make their own way in the world.

Raccoons
In urban settings, in addition to feeding on backyard fruits, nuts, and vegetables, they scavenge from garbage cans and compost piles. Pet food left outside overnight ranks high as a food resource and then, of course, some people deliberately provide food for raccoons.

San Francisco Garter Snake
Most who appreciate wildlife will agree that the San Francisco Garter Snake is California’s most beautiful snake. The bright orange head, combined with dazzling black and red stripes, is impressive enough, but the pale stripes and belly are washed with the most delicate turquoise. It is just a wonderful serpent.

Squirrels
For a majority of Californians, the tree squirrels in our neighborhoods will be one or more of three species: the native western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus), the introduced eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), and the introduced eastern fox squirrel (Scirus niger). A good way to tell western gray from the others is to look at the color of the fur on the face.

Tarantula
Tarantulas found in Milpitas are quiet creatures that live in burrows. Their bite is no more dangerous to people than the sting of a bee. Their size and hairiness, however, can give people a fright.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
These serpents should be considered armed and dangerous with a well-developed fang and poison delivery system.

Seen other wild animals within the city or in the hills? Contact your web host, Ann Zeise.

Wi-Fi – Wireless Internet Access Points

According to Yelp, these are the best spots for free public wi-fi in Milpitas, CA. Most are restaurants, where you would be expected to order, but the public library is in the list, too.

Community Coffee
A coffee shop located on the campus of Christ Community Church.
1000 S Park Victoria Dr
(408) 262-8000

Teasociety
Tea Room · Asian Restaurant in Beresford Shopping Center.
55 N Milpitas Blvd
(408) 708-4772

Teaspoon
Boba Shop
201 W Calaveras Blvd
(408) 770-3675

Milpitas Public Library
Borrow books. Use public computers or your own.
160 N Main St
(408) 262-1171

i-Tea
Teas and food. Boba shop.
760 E Calaveras Blvd
(408) 262-2988

Paris Baguette
Cakes, a variety of breads and pastries.
249 W Calaveras Blvd
(408) 263-0404

Peet’s Coffee
Caffes, teas, and chai.
543 E Calaveras Blvd, left of Safeway in Town Center.
(408) 416-0700

BCUTE tea drinks and finger foods
Boba shop.
200 Serra Way, Ste 12 Serra Shopping Center.
(408) 708-5240

How to Register to Vote in Milpitas & Santa Clara County

Register to vote with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.

Who Can Register to Vote?

Have you checked to see if you are already registered to vote? Many have been registered to vote when they got their drivers license. Check here to see if you are already registered. You will need to have your drivers license number available.

Use the California Online Voter Registration System
Paper registration forms are available at the Registrar of Voters Office, U.S. Post Offices, Public Libraries, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other government offices. Signed & completed forms must be returned in person or by mail to one of the following locations. They cannot be faxed or e-mailed.

Address: Registrar of Voters, 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, CA 95112 (Click for directions.)
Mailing Address: Registrar of Voters, P.O. Box 611300, San Jose, CA 95161-1300

You can register to vote in California if you are:

At least 18 years old by Election Day
A US Citizen
A California resident
Not currently imprisoned or on parole for a felony (more information for individuals with criminal convictions or detained in jail or prison)

You can pre-register to vote if you are:

At least 16 years old
A US Citizen
A California resident
Not currently imprisoned or on parole for a felony (more information for individuals with criminal convictions or detained in jail or prison)
Your voter registration will become active when you turn 18

Language Preference

If you wish to continue in a language other than English, please select your language below.

You can permanently vote by mail, too!

For the 2020 General Election, every registered voter has been mailed a ballot, and sometimes a second one. Only return one and destroy the other. While you MAY mail in the ballot for free, some are concerned that the Post Office may not be to handle the deluge of ballots, some may wish to use drop off boxes. These are the locations of the ONLY ballot return boxes in Milpitas. Here is link if you need to drop off your ballot in another city.

Milpitas City Hall – Outside City Clerk Office
455 East Calaveras Boulevard

Milpitas Library
160 North Main Street

Milpitas Unified School District
1331 East Calaveras Boulevard

The following directions were for pre-Covid19 voting for currently registered voters wishing to change to mail-in voting. This would now only apply to those new to the city and county.

Print & complete a Permanent Vote by Mail Application
Request must be received at least 7 days before the election (postmarks not accepted)
Return your request by mail:
Registrar of Voters
Vote By Mail Division
P.O. Box 611750
San Jose, CA 95161
… or fax
Fax: (408) 293-6002

Proposition and Measure Research Sites

Our ballots have arrived, and while most know the candidates, often there are propositions and measures on the ballot that can be confusing. I will be updating this page with each election to give you places to research these items before you vote.

Milpitas City Measure

Measure F
Measure F is a ¼ cent local sales tax and would cost one penny for every $4 spent. According to city reports, approximately half of Measure F would be paid by visitors to Milpitas. Food purchased as groceries and prescription medication would be exempt from Measure F.

City of Milpitas Public Services Measure. To provide funding to maintain the City’s finances and services, including: police and fire protection, 9-1-1 emergency response, and natural disaster preparation; youth, senior, and recreation services; repairing park equipment and maintaining parks and recreation centers; and attracting and retaining location businesses; shall the measure, establishing a 1/4¢ sales tax, providing approximately $6,500,000 annually for 8 years, requiring independent audits, citizens’ oversight committee, all funds spent locally, be adopted?

The minimum combined 2020 sales tax rate for Milpitas, California is 9% before this new sales tax. This is the total of state, county and city sales tax rates. The California sales tax rate is currently 6%. The County sales tax rate is 3%. Milpitas does not currently collect any sales taxes other than what the county distributes to us. The City does need a new source of income. We have been relying on hotel taxes and property taxes. We turned down having Marijuana Dispensaries, which would have probably more than made up this amount of tax revenue. So if you voted against having dispensaries you should vote FOR this tax. If you voted to allow dispensaries here, you may want to vote NO to force the issue to come up again.

Currently, only the following Santa Clara County cities collect more than 9%

Alviso, 9.250%
Campbell, 9.250%
Los Gatos, 9.125%
San Jose, 9.250%

Next door, Fremont, in Alameda County, currently collects 9.250%. All Alameda county cities collect either 9.250% or 9.750%. Source for this info by sorting at the site: California City & County Sales & Use Tax Rates (effective October 1, 2020). Currently Milpitas has a sales tax advantage over its closest neighbors. A 1/4% sales tax might affect consumers shopping for high priced items. Piercy would no longer have an advantage over dealerships in San Jose or Fremont.

Tran, Phan make case for quarter-cent tax measure
Tran and Phan have teamed up to push their case for Measure F, a quarter-cent tax increase measure set to appear before Milpitas residents on this November’s ballot. Should the measure pass, the duo says, it will keep emergency response times low, keep city services open, and establish more COVID-19 testing opportunities for the city.

State Propositions

Propositions on 2020 Ballot

League of women Voters of California Ballot Recommendations
Easy Voter Guide
Gives simple explanations of white vote yes or no on each state proposition. From the League of Women Voters.

Propositions are proposed laws presented to the public to vote on. Propositions can make new laws, change existing laws, and sometimes they change California’s Constitution. They can be placed on the ballot by people who collect enough voter signatures or by state lawmakers (the California Legislature). A proposition passes and becomes law
if it receives more than 50 percent YES votes.

Propositions 14 through 24 are “initiatives.” For an initiative:
* A YES vote means that you support the way the proposition would change things.
* A NO vote means that you want to leave things the way they are now.

Proposition 25 is a “referendum,” which asks voters to decide on a law that was already passed. For a referendum:
* A YES vote means that you support the law and want to keep it.
* A NO vote means you do not want the law to go into effect.

LWV Pros & Cons
More detailed arguments for the Propostions. California voters will also be deciding on 12 state propositions that are explained in this Pros & Cons. Four of the propositions were placed on the ballot by the state legislature, seven of them were placed on the ballot by supporters who gathered sufficient signatures and seek to make changes in state laws or
the California Constitution, and one is a referendum that seeks to overturn an existing law, and was also placed on the ballot by supporters who gathered sufficient signatures.

California 2020 props explained in 1-minute videos
Want a quick introduction to the dozen measures on your November ballot? This playlist gives you a 60-second description of each — just play the first one and the rest will automatically play afterward. The Props-in-a-Minute playlist, produced by CalMatters’ reporting team, covers the array of subjects voters will be asked to decide this fall.

California ballot propositions explained | Election 2020
Here’s what voters need to know about the propositions on the California ballot this November — including measures involving affirmative action and consumer privacy and one that would allow parolees to vote. The LA Times explain each measure in a minute. By MAGGIE BEIDELMAN, CODY LONG, YADIRA FLORES, JESSICA Q. CHEN, ALBERT BRAVE TIGER LEE, OCT. 5, 2020

What’s On The Ballot? Here’s A Look At California’s 2020 Propositions
Yes, there will be a dozen different propositions for California voters this year — Prop. 14 through Prop. 25 — on everything from expanding rent control to ending the ban on affirmative action. While we at CapRadio will be reporting on these more up until Nov. 3, we wanted to give you a quick overview now on what each measure covers and what a “yes” or “no” vote will mean. Includes CapRadio reporters talking about propositions. CapRadio is a Sacramento radio station.

2020 Ballot Measure Contribution Totals
Committees supporting or opposing the following ballot measures have reported total contributions on specified reports, which have been compiled into a total amount of contributions in support or opposition to the ballot measure. From the Secretary of State’s Office. See who is spending big money on the propositions. Are these groups you generally agree with or not?

November 3, 2020, Primary Election Ballot

More Campaign Finance Data

Top 10 Contributor Lists
All Ballot Measure Committees
All Candidate Committees

Courage California, a Progressive Voters’ Guide
Group has taken positions (or not) on the Propostions for California on th e2020 ballot.

California Pro-Family Election Center
This is where you can get reliable facts and perspective and advice about how to vote for moral, social, fiscal conservative and constitutional values in California. Bible-based recommendations. Recommends to vote No on all local tax measures.

SF Chronicle Voter Guide
Your guide to the ballot measures, propositions and races that Bay Area voters are deciding. Owned by Hearst family, but they are no longer in full editorial control.

California propositions: What you should know before voting from the Mercury News
Of the 12 measures on this year’s ballot, some may feel very familiar, while others are are all new.

Equality California
The nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements of five 2020 statewide ballot measures and opposition to one measure on Wednesday afternoon. The organization previously endorsed the Schools and Communities First Initiative (Proposition 15) on January 27, 2020. Equality California has endorsed the following November 2020 statewide ballot measures:

Proposition 14 – Stem Cell Research, Treatments and Cures Initiative
Proposition 15 – Schools and Communities First Initiative
Proposition 16 – Opportunity for All Constitutional Amendment
Proposition 17 – Voting Rights for People on Parole Amendment
Proposition 18 – Primary Voting for 17-Year-Olds Amendment
Proposition 25 – End Money Bail Referendum

Equality California opposes the following November 2020 statewide ballot measure:

Proposition 20 – >Criminal Sentencing, Parole and DNA Collection Initiative

For a complete list of Equality California’s 2020 endorsements, please visit eqca.org/elections.

10 Tips to Reduce Your Chances of Becoming a Crime Victim

Lock doors and windows when you are not going to be at home. Many home burglaries have occurred by suspects finding an unlocked window or open door to enter through.
Lock car doors and do not leave any property in plain view. Valuables left out in the open may tempt thieves. If you must leave belongings in the car, place them in the trunk and out of sight.
When walking on the street or to your car from a business, make eye contact with others and be aware of your surroundings. Keeping your head down and not making eye contact with people makes a person look more vulnerable to an assailant.
When getting into your car after shopping or doing errands, do not sit in your car for a long period of time. It can give an assailant time to get into the car and rob or assault you.
Always look in the back seat of your car before getting in. If someone is in the backseat, exit your car immediately and call the police.
If you enter an elevator and feel unsafe because you are alone with someone, exit the elevator – it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you are getting harassing phone calls, keep a notebook by the phone and write down dates and times. It helps to keep a log of harassment and the notebook can be given to police as possible evidence in the future.
When eating at a restaurant or sitting in a public place, do not leave your purse or purchased items in a vulnerable spot. A purse or bag hanging on the back of a chair can easily be taken by a thief. Keep purchases or bags under the table or in an area where they are not easily accessible. You can put the strap of a bag or purse under the leg of your chair.
When needing assistance on the side of the road, and a cell phone is not available, only roll down your window enough to speak to whomever has stopped to help. Ask the person to call police or your roadside assistance provider for you and wait in the car.
If you are home alone and a stranger is knocking at the door, speak to them through the door or through a window nearby. If they ask to use the phone, let them know you can call police on their behalf. You do not have to let anyone inside your home to use the phone. This is not rude… it is safe.
Watch this video:

Scam Alerts
GoMilpitas.com provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report ongoing scams.

Utility Scam Alert
Avoid being scammed by fake utility workers, who keep you engaged at your front door while their cohort goes around back and steals from you.

Earthquakes

California earthquake faults and recent earthquakes, and how they affect Milpitas, San Jose, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Did You Feel It?
This is a U.S. Geological Survey project to collect information about ground shaking following significant earthquakes. Following an earthquake, please tell us what you felt by filling out the questionnaire for the appropriate earthquake. Best site to find information about a very recent earthquake.

Advice
Earthquake Information
Earthquakes Recently
History
Kids Earthquake Links
Maps
Public Seismic Networks

Advice

Are you ready for an earthquake?
The next time disaster strikes, you may not have much time to act. Prepare now for a sudden emergency. Learn how to protect yourself and cope with disaster by planning ahead. From the Red Cross.

Earthquake Engineering
National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering provides this technical site to provide latest research on how to build in a fault zone.

Earthquake Program
The City of Milpitas Building and Safety Department has a program to help you make your house safer. We will provide interested homeowners with a Prescriptive (Cookbook) Plan Set that may be used to strengthen older homes and for obtaining their building permit.

Make your own earthquake preparedness kit
In order to prepare for a major earthquake, SFGate has compiled a list of supplies the American Red Cross recommends you keep on hand.

Protect Yourself During an Earthquake…Drop, Cover, and Hold On!
OFFICIAL RESCUE TEAMS from the U.S. and other countries who have searched for trapped people in collapsed structures around the world, as well as emergency managers, researchers, and school safety advocates, all agree that “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” is the appropriate action to reduce injury and death during earthquakes.

Protecting Your Family From Earthquakes–The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety (in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean)
Developed by American Red Cross, Asian Pacific Fund, California Earthquake Authority, Governor?s Office of Emergency Services, New America Media, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey.

Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
This popular 32-page earthquake science and preparedness handbook has recently been updated. The new version features current scientific understanding of when and where earthquakes will occur in California, and how the ground will shake as a result. Updated maps of earthquakes, faults, and potential shaking are included as well as instructions on how to get information after earthquakes.

Earthquake Information

ABAG Resilience Program
Analysis of Bay Area hazards and how we can prepare for a bad quake.

California’s Earthquake Forum
The home for California earthquake information. A place to ask geologists about western fault information.

Earthquake Outlook for the San Francisco Bay Region 2014–2043
72% probability of one or more M ≥ 6.7 earthquakes from 2014 to 2043 in the San Francisco Bay Region. Earthquakes this large are capable of causing widespread damage; therefore, communities in the region should take simple steps to help reduce injuries, damage, and disruption, as well as accelerate recovery from these earthquakes.

Northern California Earthquake Data Center
The NCEDC is a long-term archive and distribution center for seismological and geodetic data for Northern and Central California.

Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada
Earthquakes recorded for the last week (168 hours). Times are local (PST or PDT). The most recent earthquakes are at the top of the list. Click through for details.

UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory
You can even make your own seismogram!

History

1906

The Great 1906 Earthquake And Fire
Original sources and timeline from the Museum of San Francisco.

Story of an Eyewitness
Collier’s, May 5, 1906. Jack London went to the scene of the San Francisco Fire & Earthquake and wrote the following dramatic description of the tragic events he witnessed in the burning city.

1989

1989 Earthquake Reports and Photographs
Fascinating original source material from the Museum of the City of San Francisco, such as 911 reports, photographs, and more.

The October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake-Selected Photographs
This publication provides images for use by the interested public, multimedia producers, desktop publishers, and the high-end printing industry.

1998

Mission Peak Landslide of 1998
Report of the engineering firm retained by the City of Fremont to make a preliminary evaluation of the landslide sufficient to guide the city in emergency response and future planning decisions. (Picture)

Kids Earthquake Links

California Has Its Faults
A fault is a fracture along which there is movement. Some faults are actually composed of several fractures called fault branches. Collectively the branches are a fault zone.

Candy Quakes
A lesson plan using a variety of candy which you will quish in a number of ways to demonstrate forces on earth rocks. Clean up is the best part.

Make Your Own Earthquake Crossword Puzzle
Add, edit, delete clues, and customize this crossword. Print copies for an entire class. All in 5 minutes.

FEMA for Kids: Earthquakes
Most of the time, you will notice an earthquake by the gentle shaking of the ground. You may notice hanging plants swaying or objects wobbling on shelves. Sometimes you may hear a low rumbling noise or feel a sharp jolt. The computer simulations include a total of seven earthquake scenarios: three magnitude 6.8 scenarios with different starting locations (epicenters), three magnitude 7.0 scenarios with different starting locations, and one magnitude 7.2 scenario.

Maps

Santa Clara County Earthquake Hazard
Milpitas located in area where freeways make a capital H

ABAG’s Resilience Program – Earthquake Map Santa Clara County
Several active faults present potential hazard to Santa Clara County. On the northwestern boundary, the San Andreas Fault runs through the hills separating the County from Santa Cruz County. In the central county, the Hayward/Rodgers Creek and Central Calaveras dominate the earthquake threat. The Greenville fault dominates in the northeastern portion of the county.

Bay Area Shaking Hazard Maps
The “On Shaky Ground” supplement report lets you select a city (say, Milpitas) and a large quake on a number of Bay Area fault lines. It then shows you a map of how intense various neighborhoods would feel that quake.

San Andreas Fault Facts
California’s sleeping giant, the San Andreas Fault, marks the slippery yet sticky boundary between two of Earth’s tectonic plates. It is responsible for the biggest earthquakes in California, up to at least magnitude 8.1.

Santa Clara County Earthquake Hazard
Several active faults present potential hazard to Santa Clara County. On the northwestern boundary, the San Andreas Fault runs through the hills separating the County from Santa Cruz County. In the central county, the Hayward/Rodgers Creek and Central Calaveras dominate the earthquake threat. The Greenville fault dominates in the northeastern portion of the county.

Public Seismic Networks

Public Seismic Network of San Jose
Dedicated to the promotion of awareness and information about earthquakes. It is part of the growing worldwide PSN which connects amateur seismologists, persons interested in earthquakes and seismic activity with information resources; from general history to detailed plans for constructing monitoring instruments and systems.