CAASPP Testing Results for East Palo Alto's Schools.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is the state's official system for academic testing. Established in 2014, it replaced the older STAR program to align with more rigorous academic standards designed to prepare students forcollege and career readiness.   The CAASPP is primarily a computer-based assessment
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Measure JJ: The Hidden Tax Hitting East Palo Alto Renters' Wallets

The Impact of East Palo Alto's 2.5% Rental Tax (Measure JJ) East Palo Alto imposes a 2.5% tax on gross rental income. Although originally presented to voters as a fee paid exclusively by landlords, the economic reality is that this is a tax paid by tenants.
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SRO Housing Proposal on Bay & University

On Thursday, December 18, I attended a community meeting at East Palo Alto City Hall regarding a new proposal from Swenson Development and Construction. They are planning a 135-unit Single Room Occupancy (SRO) development at the corner of Bay Road and University Avenue, adjacent to the old post office. Project
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Looking Back on My First Year on East Palo Alto City Council

I was sworn into East Palo Alto’s City Council a year ago on December 17th, 2024. It has been a tremendous honor serving on East Palo Alto's City Council as Vice-Mayor with Mayor Martha Barragan. We got a lot done! I remain very grateful to the voters
- 5 min read

What Happened to the Talking Heads Sculpture?

While walking to dinner in Hayes Valley, I spotted the “Talking Heads” sculpture—once in East Palo Alto. Its creator, local artist Oleg Lobykin, told me it was a temporary installation to spark conversation about public art. Now in San Francisco, it may return home someday.
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Why My Wife and I Choose to Share One Car in East Palo Alto

When my wife and I got married, we were offered the gift of a second car — and we said no. In car-dependent East Palo Alto, that choice might sound odd, but sharing one car has brought us closer, saved money, and made our daily commute an intentional part of our life together.
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Death & Taxes in East Palo Alto

📈 East Palo Alto's Property Tax Advantage and the Urgency of Development City's Share of Property Tax Revenue The bar chart above visualizes the property tax revenue share for each city, sorted from highest to lowest percentage. CityShare (%)East Palo Alto36.00Redwood City18.00South San Francisco17.00Mountain
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East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials

Many people have discussed East Palo Alto City Council's decision to remove Carlos Romero from regional boards and commissions following his repeated violation of East Palo Alto's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials. The Code of Conduct for Elected Officials can be found here: Code of
- 3 min read