Santa Clara has fired City Manager Deanna Santana. The vote was 4-2 with Anthony Becker, Kevin Park, Karen Hardy, and Raj Chahal in favor of Santana’s termination. Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Kathy Watanabe voted no. Vice Mayor Suds Jain was absent.
Santana has managed the city since 2017. Her tenure has seen controversy, from high-profile scuffles with the 49ers, Levi’s Stadium, and The Rolling Stones, to questions over her large salary.
Santana’s termination is likely to spark a legal fight. Her attorney described the firing as “reckless, retaliatory, and unlawful” in an interview with the Mercury News and hinted at a potential lawsuit. The vote took place days after Santana suggested 49ers President Al Guido had a conflict of interest in the club’s 2026 World Cup bid. There was no legal counsel for the city present for the vote, which took place under protest. Santa Clara Mayor Gillmor warned the vote may have violated the Brown Act.
After firing Santana, the city council also moved forward with plans to fill its city attorney vacancy. By a 6-1 vote, the council put the search in the hands of Councilmember Karen Hardy. Councilmember Kathy Watanabe dissented, saying the search should be led by Mayor Lisa Gillmor.