A scaled-down measure to Save Prop 13 could make it on the CA ballot this year, says Jon Coupal. It would repeal real estate transfer taxes above .11%, and raise the bar for local special taxes to a 2/3 majority vote. In this Opportunity Now exclusive 2026 forecast, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association President fears CA politicians will continue to manipulate the ballot process and drive cities toward bankruptcy.
Read MoreBay Area's premier tax-and-spend concert series –Taxapalooza –announces 2026 headliners. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreNobody’s arguing a city can’t survive year-to-year by deferring maintenance and raising taxes. But Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, cautions that if Silicon Valley cities fixate on this year’s budget cycle, they risk ignoring the “compounding burden” of underlying, unaddressed liabilities. This could mean major service cuts by the end of the decade. An Opportunity Now exclusive warning for 2026.
Read More“There have been so many fees and taxes that have driven out all the developers,” says Silicon Valley Business Alliance’s Johnny Khamis. He’s hopeful that rolling back fees will increase building, not just downtown high-rises but throughout San Jose. Will voters keep trusting the tax hikers who still haven’t fixed housing, health care, transportation or mental health services? An Opportunity Now exclusive.
Read MoreCA Assembly 28 candidate Carol Pefley looks forward to a 2026 characterized by an end to gaslighting and systemic misgovernment, and a statewide rebirth of accountability, growth, and community spirit. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreOur region is synonymous with success. But Marc Joffe warns a raft of tax measures this year could prove “existential,” forcing voters to decide whether Silicon Valley rewards innovation, or punishes it. One major ticket to savings, he argues, is driverless buses and trains. Will voters agree? Or will they keep funding a legacy system? An Opportunity Now exclusive forecast for 2026.
Read MoreMayor Mahan and DA Rosen say they were duped by the county on Measure A. Is their remorse convincing? An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreOpp Now's newest writer, Cristabel Cruz, wonders why SV politicians refuse to acknowledge their failure to deliver on promises. And why SV voters let them get away with it. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSanta Clara County’s Measure A sales tax hike was just the beginning, warns Matt Wendt of the South County Business Alliance. In an Opportunity Now exclusive 2026 prediction, he says that progressive politicians will “push for a whole bunch of new taxes.” Will moderates and independents fight back? Or will they support another cycle of reckless spending?
Read MoreAs top-down state policy degrades student achievement in SJUSD, the argument against public schools could be gaining purchase. But Gus Mattammal (candidate for CA Supe of Public Instruction and author of A is for Average) makes the case for reforming, not discarding, public education. While distributed opportunity to children everywhere is key to our economic health, he asks if California’s $130 billion-per-year system is actually delivering results.
Read MoreAn end-of-year addition to the vaunted Opp Now team, local grad student Cristabel Cruz offers our first in a series on What To Expect in The Coming Year. Welcome, Cristabel, and welcome, 2026.
Read MoreHistorian April Halberstadt whisks us back to Christmas a century ago in her historic San Jose home—when local agriculture was booming, the city rapidly expanding via annexations, and the faith-centered Wright family (living in now-Halberstadt’s home) making their mark on CA politics. An Opp Now exclusive.
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