So say Gregg Dieguez (SHIFT-Bay Area) and Jan Soule (Silicon Valley Association of Conservative Republicans)—especially when it comes to “virtually bankrupt” yet overcharging local water, sewer, and transit agencies. Perhaps deficits aren’t—and shouldn’t be—inherent to the public sector, after all? More below in this Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreA 5/8 cent sales tax might not seem like much, but it’s part of a “death by a thousand cuts” for small and medium-sized businesses in Santa Clara County. So says SVBA Board Member and Treasurer Pat Waite, who argues Measure A will push prices up and hurt local businesses, forcing retailers with thin margins out of business—if they haven’t been shuttered already. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreCould CA’s skyrocketing costs to insure a home ever, you know, go down? According to United Housing Alliance’s Irene Smith and Manhattan Institute’s Tim Rosenberger, we need: proactive wildfire prevention, local gov’t championing older apartment buildings, + state-level advocacy. An Opp Now exclusive roundup.
Read MoreSC County Supes warn funding changes threaten county hospitals. But Dawn Davis, plaintiff in a suit against Measure A, points to chronic waste and degradation in the system. She marvels at O’Connor Hospital’s long wait times, despite county employees’ $1 million salaries and lavish artwork at SCVMC. Rather than squeeze the taxpayer, she asks, why not cut the fat? An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreWill SB 63 disenfranchise San Mateo County and Santa Clara County residents, and heap more of their hard-earned tax dollars onto unaccountable transit agencies like the MTC? After another BART meltdown, SHIFT-Bay Area's sustainability director Gregg Dieguez argues against continued wasteful spending. He says the agencies need outside oversight, and the region needs a competitive transit marketplace. An Opp Now exclusive op-ed.
Read More“It was prejudicial and misleading,” says long time Santa Clara County resident Dawn Davis of the Measure A ballot label. She and three other plaintiffs victoriously sued to remove some of the partisan terms from the ballot summary. Although the hasty tax hike election will proceed, Davis believes the more honestly worded ballot might improve trust in local government. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreJust build more houses. Just pass yours down to your children. Just run a profitable business. Easy, right? Not exactly, argue former Palo Alto councilmember Greg Tanaka and real estate broker Gina Tse-Louie—saying we need radical rewrites in building/business regulations and tax policy. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreCounty residents are promised that Measure A sales tax is only “temporary” and will have plenty of oversight. But County Assessor candidate Rishi Kumar argues neither is the case. He says Measure A is a regressive sales tax that won’t go away, can be spent on anything, and could even preclude the county from state healthcare funding. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreSanta Clara County’s public health system is poised to lose $3 billion yearly by 2030. So says County Assessor candidate Rishi Kumar, who argues the $330 million that Measure A is meant to raise each year will only pay a fraction of the shortfall. “Where’s the plan for the rest?” he asks, “more tax increases?” An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreFor the Valley to stop pricing residents out of housing, former Gilroy mayor Marie Blankley and SV Biz PAC’s Tracey Enfantino point to needed property tax exemptions; impact fee code revisions; and a straightforward, efficient Community Development Department to process building applications. An Opp Now exclusive in our affordability series.
Read MoreFormer SJ Councilmember Pete Constant, currently a Professor and Chair of Public Policy Department at Jessup University does a deep dive on Gov. Newsom's redistricting proposal, and suggests it solves no real problem while creating new ones--from legal risks to eroded trust. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreFrom Social Democrat Alex Lee in Fremont to GOP candidates for congress and assembly, Bay Areans are rejecting efforts to dismantle CA's Independent Citizens' Redistricting Commission.
Read More
