We asked our resident marketing expert (Philip Davenport works for an ad agency in Brooklyn) to take a look at two ads from the California governor's race: Matt Mahan's and Tom Steyer's. We asked Philip to keep the politics out of it, and just view the ads as he would if he were a client giving feedback to the agency. Philip is not a CA voter and assures us he wouldn't vote for either candidate. An Opportunity Now exclusive.
Read MoreSure, the SJ mayor is right to point out that California’s budget is broken, but by what standard will Mahan measure his results, asks Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis. He says the CA gov candidate’s spending plan doesn’t even hint at what real accountability would look like. An Opportunity Now exclusive reaction.
Read More“Even some who favor preferences in admissions would likely balk at a better package of aid simply because of an applicant’s race,” writes William McGurn in a WSJ opinion piece: ACA 7 would allow schools to offer more financial aid money to a wealthy black student, and on better terms, than to a poor Asian student.
Read MoreWith a heavy application of performance metrics, Matt Mahan’s statespending plan draws from the same formula as his San Jose mayoral race, says SVBA’s Pat Waite. He warns that a Governor Mahan would have to work through intractable grit at the state level. An Opportunity Now exclusive reaction.
Read MoreGubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan’s spending plan for CA does a good job of diagnosing California’s fiscal maladies, but his proposed treatment is not enough to cure the patient, according to Marc Joffe. An Opportunity Now exclusive reaction.
Read MoreUnder pressure to address San Jose’s massive budget shortfall, CA gubernatorial candidate Mayor Matt Mahan talked up “charitable or commercial ventures” as if they were “core municipal functions.” They’re not, says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis: instead of chasing the glamour of being a sports destination, leaders should first make sure you can park your car downtown without it getting stolen. An Opportunity Now exclusive Q&A response.
Read MoreA corrosive teaching fad that made children bad at reading has long since been debunked, says Gus Mattammal in his education policy book A is for Average. But California has been slow to replace it with a proven method that would help the state’s most disadvantaged students. The candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction argues that cynical and ideological forces are to blame.
Read MoreWith this week's South San Jose shooting and murder, SJ's murder rate is up 75% compared to last year at this time, according to the Merc. Heritage Foundation unearths key factors behind crime increases: Refusing to prosecute and punish violent offenders, releasing violent offenders under ill-conceived bail-reform policies, and hamstringing police departments.
Read MoreThere’s a flaw in how California allocates money to education: funding for students who need extra help is meted out to districts far too slowly. So says candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Gus Mattammal. In his book A is for Average, he proposes ramping up this funding earlier. He says it can be done without increasing taxes.
Read MoreStructural flaws in CA financials suggest $ meltdown is not so far away. From Grok.
Read MoreResponding to Mayor Mahan’s statement on San Jose’s budget squeeze, municipal finance expert Mark Moses warns that “tightening belts” only works when “belts still have notches left.” The author of The Municipal Financial Crisis says San Jose risks drifting toward “zombie city” status if it keeps protecting politically attractive programs sustained by financial gimmicks, while neglecting the basics of a functional organization. An Opportunity Now exclusive Q&A response.
Read MoreCalifornia’s schools promise every student a quality education, yet that’s belied by dismal disparities between districts and racial groups. So says Gus Mattammal, author of A is for Average, who argues policies like “Grading for Equity” only mask the failure while cutting advanced programs.
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