The snatching of citizen voting rights by SJ City Council has some people wondering if our deeply centralized, bureaucratic model of city governance has gone too far. Irene Smith, former candidate for D3 (and critic of the council appointment process, see here) laid out a new way of looking at municipal governance that focused on a more bottoms-up, "deconcentrated" approach, excerpted below.
Read MoreRose Herrera (District 8) and Forest Williams (then-District 2) have both served as SJ councilmembers, so they bring experienced points of view to how SJ politics have changed, and the challenges the new council faces. Both have applied for the interim seats the council will appoint. They chatted with us in this Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreNationally-recognized housing expert Scott Beyer (founder of Market Urbanism Report) suggests SJ's newly-electeds can take a look at best practices and be inventive to solve city’s housing crisis--if they retain a sharp focus on greatly increasing supply asap. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSilicon Valley Taxpayers Association president Mark Hinkle examines zoning laws, construction codes, and permit fees as three key hindrances to a thriving San Jose housing market. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThe recent City Hall brouhaha over special elections v appointments for open council seats put a spotlight, for many, on the City's flawed system of citizen feedback. Why come out and speak at Council meetings if you're not heard, and if the end result is that you don't even get to vote? Former D3 CM candidate Irene Smith (Q&A nearby) advocates for a more up-to-date, professional Office of Public Listening. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThis week's showdown at City Hall over special elections featured a lot of yelling and name calling and hardly any listening. Former D3 CM candidate and President of Business & Homes Network - San Jose, Irene Smith, puts on her Counselors' spectacles and sees a misguided system in a chat with Opp Now's Christopher Escher. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSigned into law this September, AB 2229 hopes to reduce prejudice within the police force by requiring applicants to “pass” a psychological bias evaluation. Critics have wondered if state-mandated “ideological purity tests” could lead to discrimination against certain (e.g., religious) groups. Local law/justice experts parse the bill’s implications below. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreJamie Heston (past Homeschool Association of California board member, “15 year veteran homeschooling expert” and consultant) explains the benefits of gov’t-hands-off homeschooling. While some call to constrict homeschool laws, Heston charges that they remain flexible in CA — to encourage rigorous out-of-the-box, individualized options. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSoon-to-be-second-term Fremont Union High School District board members Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto (current president) and Rosa Kim (current VP) chat with Opp Now about cultivating board–constituent relationships — where both are informed and engaged with the other’s needs, platforms, and actions. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSCC Libertarian Party Campaigns Committee chair Brian Holtz unpacks an array of impactful (geo)libertarian writings, which include Wes Benedict’s Introduction to the Libertarian Party. The latest in Opp Now’s favorite political book perspective series, in which contributors analyze texts they’ve found accessible, informative, and enriching. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSheriff-to-be Bob Jonsen chats with Opp Now about his top Dept priorities moving forward: care access and job-skill programs in local jails, recruitment/retention, and overall accountability to quash “this constant cloud of controversy.” An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSilicon Valley Taxpayers Association president Mark Hinkle considers how Ayn Rand’s renowned “Atlas Shrugged” (albeit fictitious) echoes the terrifying realities of socialism — that he’s experienced firsthand. The latest installment in favorite political book analyses. An Opp Now exclusive.
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