Board of Equalization (BOE) candidate Peter Verbica reiterates his conversation with the Mercury News editorial board regarding the importance of the BOE for an equitable and efficient statewide tax system. Below is an excerpt from a Verbica letter to the Merc, outlining his views of three reasons supporting continued support for a healthy BOE.
Read MoreProfessor Joe Mathews examines the Institute for the Future’s projected scenarios for California post-COVID. The four scenarios are sobering. Some envision a “fractured” place of never-ending chaos. Yet all four offer hope: We can (and must) transform failing economic structures.
Read MoreOn May 17 the Merc reported that the proposed budget for the controversial new county prison had risen more than 70%, from $390m to $689m. County supervisor candidate Johnny Khamis and mayoral candidates Dev Davis and Matt Mahan express concern.
Read MoreSomewhere, George Orwell is smiling. In a brazen example of counterintuitive spin, a collection of the local subsidized housing leaders responded to news that homelessness is rising in the county by saying that—get this—the uptick proves their Housing First programs are working. Astonishingly, the Merc took their comments at face value and—hold on—didn't seek out any voices to suggest that, y'know, maybe the increase is a sign that something's not working. To get more clear-eyed perspectives we talked to ex SJ councilmembers Johnny Khamis (who's also running for county Supervisor) and Pierluigi Oliverio (who's also a Planning Commissioner).
Read MorePolitical commentator Joel Fox surveys how current direct policymaker is supposed to work in California--initiatives--and finds that the system has been gamed by the wealthy and influential. He offers some thoughtful changes to recover the original Progressive vision for initiatives.
Read MoreAnother election season, another round of wild accusations as competing camps try to smear their opponents. We asked Planning Commissioner, ex SJ Councilmember, and veteran of the local campaign scene Pierluigi Oliverio to separate fact from fiction, spin from substance, about what's behind political endorsements.
Read MoreThe South Bay's progressive labor squad has a long history of distributing inaccurate campaign collateral in an effort to derail popular centrist politicians. But their latest effort--a flyer that bizarrely tries to link supervisorial candidate Johnny Khamis to (we are not kidding) the spread of the COVID virus--has to earn high marks for comic, transparent mendacity. The Opp Now team fact checks Labor's embarrassment, below.
Read MoreRonald Stein, founder of Energy & Infrastructure of PTS Advance, talks about California’s highly publicized transition to renewable energy. Shutting down natural gas power plants only increases residents’ electricity costs and proliferates electricity importation from states with reliable power plants.
Read MoreScott Beyer, Founder of the influential Market Urbanism Report and author of the widely respected book: Market Urbanism: A vision for free-market cities, is a leading proponent of classical liberal reforms to address the national housing crisis. In Part I of an exclusive 3-part series for Opportunity Now, Beyer begins his analysis of San Jose's current policies, and what needs to change.
Read MoreIs SJ's botched Housing Strategy finally reaching its expiration date? Local political commentary site surveys how candidates in this year's election are starting to break free from the monolithic model of slowly building expensive nonprofit new housing and trying out faster, cheaper, more flexible solutions.
Read MoreThe Board of Equalization (BOE) in California plays a vital role in safeguarding taxpayer rights and tax fairness, defending citizens from the ongoing encroachment of the administrative state. A recent SJ Mercury Op-ed about the BOE bizarrely ignores this vital function, and in fact calls for the shuttering of the Board. BOE District 2 candidate Peter Coe Verbica sets the record straight in a Merc letter to the editor.
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