Neighbors Together Oakland founder Seneca Scott analyzes how when cities are gentle on policing public intoxication, drug possession, and unsafe homeless encampments, they become magnets for “drug tourists” who seek consequence-free lifestyles. And some—including Mayor Mahan—fear San Jose is headed there, too. A Washington Examiner excerpt below.
Read MoreEnvironmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria have engulfed the investment world in a matter of years. Local companies like Hewlett-Packard and Adobe scramble to regularly publicize “social responsibility” data that—according to the Financial Times' Scientific Beta research breakdown—doesn't actually translate to less carbon emissions per revenue unit (go figure).
Read MoreCommunity political watcher Tobin Gilman recently broke the story of how SJ's City Council has overwhelmingly approved recommendations about State legislation that would, in Gilman's terms, constitute a "Stealth Tax Hike Agenda" for San Joseans. Pat Waite, head of Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, comments and finds the council's decision-making misguided and counterproductive—and the latest in a history of efforts to circumvent Prop 13. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreIn a 2015 Journal of Politics article, UC Berkeley's Sarah Anzia and Stanford's Terry Moe find that increasing gov't workers' wages snags public attention (case in point: SJ's still-ongoing kerfuffle), as many residents are unwilling to shell out more taxes or see services cut. But an overlooked target of public unions is “fringe benefits.” They appease Labor while quietly ruining City budgets for future pols.
Read MoreThe American Enterprise Institute's Edward Pinto isn't a fan of “ill-conceived” housing assistance policies that are mere Band-Aid fixes for surging construction costs. Instead of having taxpayers fund more subsidies, local gov'ts like San Jose's should take the more affordable option: Remove regulatory burdens to housing supply, like density/parking, building code, and zoning requirements.
Read MoreJay Bhattacharya, Stanford University prof and Opp Now contributor, was a leading voice during Covid against unscientific lockdowns. But the gov't pressured social media sites to censor mentions of his co-authored “Great Barrington Declaration,” as well as other Covid info they disagreed with. Bhattacharya reflects in the Free Press on recently winning Missouri v. Biden along with the New Civil Liberties Alliance—and what it means for free speech.
Read MoreCalifornia ACA 1, given an official thumbs-up by some city councils like San Jose's, would make it easier to advance bonds and special taxes for affordable housing projects by changing the required two-thirds supermajority to a 55% majority. Here, Mark Hinkle—local Libertarian officeholder and SVTA's president—argues that ACA 1 doesn't represent what SJ voters want, given overwhelming Prop 13 support, and would diminish living standards. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreSanjana Friedman pokes a hole in Housing First's idea that subsidizing Permanent Supportive Housing reduces homelessness. Instead, since there's no behavioral requirements (including getting sober) or stay limits (yep, they really do mean “permanent”), unhoused people fighting addictions and mental illness stay in, and even flock to, SF to pursue dangerous lifestyles. From Pirate Wires.
Read MoreUC Berkeley public policy prof Sarah Anzia points out in Urban Affairs Review that when local gov'ts increase pension expenses, they more often slash jobs than hike taxes. So besides racking up billions of dollars in debt, cities like SJ are also harming—by over-trimming—public sector workforces in the long run.
Read MoreThe Marin Post explains that in cities across the U.S., anti-sprawl policies have made homebuying more, not less, expensive. The Post then cites transportation expert and Opp Now commentor Randal O’Toole’s policy brief, which shows why SJ should consider different housing market fixes (such as ditching urban-growth boundaries).
Read MoreIn the Annual Review of Political Science, UC Berkeley political science prof Sarah Anzia relays: City gov'ts are traditionally studied via nonpartisan segments like homeowners. But new research shows that the Left to Right dimension does, indeed, strongly sway local policy outcomes—as “progressive” cities tend to vote for “progressive” laws and approve higher expenditures.
Read MoreIt's no secret: California High-Speed Rail's expenses balloon, but its completion date keeps getting kicked down the road. Is it time the U.S. gov't throws in their hunk of cash? Opp Now asked registered Libertarian presidential candidates Joshua Smith, Mike ter Maat, Jacob Hornberger, Hugo Valdez-Garcia, and Beau Lindsey for their exclusive takes on a federal HSR bailout.
Read More
