The SJ Mercury reports that local State Assembly Rep. Evan Low's controversial bill to police what doctors say about COVID-19 vaccines and public health mandates has been quietly repealed by Gov. Newsom. Prof. Daniel Klein of George Mason University provides needed context in the Wall Street Journal's Letters section, and explores how scientific research has often been the target of illiberal regimes intent on enforcing Thought Uniformity across the populace.
Read MoreWage subsidies. Citizen's income. GBI. Known by a trove of monikers, this proposition posits that supplementing people's salaries (e.g., with $1,200/month in SCC's unhoused HS grad program) keeps them out of poverty and encourages career success. But the Journal of Economic Issues' Robert E. Prasch begs to differ. He explains why income subsidies reduce employees' bargaining power and consumers' purchasing power, which amplifies unemployment.
Read MoreOn September 21, the State Auditor announced a winter release date for the audit of the troubled Valley Transit Authority (VTA). This audit could offer further insight into the murky reporting VTA staff has provided regarding the wild BART cost overruns, ever-lengthening completion dates, and ever-shrinking ridership projections. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreCPC's Will Swaim argues that SCA 7 could, in establishing a constitutional right to union organizing, open the door for Labor to call “infringement” on any political decision they dislike. For instance, might shuttering a failing school, project, or program be considered a constitutional trespass under SCA 7? From the National Review.
Read MoreSJ suffers disproportionately from Californian outmigration, having lost 0.5% of residents last year—many to places more affordable and which have sufficient housing supply. The Globe analyzes how CA'n population losses (only expected to escalate in coming decades) could compromise local jurisdictions' education, pensions, health care, and transit systems.
Read MoreCalifornia had to beg the fed gov't for $20 billion during Covid, just to stay up-to-date on providing unemployment benefits. Yet some union members think they should get checks after voluntarily striking for 2+ weeks. As the NY Times reports, Gov. Newsom recently vetoed controversial SB 799, citing CA's existing “sizable debt.”
Read MoreIn the shadow of Newsom & Co.'s efforts to remove from 2024's ballot the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, the Wall Street Journal fact-checks ridiculous claims that upholding Prop 13 would prevent cities from, yep, doing their jobs. Like Newsom, SJ's City Council has deemed the Act “one of the most egregious ballot measures” (CM Cohen) and voted to oppose it earlier this year.
Read MoreWith news that VTA's misbegotten plans to extend BART to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara have gotten (hold on to your seats) even more expensive than previous budget-busting estimates, Marc Joffe at the Cato Institute wonders anew if it's time for a re-think on the whole project. Even the Merc agrees. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThe California State Association of Counties and League of California Cities has filed with the SCOTUS against “unworkable” interpretations of Martin v. Boise that aggressively block local encampment removal—even if there's shelter space available (because, for instance, a person with pets can't be accommodated). The brief argues that camping ordinances are a “useful tool” for public safety, as city leaders like SJ's Mahan propound. By SJ Inside.
Read MoreSF's mayor London Breed proposed legislation that would require homeless folks with substance abuse disorders to get treatment before accepting the City's financial assistance—or, in Breed's words, “No more handouts without accountability.” As reported by the SF Standard, the Golden City's latest efforts to restore safety and cleanliness to its drug- and crime-battered streets.
Read More22-year-old Business major Jacob Spangler is SFSU's College Republicans club president; he also holds office with the SF Republican Party/Young Republicans. In this Opp Now exclusive, Spangler analyzes what's keeping young folks from meaningful political involvement, particularly at First Amendment-tentative institutions like San Francisco State—and how local orgs can shift gears accordingly.
Read MoreEven the Merc is coming around and questioning the SJ BART extension, pointing to various factors: VTA's lack of transparency on careening costs and “definitely there” funding, bleak ridership projections, and the need for independent reviewers to determine if the project is even worthwhile. In this updated Opp Now exclusive, the Cato Institute's Marc Joffe analyzes how the extension would most likely have to be stopped by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
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