The Heritage Foundation drops us into the '50s, when Milton Friedman first advocated for free market education. Later, U.S. states began adopting vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, and ESAs. While CA could diversify its schooling choices, many students today are still benefiting from expanded opportunities—like the option to opt out of SJUSD, recently slammed by the Civil Grand Jury for "many failures."

As San Joseans wonder if they'll get slapped with new “infrastructure” taxes under Prop 5, Econlib's Richard Gunderman reminds—in an elegant deep-dive of Tolstoy's famous novel—that for all free marketism's strengths, economics ultimately can't account for the happiness of mankind. Gunderman's thoughts on this elusive, incalculable, wonderful pursuit we call “joy,” below.

Oakland has long resisted more aggressive techniques to address its crisis of crime and street homelessness. But on the heels of Grants Pass and directives from Gov. Newsom, its hard-left mayor, city council, and city staff are starting to act. The Merc's report excerpted below.

After the agency got sued for an unforced math error on the RM4 ballot—and polls showed 2/3 of voters would not support the $48 billion tax hike—BAHFA took its ball and went home. Rather than fix its mistake and perhaps even rework the measure to get Bay Areans on board, the regional agency decided to “pivot to Prop 5," argues the Marin Post’s Bob Silvestri. When RM4 rolls around next time, they hope to win with only 55% approval.

Citing the deceitful campaign practices of local agencies and businesses that financially benefit from passage of bond measures, the Merc (in a cogently argued and smartly written op-ed) joins the SF Chron in saying "No" to lowering the voter threshold for new taxes from 66% to 55%. All major Bay Area dailies have now come out in opposition to Prop 5, as has the City of Gilroy, its mayor Marie Blankley, and SJ CMs Batra and Doan.

Hey, where do we send our resumes? An SF nonprofit gets caught expensing tequila shots at Kaliwa, first-class round trips to O'Hare, and (the one we want the most) tickets to Soul Train. SF Standard unpacks the grift.

Sacramento’s Camp Resolution was supposed to be a national model of managed encampments for the unhoused. It recently closed in turmoil. The Sac Bee wades through the finger-pointing, providing further warnings and recommendations for San Jose's upcoming Watson Park sanctioned encampment.

The more Bay Areans learn about Prop 5, the less they like it. Even the historically liberal Chronicle Editorial Board now joins the San Jose Mercury News & East Bay Times in opposition to the constitutional amendment, which makes it easier to pass local housing and infrastructure bonds. Where would Prop 5’s new tax money go? To build on abandoned parking lots, argues the Chronicle, and to down-payment assistance that has nothing to do with infrastructure.

CA has spent over $20 billion (no typo) on homelessness solutions—to little (and perhaps negative) effect. CalMatters reports that much of the failure is due to petty feuds between City and County gov'ts—a FUBAR increasingly witnessed between City of SJ and County.