Tomorrow, SCC Supes will consider adopting ranked-choice voting for future elections. In this Opp Now exclusive, local resident Alice Kao critiques RCV's tabulating methods as non-intuitive and confusing, adding that (by design) they end up discarding many voters' preferences.
Read MoreStrong Towns believes local community engagement isn't as effective when we ask granular policy questions, like “What percentage of the city budget should we spend on parks?” Instead, why not take a cue from tech mogul Steve Jobs, focusing instead on residents' actions: “Do you use the park?”
Read MoreNext Tuesday, the County Board of Supes will discuss a potential shift to ranked-choice voting (previously rejected by SJ City Council) in county elections. But The Hill wonders, below, if the history of havoc, obfuscations, and voter frustration in counties that have attempted RCV compels us to leave it in the past.
Read MoreIn one of the most poignant scenes from Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, retired professor Faber makes the case for literature to Montag using a few key criteria (that apply also to film; podcasts; and, hey, news commentary!): it's all about “pores,” leisure, and the freedom to act.
Read MoreOn the first evening of Passover, historian April Halberstadt invites us to pull up a chair as she recounts the fascinating and inspiring stories of three Jewish San Joseans: doctor/musician Ephraim Engleman, and market owners/activists Sarah and Louis Richards. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreWe revisit a Governing.com analysis of SJ's infamous union deal from two years ago, and wonder if Bay Area gov't strikes—once taboo, recently regaining traction—might fade to the background again post-VTA strike.
Read MoreEven as local Housing First bitter-enders complain about moves to redirect city funds towards Shelter First, news from LA underscores the utter financial mismanagement and grift of Permanent Supportive Housing. The Center Square reports.
Read MoreSJ Mayor Mahan wants to give pay raises to city leadership if they deliver key outcomes in four major areas. But why just city leadership? And will the proposal work if it only focuses on incentives? We caught up with Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, for an Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreA recent EdChoice analysis asserts that school choice policies aren't just financially feasible—but, in states where they're implemented, they're actually saving taxpayers $3,300 to $7,800 per program participant. Could this be an answer to the Bay's failing, going-broke school districts?
Read MoreWhen Bay Area voters face a transit sales tax measure next year, agencies and transit supporters will warn that failure to pass the tax measure will lead to catastrophic results. Um, no. SHIFT-Bay Area reports.
Read MoreSJ Mayor Mahan wants to tie city leadership’s pay to outcomes in homelessness, public safety, clean neighborhoods, and business development. But will it work? In an Opp Now exclusive Q&A, entrepreneur and MCC Councilmember Gus Mattammal says it’s worth a try, but progress is much more feasible in two of the targeted areas.
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