Just build more houses. Just pass yours down to your children. Just run a profitable business. Easy, right? Not exactly, argue former Palo Alto councilmember Greg Tanaka and real estate broker Gina Tse-Louie—saying we need radical rewrites in building/business regulations and tax policy. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThe Santa Clara County BOS says this latest sales tax increase is for an “emergency,” but County Assessor candidate Rishi Kumar argues it smacks of opportunism. Even though the changes don’t fully take effect till 2027, he says the Supes rushed it onto November’s special ballot before voters get a chance to see the bigger picture: a tsunami of tax proposals in 2026. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreCounty residents are promised that Measure A sales tax is only “temporary” and will have plenty of oversight. But County Assessor candidate Rishi Kumar argues neither is the case. He says Measure A is a regressive sales tax that won’t go away, can be spent on anything, and could even preclude the county from state healthcare funding. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreSanta Clara County’s public health system is poised to lose $3 billion yearly by 2030. So says County Assessor candidate Rishi Kumar, who argues the $330 million that Measure A is meant to raise each year will only pay a fraction of the shortfall. “Where’s the plan for the rest?” he asks, “more tax increases?” An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreFor the Valley to stop pricing residents out of housing, former Gilroy mayor Marie Blankley and SV Biz PAC’s Tracey Enfantino point to needed property tax exemptions; impact fee code revisions; and a straightforward, efficient Community Development Department to process building applications. An Opp Now exclusive in our affordability series.
Read MoreChecks and balances. Separation of powers. Citizen empowerment. This is how to design a go-slow decisionmaking system—from Santa Clara to D.C. Liberty Belle website explores.
Read MoreMaybe we actually want gov't to be careful and deliberative because--let's be honest--we kind of don't trust it. Katie Smith and Nathaneal DeSantis of Simple Civics podcast explain.
Read MoreFormer SJ Councilmember Pete Constant, currently a Professor and Chair of Public Policy Department at Jessup University does a deep dive on Gov. Newsom's redistricting proposal, and suggests it solves no real problem while creating new ones--from legal risks to eroded trust. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreAlthough San Jose and state governments have dragged their heels on dumping failed Housing First policies, it can't be blamed on systemic bureaucratic slowness. A quick history of U.S. Housing policy shows that governments can move with much alacrity on housing programs, especially if they end up creating public housing or a lucrative revenue stream for non profits. York College (PA) reports.
Read MoreRafael Mangual at City Journal skewers the “nonviolent crime” fantasy by spotlighting a San Francisco shopping tragedy that cost a store clerk his life. It’s a problem gripping the nation, but California has been hard-hit after retail theft spiked in recent years, thanks to lax local leadership. Despite the terrible track record, change is still possible if CA continues to crack down on property crime.
Read MoreFrom Social Democrat Alex Lee in Fremont to GOP candidates for congress and assembly, Bay Areans are rejecting efforts to dismantle CA's Independent Citizens' Redistricting Commission.
Read More… how much might the market accomplish, especially re: making life affordable for locals? Taxpayer advocates Jon Coupal and Shane Patrick Connolly share some common-sense suggestions for our electeds in this Opp Now exclusive—relating to transit boondoggles, minimum wage debates, “boutique depts,” and more. Part of an ongoing affordability series.
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