A review of the academic evidence on taxes and economic growth makes it clear that all taxes negatively affect economic growth--but some more than others. A Tax Foundation survey of 26 peer-reviewed studies since 1983 found that 23 indicated a negative relationship between taxes and economic growth, while the the three found no relationship at all. Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist at ALEC, digs into the data.
Read MoreBusinessman and investor Kevin O’Leary recently described cities such as SJ and NYC as “uninvestable” with “insane” policies and taxes that are too high. The result? Revenue and population outflow. He digs into the data for The Herman Center.
Read MoreMahan and Ellenberg take note. Austin, TX, once America's favorite boomtown, hits the skids due to excessive taxation. National Review reports.
Read MoreHighlighting free-market fixes for the local affordability crunch, The Market Urbanist’s Scott Beyer unpacks how induced demand fears (in which supply increases drive up demand) miss the mark. Amid Silicon Valley's sky-high housing costs and San Jose’s love for single family zoning, Beyer suggests upzoning could unleash more supply and lower prices.
Read MoreUnder the county's draft Rural Zoning Amendments, horses could lose their long-standing agricultural status, potentially subjecting stable owners and boarding operations to new and costly land-use restrictions. CA 19 congressional candidate Peter Coe Verbica daylights the issues below, from a campaign press release.
Read More“As you consider Proposition 50, ask yourself, is California better off today than it was over a decade ago?” Former Menlo Park Mayor and Congressional candidate Peter Ohtaki points out to his readers at the Mainstream Revolution blog that “since 2014 the Democratic party has held both the Governor's office and a super-majority in our state legislature - i.e. a one-party state.” He asks, “does it make any sense to reward the ruling party that has overseen our state's decline with even more power?”
Read MoreOn Tuesday the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association announced its strong opposition to Measure A, a more than half cent sales tax in Santa Clara County that would punish low- and middle-income residents of Santa Clara County. HJTA press release, excerpted below.
Read MoreCybersecurity and voting expert Harry Haury worries that ballots are mishandled in California. He says regions like the Bay Area could be worse than Orange County, which itself has “tremendous problems” with provenance, chain of custody, oversight, and clean voter rolls. Even if it passes legitimately, Prop 50’s redistricting will suppress representation for certain voters: he calls it “political oppression.” An Opportunity Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreThe Citizens Redistricting Commission is transparent, independent and driven by Californians, says ten-year policy veteran Roberta Moore. She argues that redistricting under Prop 50 is not needed to save democracy and, in fact, promotes an undemocratic regime that thwarts the will of the people. An Opportunity Now exclusive commentary.
Read MoreSJ Mayor Matt Mahan and his supporters on the SJ City Council continued their trek to the far left by endorsing Prop 50, the election-rigging initiative that will disenfranchise voters with minority viewpoints all around the state. CMs Mulcahy, Foley, and Doan voted with Mahan to endorse 50, as did CM George Casey, who was the lone vote at council opposing the misguided Measure A. Prop 50 is endorsed by the California Democratic Socialists of America. Their argument for 50, excerpted below, bears many similarities with Mahan's contorted logic endorsing 50.
Read MoreSJ Mayor Mahan says he wants to "govern from the middle." That middle appears to be rapidly tilting left. He's a fellow traveler with the Silicon Valley Democratic Socialist Party on Measure A. The DSA's reasons for supporting A, excerpted below, make for interesting reading.
Read MoreTo address a budget shortfall, Measure A will raise the sales tax up to 10.5%. This comes after the supes scoured the budget for savings, right? According to Santa Clara News Online, no such effort has been made. Instead, SC County leaders let rising costs strain the $13 billion government without even asking why, much less attempting to trim the fat. Robert Haugh reports.
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