Today's watchdogs, says Washington Examiner's Mark Judge, are teaching the public to effectively scrutinize media sources (cough: like heavily union-funded websites). And what's more, with the rise of non-Left wing publications, folks who don't fit into the popular ideological mold still have outlets for sharing truth. Judge's remarks below.
Read MoreIn the Gilroy Dispatch, Mayor Marie Blankley breaks down the adverse consequences the Garlic Capital has seen in the past two years from “hybrid” council meetings. In contrast to in-person and written public comments, virtual Zoom comments tend to attract out-of-town activists, who muddy issues by creating the illusion of constituent alignment. Some wonder if Bay Area cities should rethink what is permissible Council meeting participation.
Read MoreThe Marin Post analyzes LA's botched Skid Row Housing Trust, and suggests that merely giving unhoused folks housing doesn't tackle the chronic problems feeding into homelessness (hear that, SCC?). As homelessness is strongly tied with mental illness, precondition-free housing is often demolished by residents who desperately need treatment.
Read MoreLocal political watcher Tobin Gilman recently bemoaned the loss of fiscally responsible voices on the SJ City Council, noting a fundamental shift to the Left. But Amy Offner in Dissent takes a look, from the Left, at the merging of political ideologies into an ungainly centrist coalition and sees the triumph of neoliberalism.
Read MoreSecond-term board member Debora Allen breaks down the transit agency's latest steps to boost ridership, reduce costs, and keep skeptical State legislators from giving up entirely on BART's $300 mil/year deficit “hole.” Allen also invites common-sense budget-minded folks to engage with BART leaders in a community budget workshop this October. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreThe Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against Google has come to trial, and the stakes are high. Focused on the company’s original search unit, the suit contends that Google’s parent company Alphabet abused its power over search and used illegal agreements to cement its market dominance. But the company has its own advantages, above all the weak iteration of US antitrust law in the neoliberal era. Jacobin magazine analyzes U.S. antitrust law.
Read MoreMany Golden State self-designated “pro-business” legislators have a lot of explaining to do, remarks the OC Independent's team, after voting in favor of SB 799. The controversial bill would treat striking employees as if they were unemployed, rendering them eligible for benefits after two weeks on strike. But is it really that business-friendly to make local taxpayers reward long, gridlocked worker–employer conflicts?
Read MoreSeveral Bay Area cities (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Palo Alto) sit in the top five U.S. cities with the highest minimum wages; San Jose will likely join them next year at its planned $17.60, just eight cents shy of 2023's #1. Econlib's Linda Gorman unpacks the research on minimum wage bumps, which are tied to more unemployment (particularly for low-skilled workers) and less fringe benefits.
Read MoreIn the OC Register, Lance Christensen analyzes SB 799, currently sitting on the governor's desk. He explains why he believes the bill—designated a “Job Killer” by the CA Chamber of Commerce—would squander taxpayer money by footing the bill for striking (instead of truly unemployed) workers.
Read MoreVox's Jerusalem Demsas is an ardent believer in rent control ordinances—but not as a sole strategy. Below, Demsas breaks down why underlying housing supply shortages aren't ever improved (and, in fact, get exacerbated) by mandated rent ceilings.
Read MoreSJ's City Council bestowed generous increases on the unions representing about half of its employees. Up to $20 million may need to be removed from the 2025/26 budget to bring things into balance. Where should this come from, asks Pat Waite of Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility? Perhaps from SJ's overspending, underperforming Housing Dept, he suggests in this Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreIs there a moment when you have just rolled your eyes too many times in a particular 24-hour period while reading local media? Peter Coe Verbica, former Board of Equalization candidate, reminds us—in a fine bit of poesy—that running against the tide, challenging orthodoxies, poking the bear, standing up for fairness, and mixing metaphors with abandon can be, well, a whole lotta fun. An Opp Now exclusive.
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