LAUSD “protects” its trad schools, at the expense of local charters—and lower-income students

Amidst enrollment declines, the Los Angeles Unified School District has kicked charter schools out from sharing its facilities (as was first implemented after Prop 39's passage). Many are concerned students without access to transportation will be hurt by this decision, which seems aimed at weakening LAUSD's thriving charter sector so the district can inflate traditional public education's demand. From the Free Beacon.

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Jax OliverComment
☆ GOP prez candidates don't see eye-to-eye about federally funding CA's High-Speed Rail

Republican presidential hopefuls analyze if California's High-Speed Rail—costly and seemingly incongruous with local workforce needs, but potentially helpful to eliminate natural monopolies in the private sector—should or shouldn't receive a federal bailout. An Opp Now exclusive featuring: Steve Laffey, Walter Clapp, Rollan Roberts, and John Anthony Castro. View the first series article, from Libertarian prez candidates, here.

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SF Supervisor: Here's how the city can keep tabs on nonprofit partners

SF Standard's Josh Koehn explains Supervisor Catherine Stefani's proposed legislation, which would require nonprofits receiving SF city funding to regularly submit audited balance sheets, and align their actions to “measurable objectives” (rather than neglecting purported core purposes). In the wake of seemingly endless city–nonprofit scandals, many are agreeing: It's about time.

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SF case study: Rhetoric aside, “criminalizing drug use” likely a strategic part of reducing overdoses

SF Mayor Breed's opponents regularly poke at her hardening stance on public substance use, labeling her proposals uncompassionate and quick to condemn risky lifestyles. But as SF's fentanyl overdose deaths spike, some folks are changing their minds—from pushing questionable “safe” consumption sites to begging law enforcement to intervene. From the SF Standard.

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☆ Lawsuit claims UC's forced DEI alignment is “illegitimate,” discriminates against Asian faculty

Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Wilson Freeman analyzes the ongoing lawsuit between PLF's client—aspiring psychopathology professor Dr. John Haltigan—and the University of California. Freeman asserts that UC's “DEI litmus tests” violate the Constitution twofold, and that Asian applicants are statistically hurt the most by this “aggressive” mandate. An Opp Now exclusive.

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Opinion: After Covid, “traditional downtowns are dead.” It's time to shift gears

Fortune reports that amidst widespread post-Covid “urban doom loops,” cities like SF and SJ are scrambling to incentivize business and customer activity in their rapidly-decaying downtowns. In addition, says public policy prof John Rennie Short, it's about time we seriously pursue other solutions: like gutting or repurposing unused office space.

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SJECC enrollment up 15% thanks to K–12 dual credit programs, says chancellor

After pandemic-era student population drops that persisted in the Bay Area and beyond, the San Jose Evergreen Community College District has reported a roughly 15% enrollment increase for Fall 2023. As EdSource relays, SJECC's partnerships with local high school programs have helped attract the next generation of scholars—giving hope that community colleges can still prove relevant in today's market.

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Analysis: Why Bay Area cities should call it quits with CEQA, PLAs, rent controls

The Independent Institute's latest Golden Fleece report highlights local gov't-created “regulatory obstacles” that constrain housing supply while spiking up costs. Also, the Institute offers five powerful suggestions for reform—starting with ditching zoning/land use restrictions and streamlining building-permit approvals.

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☆ On outmigration, living standards, and (yes) taxes: What's really at stake with ACA 1?

Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers' president Mimi Willard gives Opp Now readers an exclusive lowdown on what she believes would follow the passage of ACA 1—and the State's proposed “affordable housing” bond (which would dedicate $2.2–4.4 billion specifically to Santa Clara County).

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Which local politicians do Democratic Socialists support?

Though not a party, the Democratic Socialists of America is a U.S. left-wing group whose chapters hold increasing sway over more mainstream Democrats in national, state, and municipal politics. The DSA views itself as community organization that’s building working class power and fighting for radical change, and generally supports activities around defunding the police, strengthening labor unions, and the Green New Deal. The DSA Silicon Valley chapter supported the following candidates in their 2022 Voters Guide. 

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Opinion on LA's “density delusion”: Unbridled street homelessness (not single-family housing) is the true enemy

While cities like San Jose and San Diego are beginning to crack down on dangerous sidewalk encampments, Los Angeles scapegoats low-density, single-family zoning for its rampant resident egresses. Spectator explains why LA's longstanding densification ambitions have been insufficient to solve public safety concerns (does building more downtown homes really help, if people are scared to walk and work in downtown?) or prevent locals from moving elsewhere.

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Cambridge case study: How rent control eats into neighborhoods' value

Economist James Schneider takes to Econlib to recount Cambridge, Massachusetts's foray into rent control—and why it backfired. When landlords must list properties below market value, they often can't afford to stay current on maintenance and upgrades, and this devalues the surrounding community at large. Sound familiar, SJ?

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