The SF Chronicle reports that while the rest of the U.S. saw reduced violent crime rates in 2022, California's increased for a second year—our highest numbers since 2008. Since Prop 47 was passed in '14, serial thieves are now challenging and time-consuming to arrest, and their crimes are dealt with as piddly misdemeanors. Meanwhile, Supe Ellenberg blames law enforcement for being too effective at its job (read: incarcerating criminals).
Read MoreThe Legislature and Gov. Newsom's panicked attempt to disqualify the Taxpayer Protection Act from 2024's ballot only adds to Big Gov't's pattern of stifling democratic rights/processes, says the OC Register's Jon Coupal. He goes on to argue that eliminating Prop 13 protections—which ensure that approving earmarked tax hikes is reasonably tough—would be nonsensical and ineffective.
Read MoreLocal media recently celebrated a poorly designed Joint Venture Silicon Valley study, which discovered that people who get free money from universal basic income (UBI) programs (like Santa Clara County's) are more able to afford things that—hold your breath—cost money. Stanford economics prof John Cochrane provides deeper analysis, noting that UBI historically doesn't rescue people from poverty long-term or incentivize workforce participation. Wouldn't it help low-income folks better if cities purged their burdensome regulations/taxes and helped create real jobs instead? An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreCity Journal pipes in on the Bay's heat pump debate (all gas heaters must be replaced by electric, as early as 2027) and points out: Since the switch will debilitate lower-income residents and could—in tragic irony—actually amplify climate harm, why bother with an all-or-nothing mandate?
Read MoreSeveral years ago, San Jose's Pioneer High School de-recognized its Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) student group because leaders were required to attest agreement with the group's religious values. This fall, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 9–2 that FCA has the constitutional right to exercise freedom of speech and religion when selecting student leaders. WORLD has the story below.
Read MoreBehind the Black reports on Dr. Tabia Lee's disputed dismissal from Cupertino's De Anza College, where she briefly served as faculty director for the Office of Equity, Social Justice, and Education. Today—amidst rampant anti-Jewish hate at higher ed institutions—Lee reflects on DEI's dangerous oppressor/oppressed dichotomy, and how the ideology has long supported vilifying Israel/Jewish people.
Read MoreMark Moses is the author of The Municipal Financial Crisis: A Framework for Understanding and Fixing Government Budgeting. In this interview with National Review, he explains why Mission Creep is systemic in municipal governments, and how it empties city treasuries and leads to crummy services for taxpayers and residents.
Read MoreGrowSF analyzes the Golden City's elevated property crimes post-Prop 47, and explains that reclassifying felonies as misdemeanors has put the onus on eyewitnesses to pursue laborious “citizen's arrests,” since police now can't directly arrest folks who steal under $950. As SJ's mayor Mahan remarks, does it make sense to slap offenders on the wrist for “repeatedly harm[ing] our community”?
Read MoreDan Lesovodski, Head of AI Incubator in Sunnyvale, assesses Mayor Mahan and CM Cohen's 10.10 proposal for incentivizing artificial intelligence innovation in San Jose. Lesovodski attests that attracting AI companies involves developing incubators with orgs like Plug and Play (which has a thriving tech center already in Sunnyvale and, potentially next year, SJ), partnering with local universities to recruit top talent, and providing meaningful tax/rent breaks. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MorePointHealthTech's Josie Rasberry argues that a healthcare system directed by the free market would encourage patients to “shop around” for the most high quality, cost-effective care. This, in turn, would prompt local providers to be more upfront—and reasonable—about prices. Hear that, proponents of gov't-ruled healthcare like SJ Assemblymember Kalra?
Read MoreIn tandem with cities like San Jose, Sacramento, and San Diego, the Bay Area's Gilroy passed a partial camping ban this summer designed to keep areas near schools and parks safer. As the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports, the City of Gilroy recently ordered a sweep of illegal homeless encampments at Uvas Creek Park—one of its first clear-outs under the ordinance.
Read MoreIn the San Diego Tribune, past police chief Shelley Zimmerman critiques Prop 47, which Californians approved in 2014 to reclassify property thefts under $950 in value from felonies to misdemeanors. Since then, cities like SJ have observed higher property crime rates, leaving many like Zimmerman (and SJ's mayor Mahan) to question Prop 47's premise: that downgrading consequences of lawbreaking will make people do less of it.
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