Proposition 5 (lowering CA's voter approval req't for infrastructure bonds) was wholeheartedly rejected by State and County voters this cycle. Below, SV Taxpayers Ass'n board member John Inks explains why. For this Opp Now exclusive installment, we also talked to transit expert Tom Rubin and real estate agent Mark Burns, who share some wins (and annoyances) from Election '24.
Read MoreD10 Leadership Coalition's Rich Crowley says we've seen it all before: in 2022, SJ City councilmembers deprived San Joseans (D8, 10) of their rights to select their representative. The same actors are at it again, Crowley says, attempting to ram through an appointment process instead of elections to fill the vacant D3 seat. From an email sent to residents.
Read MoreContinuing our exclusive Opp Now post-election series, we hear today from Brian Holtz, SCC Libertarian Party secretary and Purissima Hills Water District director. Below, Holtz argues that SF's Ranked-Choice Voting system (in place since 2004) allows voters to elect more reasonable, broadly-supported candidates—not just pick the prettier of two evils.
Read MoreMore in Silicon Valley than perhaps anywhere else, we wrestle with what being “human” means amidst technological advancements, AI debates, and a fast-moving culture. Below, Opp Now gathered exclusive perspectives from art faculty on this fundamental conflict of “authentic” vs. “technical”—and overcoming it, with our hands, our eyes, and our fellowship with others across space and time.
Read MoreMany folks read San Jose news and feel they're manipulating our emotions for engagement—whether via “rage bait” or shallow fan service. (No wonder San Jose pols are turning to film and fiction for wisdom!) On Substack, documentarian Michael Nayna argues media shouldn't see its consumers as profit machines or moldable clay, but fellow thinkers.
Read MoreOur very own editor Lauren Oliver celebrates San Jose's first fall rain, below, with an elegant two-stanza poem that recalls the exquisite, otherworldly feelings of wonder we have after a storm's passed. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MorePhew. Another election on the books. Over the next week, we'll be highlighting Opp Now contributors' exclusive takes on (local and statewide) Nov. 2024 wins, flops, and possible next steps. Today, we feature delightful eye-openers from: HJTA's Susan Shelley, Independent Leadership Group's Irene Smith, SJ Housing Commissioner Roberta Moore, and former Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou.
Read MoreSan Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Irene Smith (runner-up in 2022 D3 council election) call for a special election to determine who will occupy the now-vacant position.
Read MorePalo Alto councilmember Greg Tananka says that local governments should not ignore the real message of the November 5 election: The People want lean, efficient government. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreCalifornia has enough rainfall to address local droughts, claims CPC's water policy director Edward Ring—but the State regularly and wastefully dumps water into SF Bay to try to save the Delta smelt fish. Why, decades after this program began, is the smelt fish population no better off—while Bay Areans are being forced into strict water rationing? From a 9.4 newsletter.
Read MorePolitical analyst Kira Davis explains, via X, why SCC is (you heard this right) still counting ballots and determining winners a week after Election Day. Since CA legally prohibits ID verification at the polls, volunteers must painstakingly—and often subjectively, Davis claims—verify signatures, one at a time.
Read MoreJust like in the Bay Area, Fresno leads with the carrot. This Central Valley city has ramped up housing programs and social services, which help get people off the street. Even folks who don’t at first comply are given every opportunity, in order to avoid jail. But, as SF Chronicle’s Kevin Fagan reports, some "continuously service-resistant" people could still end up behind bars.
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