Boondoggle transit projects. Overbearing environmental reqt's. (And that's just the tip of the iceberg.) In this exclusive, Opp Now contributors suggest changes in gov't at the city, county, state, and federal level could mean less Fed funding for HSR and BART's extension—and “aggressive deregulation” on local water/energy. More comments, below, from: Cato Institute's Marc Joffe, CPC's Edward Ring, Midcoast Community Council's Gus Mattammal, and SVTA's Pierluigi Oliverio.
Read MoreThe GrowSF Report, self-styled centrists, breaks down results from the recent election in the hipster suburb to the North and finds a pivot from extremism to common sense.
Read MoreProp 5 may have been a wealthy, well-dressed suitor (boasting millions in campaign funding), but SCC voters were smart to decline its tax-raising proposal, say Opp Now contributors in this exclusive. More analyses, below (on Election '24 flubs, surprises, and encouragements)—from Planning Commissioner Pierluigi Oliverio, Midcoast Community CM Gus Mattammal, and CFABO's Steve Heimoff.
Read More“We're here to put a dent in the universe," said Steve Jobs, famously, in 1985. "Otherwise why else even be here?” Below, SF entrepreneur and venture capitalist Om Malik ponders one quality that sets the Valley apart—our “eternal,” ever-persevering optimism. Malik's blog post follows.
Read MoreAbout 100 years ago, SJ CoC commissioned a film on the wonders of “The Valley of Heart's Delight” (later edited for TV in '62). Go ahead: reheat your leftover turkey, get comfy, and get whisked to the 1920's—where families are busily harvesting prunes, taking trips via automobile, and feeling that “anything is possible” in San Jose. Excerpts (transcribed) from the 1962 version, below.
Read MoreOutside of highly regulated government housing projects, which can cost $1 million per unit, the real price of similar dwellings is about half as much. So says Silicon Valley realtor Mark Burns, who provides a healthy reality check in this Opp Now exclusive Q&A. Despite the passage of statewide bonds this year, Prop 5 may have failed because taxpayers are tired of throwing away money and, as he says, lowering bond approval to 55% would be “terrible.”
Read MoreIn 2009, SCC residents submitted lines of verse to be compiled—by our inaugural Poet Laureate Nils Peterson—into a collaborative poem titled “A Family Album Santa Clara County, 2009.” The poem, excerpted below, winks at the wonders and quirks of Northern California living: like singing birds, quaking ground, ginkgo leaves, and (long) freeway drives.
Read MorePer our annual Opp Now tradition, we hit replay on a beloved short essay by Peter Coe Verbica. He reflects, below, on those inexplicable moments of renewal and recovery we might experience during the holidays—prompted by the loveliness found in ordinary activities, objects, and surroundings. An Opp Now exclusive.
Read MoreContinuing our exclusive analyses, Opp Now contributors feel disappointed that voters signed gov't's (pretty grandiose) love letters to tax hikes and bonds—like SJUSD's Measure R, passing with 63.9%. Could voters' well-meaning “yes's” end up breaking their hearts the bank for everyday Californians? Comments below from: Susan Shelley, Tom Rubin, Mark Burns, and Pierluigi Oliverio.
Bonds can double repayment costs, burdening property owners for decades, especially in today's higher interest rate environment. So says Silicon Valley realtor Mark Burns, who sat on two school bond oversight committees. Prop 5 and RM4 promised similar oversight bodies, but Burns says they’d only pay “lip service” to the idea of accountability. Prevailing wage requirements, for example, force districts to pay astronomically inflated prices. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreVoters rejected Prop 5 this cycle, which would've opened the door to unrestricted gov't borrowing. Yet, other expensive ballot measures like Prop 2 and Measure R (both nobly dressed up as “saving our schools”) were passed. More Opp Now exclusive analyses—of what some perceive as Election 2024's biggest disappointments—below from SVTA's Mark Hinkle, HJTA's Jon Coupal, and CFR's Pat Waite.
Read MoreTransit consultant Tom Rubin warns that MTC’s BAHFA could give birth to another ill-conceived prodigality in the billions of dollars. On the 2026 ballot, they may also ask Bay Area voters for a transit tax. Statewide, the legislature could try to amend the constitution just to thwart taxpayer protections, while Sac targets cities who don’t want to stack ‘n pack themselves into dissipation. An Opp Now exclusive.
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