Kinfolk magazine's theory of “subtraction neglect” may explain why local pols are eager to expand their jurisdictions (adding more and more initiatives on homelessness, basic income, etc.) but have trouble backing off. Even when they're far outside their charter. Or the projects fail—miserably.
Read MoreMany Silicon Valley pols worry that excessive taxes can poison the goodwill between a city’s government and its people. Taxation-by-citation is no exception. Case study: one small police force took a big step back from ticketing—and property crime dropped by 80%. A Route Fifty commentary by James Small and Joanna Weiss.
Read MoreOstensibly pro-business electeds on the San Jose City Council (Mahan, Casey, Foley, Mulcahy) surprised recently by advocating for lowering voter thresholds for new taxes. This is a position many local businesspeople (and most Californians) oppose. Below, The Harvard Gazette explores how this reflects national trends, in which business leaders self-segregate around political groupings.
Read MoreWhile California cities dawdle on implementing more and bigger shelters for homeless people, the Salvation is a proof-of-concept for shelters—including in San Jose. Below, the Salvation Army's argument for why shelters work and are important.
Read MoreRather than limp along, hike taxes, and sell off assets to survive, cities like Oakland and San Jose should prioritize the needs of their residents—and their long-term financial health. So says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, who calls for cities to begin a years-long unwinding of costly services, regulations, and labor agreements. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreThe City of Cupertino, De Anza College, and the Public Dialogue Consortium (incl. Dr. Shawn Spano, who writes below) partnered on a landmark “Cupertino Project” in the late '90s. Their mission was simple: engage Cupertino residents about issues affecting their community, and brainstorm solutions. The fascinating study (recapped below) utilized focus groups, town halls, and action plans—to put findings into practice. From the Rogue Comm Domain Directory.
Read MoreIt’s not enough for cities just to privatize their way out of a budget crunch, says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis. Often “privatization in name only” undercuts any chance for market efficiencies, because heavy regulations persist. And when it comes to public safety, he argues that smarter staffing choices could yield huge savings. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreTrump’s return to Washington is creating a new landscape to navigate for four Democrats who represent Silicon Valley. Joe Garofoli of SF Chron breaks down some careful maneuvering from reps Khanna, Liccardo, Lofgren, and Mullin, below.
Read MoreCities are not magical entities. They have a limited scope and should move away from services they don’t provide well in the first place. So says Mark Moses, author of The Municipal Financial Crisis, who tells us that recreation, housing, and charitable nonprofits are hindered—not helped—by overambitious city councils. An Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
Read MoreCounterintuitive fire management tactics. Homelessness approaches that narrow-mindedly neglect substance abuse. Tax hikes rather than better budgeting. NBC News explains, below, why we (and our pols) are so eager to leap to false conclusions, even with insufficient evidence.
Read MoreThe Bay Area isn't the only region in the U.S. to suffer from chaos and dereliction of fiscal duty at the city, county, and state level. We just have a lot more of it. Allysia Finley opines in the WSJ.
Read MoreDowntown San Jose foot traffic levels remain encouraging post-Covid, but Bloomberg wonders (via recent research) if there’s something else to consider re: doom loops. Namely, that our high-speed, digital-obsessed culture is eroding those everyday opportunities to linger and chat with strangers—as theorized in a new study (analyzing cities’ ped traffic speed/casual conversations) from Nat Bureau of Econ Research.
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