Archive for April 2025

Image by Wikimedia Commons An independent auditing agency found it impossible to track the $2.3 billion the County and City of Los Angeles spent (mostly via unaccountable nonprofits) on homeless services last year, according to a report filed with a federal district court on March 6. OpenTheBooks.com explains on RealClearInvestigations. Key facts: Auditors from Alvarez & Marsal Public…

SJUSD proposes to extend its $72 parcel tax—originally touted as temporary back in 2016—to “maintain and improve” English, math, and science programming. But Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association’s president Mark Hinkle questions if the tax even makes sense, with the district’s dropping enrollment, failing academic standards—and how they just got $1.15B from taxpayers in November. An…

mage by Todd Berman State legislators tend to favor more oversight (big surprise), but can they find common ground with local homeschooled families? And what should we expect going forward re: CA education? Part 2 of an Opp Now exclusive Q&A with HSLDA’s Will Estrada, Esq., and Family Protection Ministries’ Nathan Pierce. Opportunity Now: From…

Image by Elvert Barnes SCOTUS’ Grants Pass decision in 2024 appeared to empower municipalities to enforce no-camping zones. But activists in Sacramento are trying to reverse Grant’s Pass in CA, potentially banning cities like SJ and Fremont from pursuing legal action against trespassers and bivouacking. SJ’s Mayor Mahan says SJ doesn’t criminalize homelessness and just…

Petrus Van der Velden: A student, c. 1860 Why are Silicon Valley families flocking to homeschooling? How do (even well-meaning) Sac legislators end up restricting homeschooling? And, um, how’s the Dept of Pesticides involved? An Opp Now exclusive Q&A with Home School Legal Defense Association’s senior counsel Will Estrada, Esq., and Family Protection Ministries’ executive…

Image generated using Dall-E Your public works infrastructure is decaying without a fiscally sustainable plan to replenish it, says SHIFT-Bay Area’s sustainability director Gregg Dieguez. Here, Dieguez argues that higher taxes could be coming. An Opp Now exclusive. Allowing public works to fall into disrepair will lead to critical failures that will ultimately burden residents…

Image by Daniel Gies Oakland recalls far-left mayor Sheng Thao. Replaces her with far-left former rep Barbara Lee. Go figure. Rick Moran scans the debris at PJ Media. Former Rep. Barbara Lee, who called for a $50-an-hour minimum wage for California when running for the Senate last year, has been elected mayor of the city…

Diablo County Power Plant, San Luis Obispo County. Image by Nuclear Regulatory Commission CA Teachers Ass’n is the second largest U.S. group (funding-wise) lobbying against nuclear power. But—posits commentator Denise Kalm—they would do well to pivot to supporting nuclear energy, which can effectively and ethically keep up with the Valley’s growing needs. An Opp Now…

Nevada Cares Campus in Reno, Nevada. Many experts—locally and nationally—believe that the only way for SJ to make serious progress ameliorating the inhumane living conditions of our unhoused neighbors is to offer large, quick-build shelters that can provide relief and services to hundreds, if not thousands, of needy residents. While misguided opposition has slowed acceptance…

Image by Wikimedia Commons Todd Spitzer, Orange County’s District Attorney, takes the will of people seriously, and is aggressively implementing Prop 36’s common-sense criminal accountability initiative. Will the lawyers in Rosen’s office take note? From the OC Register. Californians took the law into their own hands last November, overwhelmingly approving Proposition 36 and rejecting the disastrous…