☆ Gus Mattammal on Mayor Mahan’s incentive plan for city leaders: “worth doing the experiment”

SJ Mayor Mahan wants to tie city leadership’s pay to outcomes in homelessness, public safety, clean neighborhoods, and business development. But will it work? In an Opp Now exclusive Q&A, entrepreneur and MCC Councilmember Gus Mattammal says it’s worth a try, but progress is much more feasible in two of the targeted areas. Opportunity Now:…

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☆ Should VTA be allowed to unionize?

Image by Wikimedia Commons Bay Area political commentator Denise Kalm dives into the recent (somewhat anticlimactic) transit strikes, wondering if public unionization actually does more harm than good for the Valley’s taxpayers, hardworking public employees, and gov’t services. An Opp Now exclusive op-ed. VTA, the Valley Transportation Agency, is a special district that manages public…

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Smith: State audit busts SJ’s financial mismanagement of non profits—it’s time for an SJ Non Profit Registry

Image by Public Domain Vectors Concerns about non profit accountability in SJ have a long history of being ignored. Irene Smith of the Independent Leadership Group and United Housing Alliance suggests that the blistering State Audit report on SJ’s out-of-control homelessness expenditures means it’s finally time to get serious about managing non profits that receive…

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SF’s deep state undermines calls to economize

Image by Wikimedia Commons What $840 million deficit? Tasked with “painful decisions,” some SF department heads are simply ignoring the mayor’s directive to cut costs. SF Standard explores. During his mostly cheery inauguration speech in January, Mayor Daniel Lurie shared some grim but unsurprising news.  City Hall’s finances are in the red. “Painful decisions” — as…

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☆ New SJ budget marks the end of Housing First? Unlikely, say local commentators (3/4)

Image by Wikimedia Commons Those fed up with San Jose’s barrier-free housing approach to homelessness may have noticed: Council may shift all funds from PSH to temporary housing and prevention. But, as contributors Johnny Khamis and Tobin Gilman explain, Housing First is probably stickin’ around (particularly via tiny homes). An Opp Now exclusive. Johnny Khamis,…

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Lurie sees the organizational problems at SF City Hall, but do his solutions sound like a consultant wrote them? (3/3)

Image by Wikimedia Commons To his credit, new SF mayor Lurie has identified bloated and ineffective bureaucracy as a key reason so much money has been misspent addressing the City’s homelessness. But do his solutions just kick the can down the road? The Chron reports. The city had 10 teams under different departments at one point, and an…

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Lurie sees the organizational problems at SF City Hall, but do his solutions sound like a consultant wrote them? (3/3)

Image by Wikimedia CommonsImage To his credit, new SF mayor Lurie has identified bloated and ineffective bureaucracy as a key reason so much money has been misspent addressing the City’s homelessness. But do his solutions just kick the can down the road? The Chron reports. The city had 10 teams under different departments at one point, and an…

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