Posts by Take Back San Jose

Alejandra Lazo of the Wall Street Journal (June 15, 2019) takes a hard look at how California spends money to address homelessness, and if it’s working. “California’s homeless population is going up despite billions of dollars in taxpayer funded efforts, according to recently released data and officials…Homelessness grew 42% in San Jose over the past…

Image by County of Los Angeles Bay Area homeless policy advocates Irene Smith and Tom Wolf discuss why they believe CA’s extreme Housing First approach (barrier-free Permanent Supportive Housing) harms our homeless neighbors and community. What if local pols pursued “middle ground” solutions instead? Part 2 of an Opp Now exclusive. Opportunity Now: Earlier, you…

Matt Mahan defeated Labor-backed Cindy Chavez in the SJ 2022 mayoral race–even though he was outspent substantially. And in this year’s primary election, Labor didn’t even mount a challenge to Mahan, who waltzed to an 86% victory. In this Opp Now exclusive, we asked local political watchers from across the political spectrum* why South Bay…

Tom Campbell, former Bay Area Congressman and State Senator, is chair of the nascent Common Sense Party, and below explores the vibrant center left wide open by our current two party system, and how increasing numbers of people are looking for a Third Way.  The two major parties in California have gone to their extremes. The…

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:…

Image in public domain When Bay Area voters face a transit sales tax measure next year, agencies and transit supporters will warn that failure to pass the tax measure will lead to catastrophic results. Um, no. SHIFT-Bay Area reports. On March 10, bus and light-rail service throughout the Bay Area’s largest county shut down after…

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…

Image by Edmond Dantès San Joseans play Twister with logic on social media defending why it’s somehow not a good idea to vote for the best candidate. The Link publication disagrees and says: the best vote is the honest vote. For those who don’t know but probably still do it anyway, strategic voting is voting…

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…

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…