SJ D3’s special election looks to have a notably low voter turnout, which has campaign operatives of big-spending campaigns moaning “sad.” But is it? If you don’t like the candidates, why should you be compelled to support them? Reid Newton, editor of Ideas Beyond Borders, unpacks the ethics of refusing electoral coercion in The Hill.
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Anyone who's worked in tech knows that linking compensation to reaching performance metrics is old hat. Surprising, then, to hear retrograde analysis from CM Cohen trying to delay Mahan's limited application of the idea to SJ city gov't. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explains why pay-for-performance works even at the federal level.
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In today's hyper-polarized postmodern society, is it even possible to avert “partisanship”? And what landmarks should readers be looking for re: responsible journalism? In this Opp Now exclusive, we tackle these questions—and more—with Hoover Institution's preeminent First Amendment expert Eugene Volokh.
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Gov't waste may be on the national radar thanks to DOGE; but it's likely to continue—says Pedestrian Observations blog—as long as elected officials have no personal inventive to cut costs (leading to worse, politically-motivated projects).
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Psyche mag explains that our innate preference for accommodation can upstage having authentic, meaningful conversations, like discussing what Churchill and Chaucer have in common or the Valley's political blind spots. But experimenting with the “rules” a bit—through unexpected candor, exploring new territory, or humor—produces some pretty great discussions.
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Sandy Springs, Georgia services its general obligation debt with the general fund—not by targeting homeowners to pay back school and infrastructure bonds. Their food bank and recreational programs are successes because the city provides basic funding and infrastructure but leaves the rest up to the community. So say the Mayor and City Manager in Part 4 of an Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
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It isn't hard to do. Local tax and transit expert Marc Joffe explores the (now not so fantastical) possibility of a shutdown of VTA, as suggested by many transit riders on local social media in response to transit workers' strike. An Opp Now exclusive.
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Contracting out city work doesn’t mean employees have to lose their jobs. Often, contractors are willing to make use of city staff already in place and doing the work. So say Sandy Springs, GA, Mayor Rusty Paul and City Manager Eden Freeman in Part 3 of an Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
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It’s like DOGE has come to deep-blue LA County. LA Supes will vote in April on redirecting the vast majority of funding for the deeply troubled Homeless Service Authority. The exceptional LAist reports.
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After contractor premiums shot up, Sandy Springs, GA pulled many services inhouse to save tens of millions of dollars. But going from a mostly privatized city to more of a hybrid model didn’t come without a sacrifice, says Mayor Rusty Paul in Part 2 of an Opp Now exclusive Q&A. When it comes to procurement, City Manager Eden Freeman believes that contractors are much more efficient.
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Supremely qualified Asian students still getting nixed by higher-ed admissions departments. Guess why? Orange County Register reports.
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Along with most of its service delivery, Sandy Springs, GA, privatized public employee retirement benefits when it incorporated in 2005. Despite later bringing some city services—and jobs—inhouse, the defined contribution model remained in place. To this day, Sandy Springs has zero retirement liability. But are they a competitive employer? We caught up with Mayor Rusty Paul and City Manager Eden Freeman for an Opp Now exclusive Q&A.
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