Opinion: Donald Trump’s actions against Ukraine betray Ronald Reagan Donald Trump is offering Vladimir Putin strategic advantages, treating an allied nation like a pawn.
Castro: Oakland has its schools back. Now voters face a new challenge. By Alysse Castro October 20, 2026 at 4:19 a.m. With local control after 22 years of state intervention, the future of the district is...
Cohen: Santa Clara County and, especially, San Jose will benefit from Bay Area transit tax By David Cohen October 16, 2026 at 4:50 a.m. 'The survival of our regional transit systems is critical to San José. Our systems depend...
Miranda-Prieto: Don’t undo California’s Top-Two system. Fix it. By Marcela Miranda-Prieto October 15, 2026 at 3:31 a.m. Top-Two opened our primaries to every voter. Now let's open November to more candidates, but...
Hoene: Prop. 43 will weaken communities’ abilities to address their own needs without state, federal help By Chris Hoene October 13, 2026 at 4:05 a.m. A statewide ballot measure threatens vital funding for city services and gives a minority outsized...
Opinion: California has a chance to change the odds for cancer. Vote ‘yes’ on Prop. 38. By Gwen L. Nichols October 12, 2026 at 11:21 a.m. Prop. 38 would give California the chance to lead the next wave of cancer breakthroughs.
Opinion: How we dispose of an apple core matters to our climate By Petra Kuppinger October 9, 2026 at 4:21 a.m. Decaying food in landfills emits dangerous methane gas, a crisis that simple backyard habits can...
Massaro: Stop fighting it. AI writes better, but you are still the author. By Rachel Massaro October 8, 2026 at 4:14 a.m. We must shift our energy away from generating flawless text toward contributing unique personal perspectives.
Opinion: Test-optional colleges are seeing the consequences of ill-prepared students By David Blobaum October 8, 2026 at 4:19 a.m. Without objective exams, institutions accept unprepared applicants who struggle and withdraw from STEM majors.
Ramos and Mandolini: How Prop. 1 can help California tackle its affordable housing crisis By Noni Ramos October 7, 2026 at 4:19 a.m. Reliable state investment can be the missing piece converting plans into homes
Hancock & Bates: Prop. 38 is a business scheme disguised as a public health plan. Vote ‘no. By Loni Hancock October 6, 2026 at 9:03 a.m. This unaccountable billion-dollar bond enriches wealthy founders while defunding vital community services.
DeSaulnier: When profits matter more than safety, everyone loses By Mark DeSaulnier October 3, 2026 at 9:26 a.m. 'If we want to get serious about protecting refinery workers ... we need greater real-time...
Wasserman: Bay Area transit became a victim of its success. A new funding model could restore it. By Jacob L. Wasserman October 2, 2026 at 4:20 a.m. Taxes, not fares, keep most US transit systems running. BART, Muni and Caltrain were outliers,...
Opinion: Stop blaming rogue bots. Hold their human developers accountable. By Justin B. Hollander September 29, 2026 at 11:29 a.m. Tech giants unleashed these digital agents into our lives, and lawmakers must step up to...
Philbrick: Funding Bay Area transit is costly, but service cuts will be devastating By Karen E. Philbrick September 29, 2026 at 4:04 a.m. 'A voter who never taps a Clipper card still benefits when someone else takes the...
Bravo: Prop. 40 will make California’s health care challenges even worse By René Bravo September 26, 2026 at 4:00 a.m. A one-time tax on top earners creates a funding cliff, leaving the safety net with...
Lanzas: Prop. 40 is the key to preserving health care access and saving lives By Caroline Lanzas September 26, 2026 at 3:45 a.m. Passing this ballot measure forces the super-rich to fund emergency rooms, preventing disastrous statewide closures.
Roberts: Prop. 43 places insurmountable roadblocks to citizen-led community solutions By Darrell Roberts September 28, 2026 at 11:01 a.m. Howard Jarvis-backed gimmick would weaken local governments' power, perilously making California cities and counties dependent...
Glazer: As BART warned of financial doom, it ramped up spending, refused to right-size agency By Steve Glazer October 1, 2026 at 5:07 p.m. Voting against Measure RTM sales tax increase is not rejecting transit; it’s demanding prudent fiscal...
Schaaf: Prop. 37 makes homeownership a reality By Libby Schaaf September 25, 2026 at 4:11 a.m. New legislation provides downpayment assistance so middle class buyers can finally commit.
Mackenzie: Silicon Valley, we need to talk about the land we still have left By Andrea Mackenzie September 24, 2026 at 4:18 a.m. Accelerated AI data center proposals and heavy development threaten our region's remaining open spaces.
Opinion: Health care is more badly broken than political leaders admit By Marj Halperin September 24, 2026 at 4:18 a.m. Our broken medical framework demands total coverage before staffing gaps cost more lives.
Florez: Stop corporate data centers from jacking up electric bills for everyday Californians By Dean Florez September 23, 2026 at 12:30 p.m. AI facilities consume the energy of whole cities. The tech industry must shoulder these massive...
Goldman: Meta’s $5 billion deal with the state AGs to take down its rivals By Eric Goldman September 21, 2026 at 10:11 a.m. A blatant quid-pro-quo offers government prosecutors a massive financial windfall for crippling competitors.
DePetris: The Trump administration is claiming success in drug strikes. Not so fast. By Daniel DePetris September 18, 2026 at 4:14 a.m. Washington boasts of destroying cartel vessels, yet rising cocaine seizures reveal a wholly flawed military...
Westly: Vote ‘yes’ on Prop. 41 to ensure real accountability for every tax dollar spent By Steve Westly September 17, 2026 at 4:11 a.m. Californians are continually asked to fund new programs without the basic visibility they deserve on...
Shackelford: Nepal’s disaster is today’s terrifying climate change reality By Elizabeth Shackelford September 17, 2026 at 4:12 a.m. A catastrophic flash flood caused by collapsing glaciers offers a grim warning for our warming...
Opinion: California can’t fix housing affordability until it fixes algorithmic collusion By Davina Hurt September 16, 2026 at 4:16 a.m. No ethical landlord calls a competitor to agree on rent. With algorithmic collusion, they don’t...
House: Silicon Valley owes America more than its weapons By Carole House September 15, 2026 at 4:11 a.m. Tech companies must accept liability and guarantee public safety to truly repay societal obligations.
Capitolo: Vote ‘yes.’ Prop. 45 changes construction timelines, not our standards By Jennifer Capitolo September 12, 2026 at 3:15 a.m. Proposition 45 will help repair essential infrastructure affordably while protecting our environment.
Grimes: Vote ‘no.’ Prop. 45 isn’t pro-affordability. It’s a ruse handing shortcuts to polluters disguised as relief. By Jordan Grimes September 12, 2026 at 3:00 a.m. Prop. 45’s funders are exactly who you’d expect: data center developers, Big Oil, PG&E and...
Ellenberg: Vote ‘no.’ Prop. 43 gives 34% of voters the power to defeat 66%. By Susan Ellenberg September 13, 2026 at 10:18 a.m. Prop. 43 doesn't require better oversight. It merely changes the math so that opponents can...
Opinion: Newsom should sign legislation bolstering newsrooms — and democracy By Julie Patel Liss September 11, 2026 at 4:46 a.m. 'AB 2222 effectively creates tax credits for employing full-time and part-time journalists and sole-proprietor local...
Opinion: At $40 trillion in debt, Washington is stealing from younger generations By Carolyn Bourdeaux September 10, 2026 at 4:17 a.m. Lawmakers refuse to fix soaring structural imbalances, forcing our youth to foot the bill.
Opinion: Voters, beware. California governors can do (almost) anything. Choose wisely. By David A. Carrillo September 10, 2026 at 10:34 a.m. 'Every people gets the government it deserves, and all law is useless if the people...
California’s political hopefuls remain silent on state’s job losses, unemployment By Dan Walters September 9, 2026 at 4:09 a.m. Despite a shrinking workforce and an ailing economy, candidates are ignoring this crisis.
Opinion: Online or in our neighborhoods. Hatred has no place in Silicon Valley. By Maha Elgenaidi September 8, 2026 at 7:51 a.m. 'Hatred directed at Jews or Muslims is an attack on all of us, just as...
Schaaf: Vote ‘yes’ on Regional Transit Measure. We can’t afford to let Bay Area transit collapse. By Libby Schaaf September 4, 2026 at 4:58 p.m. 'Without new funding, BART could be forced to cut as much as 70% of its...
Joffe: Vote ‘no’ on Regional Transit Measure. It will burden Bay Area’s poorest and isn’t needed to ‘save transit.’ By Marc Joffe September 4, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. 'Proponents allege that, without the tax hike, transit service would collapse. But that is, by...
Opinion: A stronger Oakland starts with stable housing that supports stronger families By Patricia Wells September 4, 2026 at 10:52 a.m. Federal assistance gives residents the crucial foundation to build careers and achieve independence.
Opinion: Prop. 43 closes a loophole that’s draining California taxpayers dry By Susan Shelley September 3, 2026 at 3:00 a.m. '(It) makes clear that all special taxes require a two-thirds vote, including citizens’ initiatives.'
Opinion: Your ‘kids, students and neighbors’ are powering the AI boom for low wages and no safety net By Irina Raicu September 2, 2026 at 4:09 p.m. 'Your kids, students and neighbors are being worn down for little pay and no security...
Opinion: California’s top earners are thriving. Prop. 3 asks them to keep paying their share. By Chris Hoene August 28, 2026 at 3:57 p.m. Should California keep the current rates that have funded its schools, health care and safety...
Oda: Birthright citizenship is not a wartime exception By Larry Oda August 28, 2026 at 1:18 p.m. 'I was born behind barbed wire to parents the U.S. classified as “enemy aliens.” ......
Opinion: Life was normal. And then it wasn’t. By David Pollak August 25, 2026 at 11:07 a.m. Decades after the Holocaust, a survivor’s family honors the tragic fate of a grandmother left...
Why California’s next El Niño won’t end the state’s water challenges By Valerie Pryor August 19, 2026 at 5:22 a.m. 'The real question isn't how much water weather systems like El Niño will bring to...
Opinion: State Legislature must close loopholes to protect Bay Area’s air and water By Shannon Olivieri Hovis August 19, 2026 at 9:37 a.m. A pending bill, SB 954, would restore environmental review standards and protect local communities from...
Opinion: California must protect West Oakland from Trump’s toxic coal terminal By Veronica Eady August 17, 2026 at 10:17 a.m. Assembly Bill 40 will mandate a robust environmental review to halt unchecked pollution before construction...
Taves: Trump finds a new excuse to play games with California’s cash By Max Taves August 15, 2026 at 9:34 a.m. The president, who has pardoned executives convicted of health care fraud, recently withheld $870 million...
Opinion: San Jose residents deserve a voice in historic land-use decision next week By Pierluigi Oliverio August 14, 2026 at 10:54 a.m. 'The debate is not about housing versus neighborhoods. It is about how growth should occur...
What I learned from interviewing 49 candidates on Bay Area ballots By Max Taves August 13, 2026 at 4:41 p.m. Suspicious, wired and overconfident — in themselves, audits and, of course, AI. Meet your representatives.
Opinion: California studied employee ownership. SB 1174 would put the evidence to work. By David I. Levine August 12, 2026 at 10:54 a.m. 'California has credible evidence that broad-based employee ownership can improve job stability and worker wealth,...
Opinion: Establishment partisans keep smearing ranked choice voting because they fear the majority By Paul Haughey August 7, 2026 at 3:45 a.m. 'RCV is being resisted desperately by organizations and individuals who feel they have their fingers...
Opinion: Democrats, watch your language. Please! By Richard Yanowitch July 29, 2026 at 4:10 a.m. In the same way Greeks mastered rhetoric, so too must Democrats. Affordability is a winning...
Bhasin: Gulag in Gilroy: Finally, some NIMBYism I can get behind By Nick Bhasin July 28, 2026 at 4:14 a.m. The recent pause in ICE facility construction proves the best way to resist Trump’s purge...
Opinion: Big-money Bay Area interests try to shift tax burden onto the poor By Marc Joffe July 22, 2026 at 4:51 p.m. The Bay Area Council, crypto-king Chris Larsen and others opposing Billionaire Tax while promoting regressive...
Opinion: California charts its own path to solve problems D.C. won’t By John Eger July 17, 2026 at 10:10 a.m. 'The federal government remains powerful in theory but is losing much of its capacity to...
Stone: San Jose’s downtown economy requires full-time workers far more than visiting soccer fans By Larry Stone July 16, 2026 at 4:39 p.m. When the World Cup ends, city leaders will face a sobering reality: daytime pedestrian traffic...
Opinion: America is always a work in progress By Mark Brilliant July 9, 2026 at 4:44 a.m. The case for making America greater with a new patriotism.
Cortese: Why are California taxpayers paying the health care bills of trillion-dollar corporations? By Dave Cortese July 8, 2026 at 9:49 a.m. The goal here is simple: This state's biggest companies should contribute toward the public health...
Taves: July 4 isn’t our only birthday. Surviving another 250 years requires we celebrate the other, too. By Max Taves July 6, 2026 at 11:06 a.m. If the U.S. wants to live to see its 500th anniversary, it needs to understand...
Big Oil needs Californians to fall for its slick marketing campaign. Don’t be fooled. By Jerry McNerney July 2, 2026 at 4:19 a.m. Gas stations sell so-called “Top Tier Gas" for a major premium. But in California, there...
Ordeal to fill Swalwell’s seat exposes a broken system — and a better alternative By Paul Haughey June 27, 2026 at 4:30 a.m. Ranked-choice voting for special elections would save counties millions, fill vacant seats sooner and produce...
Opinion: California must keep landlords from price-fixing and expedite permitting By Patrick Range McDonald June 26, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. To help renters, state leaders should pass pending bills that would prevent landlord collusion and...
Tordillos: Downtown San Jose has everything except neighbors By Anthony Tordillos June 24, 2026 at 3:30 a.m. A California law, AB 2074, would streamline the approval process for downtown housing projects, making...
Opinion: California is about to get a windfall. Let’s not blow it. By Mike Gatto June 24, 2026 at 4:33 a.m. 'The coming IPO windfall is a rare second chance. But we'll only benefit from it...
Opinion: Gov. Newsom, keep funding intact for foster children’s greatest allies By Kate Durham June 24, 2026 at 4:34 a.m. California's small investment in court appointed special advocates, or CASAs, not only helps vulnerable children...
Lee: I represent Silicon Valley. Here’s why I support taxing its billionaires. By Alex Lee June 19, 2026 at 1:16 p.m. 'What we’re witnessing — in real time — is a small class of billionaires extracting...
Debley: Can we put human dignity ahead of the raw pursuit of profit? By Tom Debley June 17, 2026 at 10:56 a.m. As AI wealth concentrates in Silicon Valley, California faces a vital choice between greed and...
Liccardo: Why China is winning the war America started in Iran By Sam Liccardo June 13, 2026 at 1:11 p.m. Xi Jinping is leveraging Donald Trump's quagmire to secure global energy and economic dominance, argues...
California legislators, ditch diesel school buses. Invest in electric now. By Matthew Belasco June 11, 2026 at 11:20 a.m. Skyrocketing diesel prices strain district budgets. State funding must prioritize zero-emission student transportation, argues a...
Opinion: In politics after Trump, nothing is disqualifying By Matt K. Lewis June 5, 2026 at 4:10 a.m. As controversial candidates surge in Texas and Maine, traditional ideas about character are no longer...
Ranked choice voting can save San Jose taxpayers millions By Jay Shuler May 28, 2026 at 12:41 p.m. With this reform, city could deliver more representative results and save millions without cutting a...
California voters want results, not resistance theater By Tracy Hernandez May 27, 2026 at 10:24 a.m. Survey shows majority prefers candidates who will address real problems, not just 'fight back against...
In their words: Kounalakis, Caballero and Vazquez tell us why they can manage California’s $162 billion By The Mercury News/East Bay Times Editorial Boards May 27, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. The top three candidates to succeed termed-out Treasurer Fiona Ma make their cases to Bay...
Borenstein: Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s audacious power grab has Trumpian tone By Daniel Borenstein October 19, 2026 at 1:40 p.m. Sheng Thao debacle and current presidency teach us that we should treasure checks on executive...
Opinion: Ungovernable billionaires may be our biggest global threat By Elizabeth Shackelford May 6, 2026 at 4:21 a.m. Administration seems ‘poised to not regulate this technology … since the ultrawealthy men who control...
Legislature’s adviser tries budget tough love to get California’s pols to close huge deficits By Dan Walters May 6, 2026 at 4:22 a.m. Legislative Analyst Gabe Petek warns Newsom and legislators to close their chronic, multibillion-dollar gap.
Opinion: Politics has come to work, once an apolitical space By Jerel Ezell May 6, 2026 at 4:22 a.m. Divisive issues on display in church, school and movies. It was just a matter of...
Drucker: Money can’t buy you voters’ love By David M. Drucker May 5, 2026 at 4:31 a.m. Massive war chests cannot save 2026 candidates if the political atmosphere and product fail to...
How the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling could affect California’s gerrymandered districts By Dan Walters May 4, 2026 at 11:24 a.m. ‘Republicans could contend via lawsuit that (current) maps are unconstitutional under the court’s new standard.’
Another debate, another missed chance to clear up California’s unsettled governor’s race By Dan Walters May 2, 2026 at 3:00 a.m. 'If voters tuned in to learn something about how the would-be governors would actually govern,...
Opinion: The Supreme Court just neutered the Voting Rights Act By Noah Feldman May 2, 2026 at 2:45 a.m. States can redraw congressional districts 'so as to eliminate many Black Democratic members of Congress.’
Opinion: Hungary’s shift unlocks new opportunities for NATO and Ukraine By James Stavridis May 2, 2026 at 2:15 a.m. With defeat of Orban, new geopolitical prospects begin to open up for the West.
Barabak: The congressional landmine stirring fears about the midterm election — and a Trump power grab By Mark Barabak May 1, 2026 at 4:15 a.m. It's up to lawmakers to abide by the will of voters as expressed in the...
Opinion: Investing in child care unlocks California’s potential By Pamela Campos April 30, 2026 at 4:16 a.m. Child care is infrastructure, like roads and bridges. It enables businesses to open and allows...
AI is coming for our aging parents, ready or not By Catherine Thorbecke April 30, 2026 at 4:17 a.m. Robotic companions are coming into our parents' and grandparents' lives as they grow older. But...
Opinion: We need to stop confusing diplomacy with making ‘deals’ By Atom Ariola April 30, 2026 at 2:45 a.m. There’s a shift in how we see pivotal world events: ‘as transactions to be struck,...
California’s candidates for governor must prioritize schools’ education deficits By Dan Walters April 28, 2026 at 4:31 a.m. With 89% of voters demanding reform, next leader must tackle the academic crisis that has...
Opinion: America is already diminished by this war By Jon Duffy April 28, 2026 at 4:31 a.m. In addition to economic and military losses is 'the erosion of America’s claim to be...
Opinion: There’s a good chance you’ve never actually seen a film from a woman’s point of view By Nicole Ackermann April 28, 2026 at 4:32 a.m. Women actually experience the world in a different way than men do, but not everyone...