California, New York, and 15 other progressive states asked auto makers to help fight rapidly worsening climate change by meeting cleaner Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. Last year the federal government inexplicably cut that requirement. Four auto makers agreed with those 17 states to voluntarily continue to meet the more healthy CAFE standards. To...
Bramson: When a virus needs a home
What would it be like if we responded to homelessness like a disaster? I’ve heard this question many times over the years. The implication being that while the word “crisis” is thrown around pretty liberally these days when we talk about the conditions for people on our streets, we rarely act with the same mobilized...
Vargas: We are still not prepared for the economic fallout
The COVID-19 crisis is really two interconnected crises: the public health crisis created by the pandemic and the economic crisis sure to follow. During the public health crisis created by COVID-19, our elected leaders are understandably focused on “flattening the curve” to prevent devastating strain on our already over-taxed health care system. Their response has...
Staedler: Reflection, recalibration and housing for the missing middle
As we rise to the moment and shelter in place, it is a time for reflection and recalibration of what is truly important moving forward. We should take inventory of what we are thankful for and consider why NIMBY thinking has permeated throughout the Bay Area. I’m frustrated by how little attention the Bay Area...
Lopez: How we can help Silicon Valley’s small businesses survive the pandemic
In 2007, my family owned our own business, a local restaurant. It was supposed to provide the funds to fulfill my family’s dream of allowing me to be the first to graduate college. Instead, in the wake of the ensuing recession and financial crisis, it became our ruin. As business dried up, we struggled to...
Funk: Distance learning amid COVID-19 crisis explained
As we all adjust to the new normal, while fighting the spread of COVID-19, the impacts on educators, students and families has increased the fear and anxiety among all of us. Although schools across the Bay Area have been closed, we are thankful for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-26-20 to continue funding schools at...
Kalra: Farmworkers deserve workplace protections too
Today we celebrate the birthday of the visionary labor leader and community activist, Cesar Chavez. His contribution to the fight for economic and social justice for California’s farmworkers underscores the fact that we still have much to accomplish to ensure fair and safe working conditions for these workers. As our state addresses the overwhelming task...
Witkowski: Aggressive telecommunications deregulation key to crisis response
In times of great crisis, it becomes necessary to set aside bureaucratic burdens and do what is necessary to solve problems. America, and indeed the world, has set aside their differences and declared war on SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus). As the world works to limit the spread of the pandemic and flatten the future curve of potential...
Urton: If ever there was a time to think globally and act locally, it is now
This week Apple announced it is donating 9 million protective masks to the US COVID-19 relief efforts. Facebook offered 720,000 masks and Tesla another 250,000. A March 25 headline read, “This weekend saw a flurry in Silicon Valley CEOs promising heir companies would donate masks to health care workers.” This is wonderful news; we applaud...
Roberts: When shelter in place is literally a shelter — or worse
The streets are eerily empty today when I look outside the window, except for a scattering of rain-soaked tents where people without homes live. This is Day One of America’s shelter-in-place — or you can call it self-quarantine— as we all hunker down in fear of being exposed to or infected with COVID-19. We never...