In Praise of the Windowless Box: How California’s first data-center ban reveals what cities have forgotten
In Praise of the Windowless Box: How California’s first data-center ban reveals what cities have forgotten
In June 2026, Monterey Park became the first city in America to permanently ban new data centers. Residents didn’t just pack city council meetings for months—86 percent voted to forbid a building that would never enroll children in local schools, clog rush-hour traffic, or ask the city to build another park, library, or recreation program....
By Mark Moses
Participatory budgeting won’t save California cities
Participatory budgeting won’t save California cities
This spring, Marin County launched a second round of participatory budgeting, inviting residents to help decide how another $2.5 million in public funds should be spent. The program reflects California’s growing embrace of participatory budgeting as an innovative reform. The idea clearly resonates with many people. More participation should produce better government. It won’t. A...
By Mark Moses
Cities Cannot Budget Their Way Out of Mission Problems
Cities Cannot Budget Their Way Out of Mission Problems
California cities continue to struggle with recurring fiscal stress. Los Angeles recently closed a budget gap approaching $1 billion. San Jose addressed a shortfall of roughly $50 million while acknowledging that structural challenges remain. Oakland reopened its two-year budget to address a gap of roughly $265 million while continuing to wrestle with insolvency concerns. Across...
By Mark Moses
When City Councils Play Secretary of State
When City Councils Play Secretary of State
In the years since the National Civic League published “Is It None of Our Business?,” the trend of city halls tackling national issues has shifted from a novelty to a standard operating model. The League’s 2023 analysis argued that local agencies should embrace a broader national agenda—a shift they championed as a positive phenomenon. However, from...
By Mark Moses