The American housing market is broken, and increasing the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 will only exacerbate the problem, while a new vision of housing that values stability over speculation, homes over assets, and access over appreciation is needed to fix affordability.
A national report from the Fines and Fees Justice Center has exposed a "shadow debt system" that destabilizes state and local budgets while punishing low-income individuals with court-imposed fines and fees, and recommends the elimination of justice system fees, discharging old uncollectable court debt, and improving transparency and data collection.
SB 79, a bill aimed at allowing multifamily housing near public transit stops, was passed by the Assembly Local Government Committee and now awaits consideration by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Ralph Menzies, who is scheduled to be executed by firing squad in September 2025, has submitted a clemency petition to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, citing his irreversible vascular dementia and a crumbling foundation of flawed trial proceedings, false testimony, prosecutorial misconduct, and ineffective legal representation.
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price discusses the politics of prosecution, public safety, and the double standards of the justice system with former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and discusses the implications of the Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. Casa.