Matthew Bernard wanted to build a home. He bought a small lot in Oakland, California, and began clearing several diseased and fallen trees that the local fire department had identified as hazards. The result was a $915,000 “mitigation fee” from the city of Oakland—nearly five times the value of the lot itself. Under Oakland’s tree ordinance,...
“You’ll own nothing, and you’ll be happy” is an increasingly fitting description of the American college graduate. While that World Economic Forum slogan is rightly mocked for its managerial creepiness, jokes aside, the average student nowadays is surely more nihilistic about the world than previous generations. The economic bargain of college, however, is looking increasingly...
Texas governments received $84.3 billion in federal funding in 2023, raising concerns over financial dependency and regulatory consequences. Creating an Office of State Sovereignty to monitor the application, receipt, and conditions of this aid could mitigate fiscal risk and improve transparency. Key points: Texas lacks a centralized system to oversee federal grants potentially flowing to...