Free Cities
Blog
Privatized cities are experiments in freedom, not feudalism
Privatized cities are experiments in freedom, not feudalism by Sal Rodriguez | January 16, 2026 As long as there have been people and organized societies, there have been people who want to break out of existing jurisdictions to form new ones governed by different ideas and different rules. A recent ...
Blog
How are California cities prepping for the World Cup and Olympics?
Things are quite a bit different in California from 1984, when Los Angeles last hosted the Olympics. I was a journalist in Washington, D.C., and enjoyed watching the games on a 19-inch black-and-white TV. Californian Ronald Reagan was president, fellow Republican George Deukmejian was governor, Steve Jobs and Apple had ...
Agriculture
Ag-to-Urban law creates a farmer’s market for Arizona housing
Ag-to-Urban law creates a farmer’s market for Arizona housing By D. Dowd Muska | January 9, 2026 If it unites farmers, developers and environmentalists, it’s probably a sound policy reform. Some observers consider Senate Bill 1611, approved last summer by a GOP-majority Legislature and a Democratic governor, “one of the ...
Blog
Climate warriors should offer more incentives, fewer lectures
The “Week Without Driving” campaign took place nationwide in October to reduce pollution, lower carbon emissions and break Americans’ dependence on automobiles. Cities including Santa Cruz and Alameda, Calif., encouraged residents to give the car-free lifestyle a try and opt for public transportation or bicycles instead. That’s fine enough, but ...
California
Watch PRI’s interview with Rick Caruso – one year after the wildfires
In this special Free Cities Center interview, Rick Caruso – founder and executive chairman of Caruso, longtime civic and philanthropic leader in Los Angeles and former mayor candidate – discusses LA’s rebuilding efforts one year after the wildfires. He shares his thoughts on policy and politician-created impediments to swift rebuilding, ...
Free Cities
Rick Caruso – One Year After the Wildfires, Are We Rebuilding a Stronger LA?
This week, we present a special Free Cities Center interview with Rick Caruso – founder and executive chairman of Caruso, longtime Los Angeles civic and philanthropic leader and former mayoral candidate. Mr. Caruso discusses LA’s rebuilding efforts one year after the wildfires. He also shares his thoughts on policy and ...
Blog
Can Seattle’s new democratic socialist mayor deliver?
Can Seattle’s new democratic socialist mayor deliver? By Sal Rodriguez | January 2, 2026 While the election of Zohran Mamdani to be the next mayor of New York City dominated national headlines, voters in Seattle also elected a self-described democratic socialist to be their next mayor. With 50.4% of the ...
Blog
Revisiting an age-old issue: How good is zoning?
Revisiting an age-old issue: How good is zoning? By R.C. Hoiles | December 26, 2025 As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Pacific Research Institute is spotlighting leading Western thinkers in the nation’s history. This column was written by The Orange County Register publisher and president of Freedom Communications ...
Blog
Private buses are back, but will government leave them alone?
Private buses are back, but will government leave them alone? Looking forward to attending FIFA World Cup 26? There’s “an easy and affordable way to move between host cities to see the matches.” FlixBus, the world’s largest motor coach service — it has a presence in more than 40 countries ...
Blog
One cat death is a tragedy. 43K human deaths is a statistic
For those who missed the internationally publicized brouhaha, a tabby named Kit Kat had lived in the city’s Mission, where he sauntered into bodegas and bars. Dubbed the Mayor of 16th Street, Kit Kat was by all accounts a charming character. Then on October 27, the unthinkable happened: a Waymo self-driving taxi ...
Privatized cities are experiments in freedom, not feudalism
Privatized cities are experiments in freedom, not feudalism by Sal Rodriguez | January 16, 2026 As long as there have been people and organized societies, there have been people who want to break out of existing jurisdictions to form new ones governed by different ideas and different rules. A recent ...
How are California cities prepping for the World Cup and Olympics?
Things are quite a bit different in California from 1984, when Los Angeles last hosted the Olympics. I was a journalist in Washington, D.C., and enjoyed watching the games on a 19-inch black-and-white TV. Californian Ronald Reagan was president, fellow Republican George Deukmejian was governor, Steve Jobs and Apple had ...
Ag-to-Urban law creates a farmer’s market for Arizona housing
Ag-to-Urban law creates a farmer’s market for Arizona housing By D. Dowd Muska | January 9, 2026 If it unites farmers, developers and environmentalists, it’s probably a sound policy reform. Some observers consider Senate Bill 1611, approved last summer by a GOP-majority Legislature and a Democratic governor, “one of the ...
Climate warriors should offer more incentives, fewer lectures
The “Week Without Driving” campaign took place nationwide in October to reduce pollution, lower carbon emissions and break Americans’ dependence on automobiles. Cities including Santa Cruz and Alameda, Calif., encouraged residents to give the car-free lifestyle a try and opt for public transportation or bicycles instead. That’s fine enough, but ...
Watch PRI’s interview with Rick Caruso – one year after the wildfires
In this special Free Cities Center interview, Rick Caruso – founder and executive chairman of Caruso, longtime civic and philanthropic leader in Los Angeles and former mayor candidate – discusses LA’s rebuilding efforts one year after the wildfires. He shares his thoughts on policy and politician-created impediments to swift rebuilding, ...
Rick Caruso – One Year After the Wildfires, Are We Rebuilding a Stronger LA?
This week, we present a special Free Cities Center interview with Rick Caruso – founder and executive chairman of Caruso, longtime Los Angeles civic and philanthropic leader and former mayoral candidate. Mr. Caruso discusses LA’s rebuilding efforts one year after the wildfires. He also shares his thoughts on policy and ...
Can Seattle’s new democratic socialist mayor deliver?
Can Seattle’s new democratic socialist mayor deliver? By Sal Rodriguez | January 2, 2026 While the election of Zohran Mamdani to be the next mayor of New York City dominated national headlines, voters in Seattle also elected a self-described democratic socialist to be their next mayor. With 50.4% of the ...
Revisiting an age-old issue: How good is zoning?
Revisiting an age-old issue: How good is zoning? By R.C. Hoiles | December 26, 2025 As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Pacific Research Institute is spotlighting leading Western thinkers in the nation’s history. This column was written by The Orange County Register publisher and president of Freedom Communications ...
Private buses are back, but will government leave them alone?
Private buses are back, but will government leave them alone? Looking forward to attending FIFA World Cup 26? There’s “an easy and affordable way to move between host cities to see the matches.” FlixBus, the world’s largest motor coach service — it has a presence in more than 40 countries ...
One cat death is a tragedy. 43K human deaths is a statistic
For those who missed the internationally publicized brouhaha, a tabby named Kit Kat had lived in the city’s Mission, where he sauntered into bodegas and bars. Dubbed the Mayor of 16th Street, Kit Kat was by all accounts a charming character. Then on October 27, the unthinkable happened: a Waymo self-driving taxi ...
