Free Cities

At-Large Elections: Advantages and Disadvantages In at-large elections, all elected representatives represent the entire polity, be it a city or county. Proponents argue that this method promotes a unified vision among members since they all serve the same district. Additionally, at-large elections eliminate the issue of gerrymandering within the city, ...

There are rumors that the fires were deliberately started so planners could rebuild under the SmartLA 2028 strategy. Let’s dismiss this conspiracy theory right now. No serious person believes it. But that’s not to say that officials won’t demand that the renewal of the burned-out sections fit their definition of a “smart ...

Congestion pricing: Bold experiment or a money grab? By Sal Rodriguez | February 6, 2025 Is New York City’s congestion pricing plan a bold experiment or just a money grab? After many years of debate, many thousands of pages of reports and no shortage of lawsuits, New York City on ...

Consumer-protection edicts will only slow LA recovery by Steven Greenhut  |  January 31, 2025 A week doesn’t go by that I don’t get at least one unsolicited offer for my property, typically from investors who don’t use a company name or last name. They often claim to have driven by the house ...

This week, as PRI releases its new documentary “Colorado Springs: Letting Freedom Lead the Way,” we present an extended cut of our interview with Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Councilman Brian Risley. They discuss how Colorado Springs has been so successful in lowering the cost of living and improving the quality ...

The following policy possibilities have been derived largely from Trump’s statements. Housing. “We’re going to open up tracks of federal land for housing construction,” the real estate magnate announced on Aug. 15 at a news conference. “We desperately need housing for people who can’t afford what’s going on now.” He ...

LA needs fewer government rules, not a Marshall Plan By Sal Rodriguez  |  January 24, 2025 California Gov. Gavin Newsom has a knack for putting forth “big hairy, audacious goals.” From his vow to end homelessness in San Francisco in 10 years, to deliver single-payer health care in California or ...

 Colorado Springs ranked #3 nationwide and #1 in the west in PRI’s “Free Cities Index,” a ranking of America’s 50 largest cities for their pro-growth policies. “Talking to business owners, civic leaders, community activists and journalists, we found Colorado Springs to be a booming, thriving city thanks to a ...

Here’s a scenario, for example, that Californians might wish to avoid: The city of Altadena, previously a relatively low-density suburb with detached single family homes, is rebuilt with two-story townhomes along the narrow neighborhood streets, and three-story “luxury apartments” along the four-lane boulevards. There is inadequate street parking at this ...

Time to pursue emergency reforms to battle wildfires by Daniel M. Kolkey  |  January 15, 2025 Editor’s note: This article is adapted from the Pacific Research Institute’s 2021 book, “Saving California.” We’re reprinting this in the wake of the devastating Southern California wildfires, as its policy prescriptions provide a blueprint ...