Good Government
Our goal: Support a high-functioning public sector that serves the collective good.
SPUR’s Five-Year Priorities:
• Provide voters in San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland with in-depth analysis and recommendations for all ballot measures at the state, regional and city level.
• In each of our policy areas and cities, develop the government capacity necessary to address the region’s most pressing challenges.
SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide
The SPUR Voter Guide helps voters understand the issues they will face in the voting booth. We focus on outcomes, not ideology, providing objective analysis on which measures will deliver real solutions.
SPUR Event
Good Government Awards
The Good Government Awards honor outstanding managers working for the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing them for their leadership, vision and ability to make a difference in city government and in the community.
SPUR Report
Back in the Black
San José has the highest median household income of any major city in the country, but years of budget cuts and staffing reductions have left the city in a precarious position. SPUR and Working Partnerships USA explore how San Jose can bolster its resources and deliver high-quality public services.
SPUR Event
SPUR Impact Awards
The Impact Awards Luncheon, honors the outstanding contributions by employees of city and county governments, public agencies and nonprofit organizations in Santa Clara County. The awards celebrate significant accomplishments in the areas of housing, transportation, placemaking and urban design, community advocacy, and sustainability and resilience.
Updates and Events
Oakland’s Measure X Puts Forth SPUR Ideas for Government Reform
News /On November 8, Oakland residents will vote on a proposal for city government charter reforms. Measure X will create term limits for City Council members, clarify campaigning protocols for current elected officials and strengthen the role of the city auditor to increase accountability across the city. The measure was authored by Councilmember Dan Kalb, who has said that Measure X is a direct outcome of SPUR’s report Making Government Work, which proposed 10 ways to improve Oakland city governance. While Measure X does not include all of SPUR’s recommendations, it moves the needle on improving governance in the City of Oakland.
SPUR urges Governor to sign bill to make parking cash-out work
Advocacy LetterSPUR-sponsored AB2206 clarifies how to determine the amount of cash to which an employee is entitled, making it easier for employees to follow the law and easier for jurisdictions to enforce it. The bill was approved by the legislature and awaits Governor Newsom's signature.
Finding a Way to Build: Can the Bay Area Learn from Copenhagen’s 1990s Reinvention?
News /Comparing 2022 Copenhagen to the Bay Area of 2022 is like comparing apples to oranges. Aside from a few one-offs, most projects in Copenhagen would not be easily transferable to the Bay Area at scale due to foundational differences in the way our governments operate, from the national level on down. What would be more transferable would be to apply the lessons learned in the 1990s-era Copenhagen to the Bay Area in 2022.
SPUR Submits Comments to Oakland City Council on Proposed Good Government Charter Amendment Ballot Measure
Advocacy LetterSPUR and a coalition of organizations recommends adopting the Sugary Drink Tax Advisory Committee (SDDTAC) Budget recommendations in a letter to the Board of Supervisors.
Candidates Share Their Views at SPUR’s San José Mayoral Forum
News /The next mayor of San José will take the lead in guiding policy decisions that will shape the region for decades to come. SPUR and six partner organizations held a forum on April 28 to help voters get to know the frontrunner candidates and their positions on some of the city’s most pressing issues. We’ve compiled the candidate’s answers to questions spanning equitable planning, regional transit, parks and open space funding, affordable housing and senior housing.
SPUR Advocates for Peer Review and Design changes for BART Phase II
Advocacy LetterSPUR believes BART to Silicon Valley Phase II is a critical project to the region and SPUR is invested in its success. At the same time, we are concerned about VTA's current project design, particularly for the downtown San Jose station and Diridon station. SPUR lays out design changes that could make for a better project and recommends an independent peer review of design alternatives, assumptions, and organizational capacity.