CFR, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility

05/04/2026

Proud to stand with many other organizations rallying to stop the proposed natural gas ban in the Bay Area. Please tell your elected representatives that BAAD's idea is a bad idea.

"We are fighting a battle against an organization reaching into our homes and businesses to control our freedom to choose how, and potentially when, we heat or cool our buildings, create hot water and how we prepare our meals. It is another step in subjugating us to a government that believes it knows what is best for us."
-- Pat Waite, CFR President at the May 4th rally against
the natural gas ban.

10/23/2025

Santa Clara County claims they need more taxpayer dollars to avoid service cuts to their health care system, yet they have no problem sending multiple mass mailings for campaign purposes thinly disguised as "information updates?"

Vote NO on Measure A.

10/12/2025

Read our take on Measure A.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/10/10/opinion-measure-a-taxpayer-bail-out-fiscal-mismanagement-santa-clara-county/

04/11/2025

Results should matter. Read our rationale for recommending voting against San Jose Unified School District's Measure A special election.

The San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) is asking voters to approve an eight-year extension to the $72 parcel tax approved in 2016 via a mail in election ending on May 6. The district estimates this would provide $5...

02/10/2025

CFR endorses Irene Smith for the special election for San Jose City Council District 3. Read our rationale at

In the 2022 election for San Jose City Council District 3, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility endorsed Irene Smith, noting that she was “laser focused on addressing the homelessness issue that is especially prevalent in ...

07/23/2024

CFR has released our San Jose City Council endorsements for November's run-off. Find out who made the cut on our blog.

Once again, the upcoming election for the San Jose city council has significant ramifications for our city. Mayor Matt Mahan cruised to a primary victory over his sole competitor, meaning he does not appear on the Novemb...

05/29/2024

https://www.opportunitynowsv.org/blog/sj-homelessness-audit-discourse-reveals-need-for-targeted-relevant-metrics-says-local-fiscal-watchdogs

Pat Waite of Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility (CFR) responds to State and Doan/Batra homelessness audit proposals with a call for an independent, non partisan, metrics-based committee untethered from past mistakes. An Opp Now exclusive .

02/29/2024

One problem with our letter in today's The Mercury News. George Casey is our endorsed candidate for San Jose City Council District 10 not District 8...sorry, Evergreen, you can't have him. CFR made no endorsement for the District 8 race. Sorry for the fat fi*****ng...

Mercury News Letters to the Editor for Feb. 29, 2024

02/28/2024

Please read our endorsements for the upcoming election...

Prior to the 2022 San Jose mayoral runoff, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility opined that “Mahan …is a vocal advocate of measuring results and holding government accountable. He recognizes the failures of more than a decade of pouring money into affordable housing complexes, now costing up to $1...

07/17/2023

Are local unions saber-rattling over a potential strike, or is it just an oblique way to throw hair at a mayor who beat their chosen candidate last fall? Planning Commissioner and former CM Pierluigi Oliverio chats on the phone with Opp Now about the latest skirmish between City management and union