The real reason for massive increase
in public housing in Marin is the push for regional government. The
social theory is that by combining suburban and urban areas, that the whole
region improves. The problem with this theory is that it destroys our of
fundamental right to self governance and forces the redistribution of tax
dollars from suburban areas into urban centers. Regional government destroys the very concept of suburbs and
individual democratic freedom to govern ourselves locally. All must be sacraficed for the "greater good", determined by (you guessed it) a regional political elite. While this makes sense for transportation, it is positively in conflict for our local democratic heritage.
Our board of Supervisors are leaders in this movement.
Supervisor Steve Kinsey, is the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). Supervisor Susan
Adams was a vice president on the Board of Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).
Here is an agenda of an upcoming meeting with MTC-ABAG
working task force http://www.abag.ca.gov/taskforce/work.html.
Notice how they are looking for solutions for the entire regional governance of
the Bay Area. (“Novato, let me introduce
you to your new neighbor Union City. They will help determine your local
government policies on housing, transportation and welfare”).
The point is that our challenge is much greater than a few
ill conceived housing developments. Ultimately, it is a fight for our
rights to self govern ourselves, choose the density of our housing and open
space and the funding for our schools.
The goal of the regionalist government movement is to spread
urban pressures evenly around the metropolitan area to improve the whole region. No
reasonable person would ever assume that building government housing for 1600
people would be needed for a middle class suburb of 6000 in Marinwood/Lucas
Valley. To fill these units, we will most certainly need to import people
from other areas to fill them. Too bad for the taxpayers.
These new developments will not contribute to the tax base. Tax payers
will need to take up the slack.
For over fifty years Marin has been the leader for
conservation and wise land use. We are generous with our public services for
the needy. Now an unelected “regional government” ABAG threatens
to urbanize Marin with thousands of units of government housing and destroy our
right to self rule. Our quiet tree lined streets and open space may
become high density apartment blocks if they get their way. Greedy
developers can’t wait to build this “urban fantasy” with our tax subsidies.
We must stop it. We must protect our lands and our
legacy. We must protect our democratic rights for us and future
generations.
In case you doubt the scope of
the problem we face, check out this document published by ABAG:
