Where's the money?
Where’s The Money?
By Calvin Welch
Have you noticed a new trend among local and elected officials of talking about very appealing initiatives aimed at addressing serious (and generally expensive) social problems but somehow forgetting to tell us where the money is going to come from to implement them?
A Few Examples
State Senator Scott Wiener proposes a massive density increase of major California cities (but upon close reading of his proposal, so far no such massive increase in the suburbs) along transit lines with no mention of funding the increase in transit capacity needed to ensure even existing levels of transit service.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin commits himself to building a transit tunnel between the existing CalTrain station and the now closed Transbay station while at least acknowledging that he has no idea where the money to pay for it is coming from.
Gavin Newsom reverses himself and says that he now is committed to a fully built-out bullet train linking Sacramento to LA and again has no plan to pay for it.
And then there is our President who has thrown a hissy fit about Congress not funding his “big, beautiful wall,” the one he promised would be paid for by “the Mexican government.”
Join HANC in April when we take a look at this new style of politics and what we might do to answer the question: “Where is the money?”
See also Another power grab by Scott Wiener and developers, Scott Wiener: Subways and "pixie dust," and Scott Wiener: Public menace.
See also Another power grab by Scott Wiener and developers, Scott Wiener: Subways and "pixie dust," and Scott Wiener: Public menace.
Labels: Aaron Peskin, California, Calvin Welch, Gavin Newsom, High-Speed Rail, Highrise Development, Neighborhoods, Scott Wiener
posted by Rob Anderson @ 5:32 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Wonder why Calvin never ran for office...i am sure he would have solved these important problems and come up with funding. ;-)
You mean you have to run for office to question elected officials? The examples he lists are about dumb/dishonest answers about housing and transportation, though Peskin at least admits he doesn't know where the money will come from. Wiener is simple-minded: Need more housing? Let's just build residential highrise housing wherever there's a bus or train line! Newsom is a flip-flopper and a flab-gabber who should have just canceled the poorly-conceived, under-funded high-speed rail project.
Actually, I was being real in my question. Why do you think Calvin never ran for office? Just curious what you might think. The easy answer is, he didn't /doesn't want to.
Running for office is a huge time and energy sink. I know because I've done it several times, beginning in 2000.
Welch probably figures he has better things to do with his life. Besides, he's probably more effective leading HANC and writing about housing in San Francisco.
Post a Comment
<< Home