[Rescue Muni] Housing Systems and Transit Systems
Thomas Schlegel (thansen@well.com)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 10:05:20 -0800
I have been reading the housing discussion her with great interest. I
would like to make a meta-comment. There is an assumption in both the
housing and MUNI threads that somthing is out of wack and needs to be fixed,
perhaps by more agressive market forces, perhaps by different
administration. Whatever. I would make the counter argument that in both
the housing market and at MUNI things are working *just fine*. Yes, I know
that rents are high and MUNI runs late. We think that is a problem but the
dominant forces in the City and County of SF do not. The way things are
going suits those interests just fine. This is not an accident folks. And
it isn't the actions of "prior administrations" either. Systems are not
often broken. Rather they are serving interests. Perhaps not the best
interests for the society as a whole, but they are proably serving someones.
This philosopy which many will disagree with, but which I hold, is the
basis for my belief that the basic problem is political and that the only
solution is political. MUNI will be managed to maximize its effectiveness
as a transit system when, and only when, the political powers want it
managed that way. Similarly, housing policies CAN be implemented to
significantly change the current situation (note I don't suggest whether the
policies be libertarian or Stalinist or somewhere in between I'm just saying
they can change) but it will only happen when the political will is changed.