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> nobody is pushing legislation that would gradually coerce more people into the rural life. Not true of the sardine life. Maybe somewhere in the US, but in no
by phil21 5y ago
> nobody is pushing legislation that would gradually coerce more people into the rural life. Not true of the sardine life.
Maybe somewhere in the US, but in no areas I spent considerable time enough to be tuned into local politics and policies was this remotely the case.
Since I've been alive the political power has decidedly and unashamedly been fully in the "suburban living" policy group. Every meaningful infrastructure spending, expansion, zoning policy, etc. served to further those interests either directly or indirectly. The "urban policy" group wins were generally not material and mostly window dressing stuff like BRT routes and a few more miles of unconnected bike lanes.
If there was actual choice between "good urban living" and "good rural living" I'd totally agree. The issue is we've spent 100 years building suburbia at the expense of everything else, both as a political and financial investment.
I'm not sure how we can hope to stop that inertia short of being limited by cheap energy or running out of actual land.
- karmelapple 5y ago> I'm not sure how we can hope to stop that inertia short of being limited by cheap energy or running out of actual land. Having the residents of the suburbs paying for their true cost seems like a great way to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nw6qyyrTeI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nw6qyyrTeI As the video points out, would people be willing to start paying $9000 in property taxes instead of $1800 to stop operating the city at a loss every year?
- phil21 5y ago> Having the residents of the suburbs paying for their true cost seems like a great way to start I completely agree. I think the point I was trying to convey is that it's not just financial inertia going on here - it's probably the single most cohesive and politically active power bloc there is in the country.
- ineedasername 5y agoI live in a small ~100k city that is a mix of commercial, light industry, and residential. (both apartments and typical suburban-style). We don't operate at a loss, but I do pay > $10k in property taxes. So, people are willing to pay these prices, the model is not unsustainable.