Bob Sivestri is an evangelical apostle of free market capitalism

I first wrote this in June of 2012 to a priate audience. Bob Sivestri is an evangelical apostle of free market capitalism that has driven us to the brink of climate crisis. His arguments that government is the problem and private capital is the solution flies in the face of recent history and is counter to the principles of the social justice. He argues for exception from rules for the privileged class who live in Marin. His long historical rant leaves out any analysis of private capital in the hands of the auto and oil industry that destroyed public transportation though out this country after the second world war and the consequential changes in urban planning that drove suburban sprawl. His tasteless pap does not address the 60,000 people who commute to Marin everyday for work. It is only enticing to those who deny that building is diverted to other counties or for those who view of people of lower economic or diverse ethnicity with fear and loathing. The Best of Bob Silvestri Mr. Silvestri treats the readers of his anti-ABAG trilogy to a variety of false assertions and non-sequiturs that lead to faulty conclusions. He counter posses his meritorious personal efforts to reduce his own greenhouse gas footprint with the need to address the GHG footprint of all Californians and specifically those of us who are fortunate enough to live in Marin. That is the heart of my objections to his illogic. His premise is that urban planners ought to be replicating the privileged conditions of those who live in Marin to solve climate change. He simply does not address the Housing and Urban Development report that faults Marin for having regulatory barriers preventing people of diverse ethnicity and economic means from living in Marin. Marin on a per capita basis is one of the wealthiest counties in the country and that has relevance to the argument for affordable housing. “The New Urbanism planners of the world should be coming to Marin to learn not to preach.” Mill Valley, CA Patch, The Best Laid Plans - Part I: A Brief History of Planning, Bob Silvestri, June 7, 2012 Mr. Silvestri’s articles are rife with assertions that are simply untrue. In part 2 of this series he asserts without substantiation that building for more density creates greater GHG emissions, “New Yorkers [are] the most egregious polluters on the planet on a per capita basis.” In fact that is not true. Time Science reported that Manhattan has a greenhouse gas footprint less than 30% that of the national average. “America's Environmental Garden Spot: Would You Believe Manhattan?” By BRYAN WALSH Tuesday, May 03, 2011. Additionally again without substantiation he asserts that the GHG footprint attributed to light trucks (includes SUV’s) and autos of California is well below the recognised level of 40% and is closer to 25%. The facts are, “According to the Marin Countywide Plan Update, 62% of greenhouse gas emissions in Marin (GHG) come from the transportation sector. In some local jurisdictions such as Mill Valley the estimates are as high as 65% from transportation. Transportation is the “low hanging fruit” of GHG reduction. The greatest local opportunities for GHG reductions will come from getting Marinites out of their cars and onto their feet, bikes and public transit.” Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Bicycling and Walking – August 2008 The final point I will make about Mr. Silvestri’s articles is his mischaracterization of ABAG. He premises that if we develop according to the guidelines of ABAG we will somehow be prevented from addressing GHG emissions and the consequential climatic changes by other technological means. Nothing in ABAG’s One Bay Area Plan stops Marinites from adding solar panels to their homes or buying all electric vehicles. He asserts that ABAG is the state’s big government imposing its will one size fits all on cities and counties. California passed AB32 and SB375 laws to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It has left the implementation of these guidelines to multiple regional planning bodies throughout the state that are closer to their impacts. By any measure of democracy Marin is over represented on this body. All 9 Bay Area counties and their 92 cities are represented. Marin has 12 members of the 102 or 12%. Additionally the Joint Policy Committee directed to implement SB375 has 20 members, two from Marin or 10%. Marin has a mere 3% of the population of the Bay Area. ABAG, the Association of Bay Area Governments, does not direct cities or counties to build. Its membership is voluntary. It does require that local governments decide for themselves through their planning process where to build to meet state guidelines. ABAG recently suggested that Marin plan for 2,000 new residential units over the next 30 years.