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Livable California
A Culture of Bullying, Secrecy and Disdain for Representative Democracy
You might think I'm writing about national politics, but I'm not.
I'm writing about the cultural setting within which the ABAG Executive Board votes on CASA at the Jan17 meeting.
Over the past few years, the ABAG Board has been bullied into submission to MTC, enduring what the corporate world would call a hostile take-over.
Now, we learn about the secrecy from the Rohnert Park City Council meeting. They were never invited to have a seat at the CASA table. Those seats were reserved for the big cities, big corporations, and a smattering of public agencies working in the trenches.
Rohnert Park's own Council rep to ABAG, Jake Mackenzie, has kept them in the dark about CASA. Not only is Mackenzie on the ABAG Board, he's chair of MTC and sat on the CASA Committee.
MacKenzie has modeled secrecy. And his behavior seems typical of what has happened in other communities throughout the Bay Area.
Rohnert Park Vice Mayor Joseph Callinan explodes.
"You never once brought us word of CASA. Never once! And now we learn it's already been approved by two different bodies, but you've never told us a thing! I think somebody's lost their way. Maybe you've been on these committees too long and it's time for a change. This is like a dictatorship."
A vote to endorse the CASA Compact gives signs of what's to come if MTC gets its way to establish a Regional Housing Agency: bullying, secrecy, and decisions behind closed doors. But perhaps the most galling is the disdain for democracy and lack of respect for the public.
What do you think are the chances of getting fair, equitable housing policy within this culture?
I'm not a fortune teller, but when I connect the dots, I see trouble. A rogue agency is laying groundwork to have access to our tax dollars without accountability. Sound familiar: Taxation without representation?
The ABAG ExBoard has a chance to make history by standing up for themselves, the values of public service that prompted them to run for office, and the people they represent.
What can you do?
1) Call Marin ABAG rep Dennis Rodoni (415-473-7331) and urge he vote to OPPOSE.
2) Send Pat Eklund a Thank You note for all the times she's stood up for you (peklund@novato.org)
3) Send an email to the ABAG Executive Board (list attached) and urge them to reject the Staff recommendation to endorse the CASA Compact. Include a cc to Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblyman Marc Levine.
4) Call your favorite media source and urge them to cover the ABAG meeting. 5) Attend the pre-event rally, press conference, and meeting.
When: Thursday, January 17
Where: Metro Center, 375 Beale Street, San Francisco
6:00p - Rally
6:30 - Press Conference
7:00 - ABAG Meeting
Can't do any of these things? Send your financial contribution to The Marin Post or Livable California to support the work of others.