Opinion | Fanlund, Soglin’s views on housing betray liberal values – The Capital Times

In reading Paul Fanlunds latest diatribe on rezoning and transportation issues, my emotions varied from disbelief to anger to a general feeling of tiredness with this whole rigmarole.

Fanlund (and his co-writer, former Mayor Paul Soglin) have reduced what should be an important and nuanced policy debate on accommodating our surging population to a matter of personal grudges, pettiness and accusations that the other side is playing the race card. Its disheartening to see this discourse devolve into the same name-calling and insubstantial posturing that so often poisons our state and national politics.

I am tired of the ceaseless attacks on our mayor, alders, city staff and activists for taking the necessary action to ensure Madison has the housing, infrastructure and services to support our future populace. But I am also infuriated that Fanlund and Soglin have wrapped their opposition to progress into the progressive legacy of our city. Not only does their patronizing tone belittle the valid points of pro-housing advocates, it betrays the liberal ideas that make Madison so special.

Since Fanlund and Soglin are so concerned with the idea that they are being personally attacked, vilified and god forbid called racist for their inequitable positions, I want to be very clear. I dont think their opposition to more housing and transit in our city is secretly driven by racism or an aversion to diversity. But they insist that the citys primary duty is to uphold the wishes of longtime homeowners at the expense of the well-being of renters and future residents. That belies an apathy to the larger moral and political issues at the heart of this fight.

Nowhere is this more clear than in the discussion of rights. As Fanlund wrote, he believes pro-housing policies are designed to take rights from residents, mostly longtime homeowners. I will set aside the question of what rights are under attack (A view of the capitol? Four lanes of traffic?) and instead ask this: What about the rights of everyone else?

As a Democrat, I believe everyone is entitled to a basic standard of living, which includes a right to quality, affordable housing. Even if we believe Fanlund and Soglins claim that some unspecified rights are under attack here, we should consider whose rights the city should prioritize.

We can find that answer in philosopher John Rawls books A Theory of Justice and Justice as Fairness, which provide the backbone of much modern liberal thought, as well as my own political philosophy. He argues that in cases like these our aim should be to do the greatest benefit for the least advantaged members of society. I would hope that in a city as enlightened as ours we could all stand behind that principle.

So let me ask, who is more historically disadvantaged in this debate? The retirees and longtime homeowners who have paid off million-dollar houses? Or the tens of thousands struggling to keep up with out-of-control rent increases driven by our citys shockingly low vacancy rates?

Soglin gripes about those charging injustice and racism, but are we not charged as a liberal society to view issues through a lens of racial equity? Do these critics of housing policies dispute that the burden of high housing costs are unduly borne by our communities of color? Or do they simply not care, since these are not the neighbors thanking Fanlund for his brave defense of the status quo, nor the ones who have lived in Madison since Soglin first ran for office over half a century ago?

Our duty as Democrats, as compassionate, liberal, caring people, does not start and end on Nov. 5. It must be embodied in the actions of our day-to-day lives and the policies that govern our own communities.

I admire the work of Soglin and other leaders of the past who helped create the progressive haven I lovingly call home. But to use their legacy to dismiss the challenges we currently face or shirk our responsibility to uphold those ideals for future generations is a betrayal of that same work.

Noah Lieberman was a City Council candidate in 2023. He is also on the executive board of the Dane County Democratic Party and chairs Madisons Landlord Tenant Issues Committee.

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Opinion | Fanlund, Soglin's views on housing betray liberal values - The Capital Times