Fachtna Fáthach
@fachtnafathach.bsky.social
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
As with underpriced fire insurance, the bill for Prop 13 is coming due. Cities were able to stave it off with Mello-Roos on new development at first, then with local sales and parcel taxes, but the bill is coming. The only things that could fix this are repealing Prop 13 or a lot of new development.
Someone requested this alternate graphic: total tax, by year built, for all residential structures in Berkeley. In terms of local property/parcel tax yield, the five years from 2020-2024 amount to more revenue than all the buildings built during the thirty years 1970-1999.
December 19, 2025 at 12:20 AM
As with underpriced fire insurance, the bill for Prop 13 is coming due. Cities were able to stave it off with Mello-Roos on new development at first, then with local sales and parcel taxes, but the bill is coming. The only things that could fix this are repealing Prop 13 or a lot of new development.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
This is Optimus. The robot Elon Musk claims will result in everyone having everything they want.
How does this teleoperated robot that can't even serve popcorn efficiently result in private jets for everyone?
How does this teleoperated robot that can't even serve popcorn efficiently result in private jets for everyone?
December 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
This is Optimus. The robot Elon Musk claims will result in everyone having everything they want.
How does this teleoperated robot that can't even serve popcorn efficiently result in private jets for everyone?
How does this teleoperated robot that can't even serve popcorn efficiently result in private jets for everyone?
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Though truthfully repeat DUI absolutely warrants jail time in exactly the same way, and for exactly the same reasons, firing a gun randomly down a street would
December 12, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Though truthfully repeat DUI absolutely warrants jail time in exactly the same way, and for exactly the same reasons, firing a gun randomly down a street would
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Take their licenses away. And if they keep driving without one, *that* is a reason to lock them up
December 12, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Take their licenses away. And if they keep driving without one, *that* is a reason to lock them up
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Actual "carceral" remedies should be last resort for any traffic violations. We should seek to minimize people being in prison. But having a car confiscated or having limits placed upon ones use of a car is not that: it is society withdrawing a privilege we should only grant to the most responsible
I think it was a huge mistake to make our society so car-dependent. But man. The Discourse today is a good reminder that when it comes to roadways policy, otherwise progressive anti-car people quickly become some of the most pro-carceral, anti-civil liberties people on the planet.
December 12, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Actual "carceral" remedies should be last resort for any traffic violations. We should seek to minimize people being in prison. But having a car confiscated or having limits placed upon ones use of a car is not that: it is society withdrawing a privilege we should only grant to the most responsible
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
There’s a problem in large swaths of political advocacy where introducing any negative externality (“but what if a chronic dangerous driver needs to drive to work?”) is an unacceptable evil. Any status quo harms are just the natural order of things.
Unfortunately, almost any change has a downside.
Unfortunately, almost any change has a downside.
for whatever reason, the victims of traffic violence never factor into the calculation. no urgency there. but do something that might affect a suburban lawyer who had a few drinks and then it becomes an “equity” issue
December 12, 2025 at 9:18 PM
There’s a problem in large swaths of political advocacy where introducing any negative externality (“but what if a chronic dangerous driver needs to drive to work?”) is an unacceptable evil. Any status quo harms are just the natural order of things.
Unfortunately, almost any change has a downside.
Unfortunately, almost any change has a downside.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Powerful.
@govpritzker.illinois.gov has signed a law that that allows people to sue ICE agents for unlawful detentions & BANS immigration arrests around Illinois courthouses.
This is a #CupOfJoe that EVERY Democratic governor should be serving!
This is a #CupOfJoe that EVERY Democratic governor should be serving!
December 12, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Powerful.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
As of January 1, the California minimum wage will be $16.90 an hour. It will be higher in many cities across the state.
December 11, 2025 at 7:43 PM
As of January 1, the California minimum wage will be $16.90 an hour. It will be higher in many cities across the state.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
the vast majority of people blocking housing are right wing
Incredible we built a society where tens of thousands of people are forced to live in this misery just because the wealthiest people in America want more parking and because left-NIMBY cranks still won't let go of their housing Lysenkoism which insists that new housing causes gentrification.
In L.A., $750 a Month to Live in a Backyard Storage Unit
www.nytimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:31 AM
the vast majority of people blocking housing are right wing
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
in a last minute bid, Sandal has purchased Warner Bros and now hbo max only shows thirty hour videos of a warehouse full of empty boxes of various sizes
December 6, 2025 at 11:46 PM
in a last minute bid, Sandal has purchased Warner Bros and now hbo max only shows thirty hour videos of a warehouse full of empty boxes of various sizes
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Great to see someone giving a big donation to a CSU college, they've been recognized over and over again as places which lift people out of poverty through education
It’s the largest ever single gift the Bay Area university has received in its 68-year history, according to the college’s president.
Struggling Bay Area university receives $50 million donation from MacKenzie Scott
It’s the largest ever single gift the Bay Area university has received in its 68-year history, according to the college’s president.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Great to see someone giving a big donation to a CSU college, they've been recognized over and over again as places which lift people out of poverty through education
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
After San Francisco passed its downzonings in 1978, it's been a rotating blame game on why housing is unaffordable in SF: legal/bank firms in downtown, dot com boom, uber-for-everything boom, AI boom.
That Gonzales quote is a banger:
That Gonzales quote is a banger:
December 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
After San Francisco passed its downzonings in 1978, it's been a rotating blame game on why housing is unaffordable in SF: legal/bank firms in downtown, dot com boom, uber-for-everything boom, AI boom.
That Gonzales quote is a banger:
That Gonzales quote is a banger:
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
The top-10 carmakers by market cap make up 75% of global passenger car sales.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
December 4, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The top-10 carmakers by market cap make up 75% of global passenger car sales.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Feasibility study nonsense: The town of Los Altos Hills put out a "feasibility study" for the housing element rezoning for their one buildable site.
They say the site's feasible. Looking closely, the envisioned project is
legally infeasible,
financially infeasible,
and physically infeasible. 🤡
🧵
They say the site's feasible. Looking closely, the envisioned project is
legally infeasible,
financially infeasible,
and physically infeasible. 🤡
🧵
November 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Feasibility study nonsense: The town of Los Altos Hills put out a "feasibility study" for the housing element rezoning for their one buildable site.
They say the site's feasible. Looking closely, the envisioned project is
legally infeasible,
financially infeasible,
and physically infeasible. 🤡
🧵
They say the site's feasible. Looking closely, the envisioned project is
legally infeasible,
financially infeasible,
and physically infeasible. 🤡
🧵
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
This whole saga is why local media is so important.
There needs to be someone who put this stuff into the public eye before clowns like these (tax cheats both!) are appointed to government!
There needs to be someone who put this stuff into the public eye before clowns like these (tax cheats both!) are appointed to government!
November 29, 2025 at 7:56 AM
This whole saga is why local media is so important.
There needs to be someone who put this stuff into the public eye before clowns like these (tax cheats both!) are appointed to government!
There needs to be someone who put this stuff into the public eye before clowns like these (tax cheats both!) are appointed to government!
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
November 24, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
The solution to homelessness is more homes. No, denial and blue city/state sops-through-process should not receive philanthropic funding. Bad policy is bad policy, pure and simple.
Former California YIMBY policy director: Anyone who doesn't agree 100% with my policy preferences for how to build housing is anti-housing and should be defunded.
These people say they're just pro-density, which would be fine, but they're actually running a market-fundamentalist movement.
These people say they're just pro-density, which would be fine, but they're actually running a market-fundamentalist movement.
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The solution to homelessness is more homes. No, denial and blue city/state sops-through-process should not receive philanthropic funding. Bad policy is bad policy, pure and simple.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
If you need me, tap me on the shoulder. I’ll be happily working all day listening to this on a loop.
November 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
If you need me, tap me on the shoulder. I’ll be happily working all day listening to this on a loop.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Not billionaires.
Not corporations.
Not private equity.
Just mom dad grandma and grandpa blocking housing.
Housing for low income people.
Because of parking.
Not corporations.
Not private equity.
Just mom dad grandma and grandpa blocking housing.
Housing for low income people.
Because of parking.
November 12, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Not billionaires.
Not corporations.
Not private equity.
Just mom dad grandma and grandpa blocking housing.
Housing for low income people.
Because of parking.
Not corporations.
Not private equity.
Just mom dad grandma and grandpa blocking housing.
Housing for low income people.
Because of parking.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Shout-outs junior analysts.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
November 10, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Shout-outs junior analysts.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Our message to Andrew Cuomo was loud & clear in June.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
November 5, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Our message to Andrew Cuomo was loud & clear in June.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
The brutal, inconvenient truth is that Trump in 2024 pulled off exactly the move that Romney GOP…New Generation postmortem said needed to be done.
I’m sick of bleating from losers. When winners like Senator! Ruben Gallego say “focus on peoples wallets”, we need to listen.
I’m sick of bleating from losers. When winners like Senator! Ruben Gallego say “focus on peoples wallets”, we need to listen.
November 3, 2025 at 5:45 AM
The brutal, inconvenient truth is that Trump in 2024 pulled off exactly the move that Romney GOP…New Generation postmortem said needed to be done.
I’m sick of bleating from losers. When winners like Senator! Ruben Gallego say “focus on peoples wallets”, we need to listen.
I’m sick of bleating from losers. When winners like Senator! Ruben Gallego say “focus on peoples wallets”, we need to listen.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
The United States was the leading destination for top scientists from all over the world.
That is ending. Politicians ended it. It will cripple our future competitiveness.
And it’s such a bitter tragedy. Almost no Americans, Conservative or Liberal, grasp what is now being stolen from them.
That is ending. Politicians ended it. It will cripple our future competitiveness.
And it’s such a bitter tragedy. Almost no Americans, Conservative or Liberal, grasp what is now being stolen from them.
Top researchers consider leaving U.S. amid funding cuts: 'The science world is ending'
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be
November 1, 2025 at 3:44 AM
The United States was the leading destination for top scientists from all over the world.
That is ending. Politicians ended it. It will cripple our future competitiveness.
And it’s such a bitter tragedy. Almost no Americans, Conservative or Liberal, grasp what is now being stolen from them.
That is ending. Politicians ended it. It will cripple our future competitiveness.
And it’s such a bitter tragedy. Almost no Americans, Conservative or Liberal, grasp what is now being stolen from them.
Reposted by Fachtna Fáthach
Something animal shaped would be less creepy too. This guy is clearly going to bake your baby and tuck the turkey in.
November 1, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Something animal shaped would be less creepy too. This guy is clearly going to bake your baby and tuck the turkey in.