Republican candidate Kevin Faulconer, who is vying to flip the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to the GOP, is facing criticism for promoting his old climate policies as mayor that do not align with his current stance. As mayor, Faulconer supported building densely in urban areas to reduce driving and emissions, but as a supervisor candidate, he is proposing to open the county to development anywhere, contradicting climate policies. Faulconer’s campaign argues he has always supported building where it makes sense, despite the shift in his position.
Democratic leadership in the county has limited development to areas with transit and imposed fees on developers in the backcountry to reduce driving and emissions – policies Faulconer plans to reverse if elected. His position appeals to building and business interest groups, who blame the rules for impeding development. Faulconer believes restricting housing anywhere in the county will force residents to move farther away, increasing emissions from longer commutes.
Despite Faulconer’s past accolades for implementing a Climate Action Plan in San Diego that prioritized dense, transit-oriented building, the city struggled to address emissions from commuting. Environmentalists sued the city for allowing growth without adequately confronting greenhouse gas emissions. Gas-powered transportation accounts for a significant portion of San Diego’s emissions, raising concerns about the impact of unrestricted development in the county. Faulconer’s evolving stance on climate policies has drawn scrutiny from voters and environmental advocates as he seeks to shift the Board of Supervisors to the GOP.
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Photo credit voiceofsandiego.org
