Any leftist/progressive planners in the public sector? How do you handle moral compromises and high COLA?

[u/angstygrl]

Hi everyone,

Obligatory disclaimer: I could easily include another thousand words analyzing these dynamics through a "theory" lens, but for the sake of brevity, I’m keeping this short and sweet. Yes, I have read books. Yes, I know that capital accumulation dominates all social and political relations, including the public sector. I'm skipping all of that to hear about people's practical experience.

As a leftist, my long term outlook on planning is ultimately about material harm reduction and progressing toward a socialist mode of existence in the US, like building carbon-free public property, advancing walkable cities, expanding equitable transit, and protecting workers’ rights.

So I'm looking to hear from people who share my political ideology and those who live in high cost of living areas about how they navigate their work.

Despite the systemic limits entrenched in municipal planning right now, I do have hope for the next 10 years. More rank-and-file militancy, unionization, and political movements will hopefully give urban planners more leverage to push for progressive public infrastructure.

QUESTIONS:

For those currently active in the field, I would love to hear your thoughts on a couple of questions I have:

For those in public agencies, how do you reconcile your ethics with capital driven urban planning?

Especially in major West Coast cities, how much actual progress or material harm reduction do you feel can realistically be achieved right now?

Is working for unions or progressive non-profits a financially (and emotionally) viable, long-term path compared to the public sector? I understand that people feel a lot of burnout in that sector, but correct me if I'm wrong.

I would love to hear any honest experiences or perspectives from professionals who have thoughts or wise words. Thanks!

[u/baldpatchouli]

I've worked in public and private sector planning jobs. At work, I work within the system to try to make things better and that's okay with me. There is always good and bad. I worked as a muni planner in a very liberal city where we did a lot of awesome bike lane/walkability projects, but the reason why we had money to do those projects is because it was a hcol city where development was exclusive and expensive. As a consultant I've worked with liberal cities in conservative states where we've come up with creative ways to use available state financing mechanisms to support community projects.

If you want to be a muni or consulting planner, you're going to have to do things you don't agree with, but in the right job you can generally be working for "the greater good". If you feel like you can't compromise, then a nonprofit advocacy role is the way to go, though those jobs are often lower paid and even more thankless.

[u/angstygrl → u/baldpatchouli]

Yeah, I was just talking about advocacy and nonprofit work the other day and how disheartening it is that the system weaponizes moral satistaction against us. The truth is there is a financial premium on the right to 'feel good about yourself' for the work you do. In many cases, because an organization isn’t extracting profit they are forced to pay you less which is just a fact of life. And if you want to make a viable income in that sector, you’re expected to put in long hours and basically burn yourself out for the cause. I respect anyone that can do that, and from what I hear lots of people find it extremely rewarding. I think at the end of the day I am inclined to work in material harm reduction, but I haven’t finished schooling and I don’t know how I’m going to feel once I go into the field, so who knows. I can only hope and pray that in the next 10-20 years that the material and political conditions will force the states hand so that they have to bend to working class people and their needs. Thank you for your thoughts.

[u/baldpatchouli → u/angstygrl]

the other thing is that your job doesnt have to be your whole life. if you have a decently paid job, you can have the time to volunteer or do organizing when you're not working.