Letters to the Editor 11-10-16

Thank you
EDITOR: As co-curator, exhibit designer and researcher for “The Hippies” currently at the West County Museum, I want to thank museum director Jan King, Sally Morrison and Rae Swanson for the use of the entire museum for the exhibit, including the space usually occupied by the permanent collection. And, equally important, I want to thank them all for their invaluable help over the past four months.
Sue Pekarsky Gary, Sebastopol
Show me
EDITOR: The proposed downtown hotel’s in-house study says there will be little or no-impact on downtown traffic. Seems that’s the same study the new downtown CVS pharmacy used to justify their project. Amazing. Two huge back-to-back projects with little or no-impact on traffic. How magical. One sure result will be that all downtown commercial rents will go up. Rent control can’t come soon enough. Push back against all greedy property owners who milk hard-working tenants to the max with excessive rents. Tell me again when a property owner doubles the rent how society benefits.
Show me the study that says the new hotel will have little or no-impact on downtown rents.
Neil Davis, Sebastopol
Selling her soul
EDITOR: If Jack Tibbetts is elected to Santa Rosa City Council and Lynda Hopkins is elected Fifth District Supervisor, the county will be subjected to a power grab by unsavory people, their money and their cohorts.
Nick Tibbetts, Jack’s father, was a prominent employee for Syar Industries for decades. Tibbetts and Syar were the biggest impediments to any river enhancement for the middle reach of the Russian River between Healdsburg and Wohler Bridge. It took Board of Supervisors action to stop in stream gravel mining and only after three gravel ponds were captured during a 1996 flood. If elected, it will be interesting to see how far Jack Tibbetts will fall from his father’s thinking and actions.
Eric Koenigshofer is the King’s sweeper. The reason Koenigshofer did not run for Fifth District Supervisor was that he knew he would lose. Compared to who he used to be, he is a toxic brew. Why run for the seat when, if Hopkins wins, he will in essence be the Supervisor, the power behind the throne. So, if you want Koengshofer as your Fifth District Supervisor, vote for Hopkins.
She may not realize it, but Hopkins is selling her soul.
Leonard Vesey, Cazadero
City Council’s best bet
EDITOR: Jonathan Greenberg is plugged in. To what, you might ask? To us and our well-being. He must spend 12 hours a day reading about topics that affect us all. His interest and care about what is happening around us seems insatiable. Every time I see him he enlightens me about another topic that I might not be following. I do my best but Jonathan is light-years ahead of me. I can’t think of anyone I would want more to sit on the Sebastopol city council. He has no ego about his work. He only wants us to be part of a transparent system so that we can create an informed democratic society. Jonathan Greenberg is a true community asset and we are lucky to have him watching our backs. I just wish I lived in Sebastopol so I could vote for him.

Guy Erdman, Forestville
Walker for School Board


EDITOR: We are supporting incumbent Ted Walker for WSCUHSD Board of Trustees in the upcoming election. Each of us has personally worked with Ted Walker on multiple high school events and projects. As former Analy Band Wagon Volunteers of the Year, Suzanne and Gerry Blue attest to Ted’s commitment to the Analy Band and Orchestra program and to the realization of Ted’s vision for the newly-opened Analy Band room. Linda Baxley, former Analy High School Volunteer of the Year, has worked with Ted on Project Grad in her capacity as co-chair of this Project. Ted was always an enthusiastic parent participant long after his son had graduated. In conjunction with the Scott Lane Teen Counseling Project and multiple other Analy programs, Ted’s vision created and implemented the Blue and White Ball. As a three time Becky Hopper award winner (WSCUHSD volunteer award), Julie Smith recalls that this was one of the most successful fundraisers in Analy High School history. As parents and community members who are enjoying the new Analy sports stadium, we applaud Ted’s perseverance and foresight in completion of this multi stage project. 
Ted brings an even-handed and personally engaged leadership style to everything he does. His focus in all of the above activities has been the students and the quality of their education. Before participating at the high school level. Ted was an eight-year member of the Twin Hills School Board, serving for three years as president. The depth of Ted’s experience, knowledge of school policies and procedures and commitment to the success of each young adult in our high schools make Ted Walker an outstanding candidate in this election.


Analy Alumnae parents, John Henel, Julie Smith, Debbie and Tommy Kendrick, Linda Baxley, Suzanne and Gerry Blue, Susan Wells, Marta Kautz, Karen Kissick, Ed Wallin and Stan Devoto, Sebastopol
The real deal
EDITOR: I have heard time and time again that Lynda Hopkins and Noreen Evans are “indistinguishable,” that they both stand for the same things and have the same values. In campaigns where one candidate is much stronger than the other, high priced consultants for the weaker candidate will often suggest copying the stronger candidate. This is exactly what we are seeing in Hopkins’ efforts to copy Noreen Evans. If, according to Hopkins, Evans has “hit the nail on the head” so many times, then let’s just elect the real deal. Evans actually has a history of standing for our community, friends, and families.

 Vote for Noreen Evans.
Ana Lugo

, Santa Rosa
Delivery of healthcare
EDITOR: After 16 years, the Palm Drive Health Care District continues to accumulate millions of dollars of debt even with a second unresolved bankruptcy while repeatedly reinventing the business with the same format. 

District constituents now have the opportunity to elect independent, forward thinking directors who have the credentials and skills to provide solid, transparent management of the changing business of health care delivery in a fiscally responsible and sound manner.

 Jim Horn is an accomplished engineering businessman with extensive public service on a local school board. He has in depth knowledge of the Palm Drive Health Care District business and finances as he strives for transparency and fiduciary responsibility in moving the district forward.

 Eira Klick-Heartt is a doctoral prepared nurse teaching at Santa Rosa Junior College and has local hospital clinical experience. Her background is essential in understanding and providing quality care to the constituents.

 Marsha Sue Lustig, the incumbent, continues to look at the broad picture while representing the constituents point of view. Her history is one of public service and fiscal management. 

Whether or not the hospital is sustainable—these independent candidates will represent the people in a fiscally responsible way, while looking at the major changes in the delivery of healthcare. 


Jeanette Dillman,
Guerneville
Council votes count
EDITOR: There hasn’t been much discussion seen about Sebastopol City Council candidates.
 Anyone who wins a City Council seat needs to be able to hit the ground running, be able to work as a team member (both within the council and with city staff), represent and be open to all constituents needs and follow city policies and protocol.
 The current members of the city council have done a wonderful job of working together for the citizens, sharing tasks, responding as appropriate to the needs of the city and its residents. They have made transparent the proceedings of the city and have been meeting each challenge within the realm of the city’s scope of responsibility.
 Craig Litwin has the experience and personality to do such a job. Neysa Hinton has expressed willingness to do so and has demonstrated an open mind and has a record of community service.
 Both Jonathan Greenberg and Michael Carnacchi, while well intentioned, have shown their inexperience and have lofty goals that sound good but are not within the city’s jurisdiction (ie: Sonoma West Hospital, Sonoma County library, downtown bypass, etc.). It is one thing to support; it is something quite different to claim the ability to singlehandedly effect changes beyond the city’s jurisdiction, reaching into the responsibilities of other governments, agencies and districts.
 A city council member needs to be able to focus on the tasks at hand and apply all city processes and laws, while working within the scope of responsibility as a member of a very important team. 
I vote for write-in candidate Craig Litwin, and newcomer Neysa Hinton.

Theresa Russo
Sebastopol
Gobbling
EDITOR: If Lynda Hopkins is truly a dedicated environmentalist, then why the blizzard of wasteful, tree-gobbling self-advertising? And why her extreme reliance on support from resource-gobbling profiteers?
J.B. Grant, Sebastopol
So angry
EDITOR: I am writing in response to Frank Robertson’s last column calling Efren Carrillo’s behavior “the great dating debacle of 2013” and referring to Carrillo’s conduct as “problems with dating etiquette.”
Carrillo was found not guilty of peeking but what he admitted to under oath was far worse. It is an insult to Jane Doe, to me and to all women to minimize Carrillo’s actions the way Robertson did in the newspaper on Nov. 3. It seems like Robertson has jumped on the Trump wagon of misogyny and I am so angry with SWT for publishing this. It is statements like these that keep rape culture alive and keep women afraid to speak up.
Eileen Morabito, Sebastopol
Disheartening
EDITOR: It was disheartening to attend last week’s city council meeting on the rent moratorium and rent control. Rent control has never worked. Rent in many cities is high because of rent control — San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, New York, Washington DC. It’s great for the few people lucky enough to find a rent-controlled apartments. But those people stay in their apartments for a very long time, effectively removing them from the market, creating a shortage, and causing rents to rise for the vast majority tenants in no- controlled apartments. It’s similar to the effect of Airbnb on the rental market — the cost of housing goes up, because a significant amount of housing has been taken off the market.  Many don’t need the protection of rent control, a 2000 study in San Francisco, found that 25 percent of rent-controlled tenants make over $100 thousand a year. But in general, because rent control has been found to raise the cost of housing and diminish the supply, it hurts the poor and minorities the most, as they must live further and further away from good jobs and schools and move to places with cheaper rent.
Some in Sebastopol can’t afford increased rent.  Some lose their rental as the property is sold.  Some move to a more affordable place, such as the Russian River area.  Many can afford the higher rent.  Some real estate investment groups have bought property in Sonoma County, to rehab and raise rents. These are all elements of the complex rental market. Members of city council supporting rent control are well intentioned, yet naive. It would be short sighted to pass rent control legislation that benefits a few and raises the rent for great majority.
Tomas Phillips, Sebastopol