Letters to the Editor 10-2-14

Cittaslow clarification
Editor: In Ed La France’s letter on Sept. 25 (“Barlow issues”) he mistakenly asserts that Cittaslow Sebastopol received “$20,000 from the city and promptly spent the money on consultants in the Bay Area.” Actually, the 2014-2015 budget for Cittaslow Sebastopol is for $17,097 to be spent on traffic calming pedestrian initiatives and economic development campaigns.
The reference to “consultants in the Bay Area” most likely refers to Studio L’Image, a nationally prominent way-finding sign design company with offices in San Francisco and New York, owned by Sue Labouvie, a Sebastopol resident who generously donated all of her time to create the Sebastopol Ped Line signage.
In the interest of transparency, the 2014-2015 budget involves these specific projects: The Sebastopol Ped Line, a Park Once and Walk Initiative ($2,552). An expanded online business directory on the City website ($1,600) including an interactive map ($4,600). Adding Favorite Walks from the community to theSebastopolWalks.org website ($400). The McKinley Street Murals — part of the Village Building Convergence and an extension of our initiative to build a stronger connection between downtown and The Barlow ($2,000). Creation of an eco-tourism website at ExperienceSebastopol.com to be finished June. 2015 ($2,330). Distribution of “Experience Sebastopol” trifold brochures in area businesses ($1,645). A Home Stay/Farm Stay Workshop for residents considering opening this type of business ($1,970).
Cittaslow Sebastopol is a 100 percent volunteer organization. None of this money is for salaries.
Persons interested in reading the budget in more detail can download it from cittaslowsebastopol.org/downloads/CittaslowSebastopol2014Proposal.pdf.
Tasha Beauchamp
Co-Chair, Cittaslow Sebastopol
Creating community
Editor: Thanks to the amazing people who organized the Village Building Convergence in Sebastopol. Thank you to the Sebastopol VBC, Cittaslow Sebastopol and The Barlow for creating and supporting this incredible project that reconnects people to their unique place and community. During the McKinley Street painting, the excitement and enthusiasm from the community was overwhelming as the road was transformed into colorful art. In recent years I have been pursuing a career in public art to foster appreciation and respect for our unique places. After weeks of planning for the VBC murals, I was rewarded when the community began to paint in the mural design I created. As the mural came to life, everyone on McKinley Street became an artist. The result was more beautiful than I imagined. If you ever wonder what we can achieve as a community take a stroll down McKinley Street. I want to deeply thank everyone including the organizers, the paint masters, the music, the food, the mop masters, the artists, or even if you only came to watch the mural come to life, thank you. I hope everyone had a fabulous experience transforming our public spaces and I look forward to the VBC next year.
Dana Vallarino
Sebastopol
Critical votes
Editor: We have volunteered on the Palm Drive District and Foundation boards for over 15 years. We all know that West County needs our community hospital and emergency room to open. Your votes for District board candidates are critical to achieving this goal.
We now have two highly qualified, well-known local candidates who have worked with our hospital for many years and are willing to provide the leadership and skills to open a new West County Medical Center.
Dr. Richard Powers, a revered family practice physician for over 30 years and retired police officer Dennis Colthurst have been working tirelessly, with others, to open a sustainable medical center for our community. They have the background and the commitment to aggressively seek the opening of our hospital.
They have our full support. We can find no others more qualified and up to this leadership challenge. Your votes for these two is so very important to our future success. With our help, they will Open Our Hospital.
On Nov. 4, please vote for the “Doc and the Cop.”
Bob and Heidi Gillen
Sebastopol
Resident homeless
Editor: In the past, the Russian River held the promise of an invigorating bath, a place to cook a meal and rest for the night. However, over the last three decades beaches “disappeared.” Pollution, fences, no trespassing signs, fear of getting shot for unwittingly stumbling onto someone’s “motherlode” is in and of itself a societal problem, not just a homelessness problem. How does one go about owning a beach?
Approximately every 15 years I find myself writing a letter in response to articles in the paper regarding “homelessness.”
In our society the word homeless has become derogatory. The whys and wherefores of this state no longer matter. We do not want or need your pity. “Homeless haters” are simply people fearful that this too could become their fate, and hold tenaciously to their fears by spewing repulsion. I am not homeless, I live in California.
In my experience ,”Outside dwellers” prefer to be outside, clean up societal litter and wade through hazardous materials for salvageable resources.
If I did not care, I would not write. It is the not caring that makes me dangerous.
Linda del Castillo
Resident homeless
Measure R questions
Editor: The upcoming November ballot includes Measure R, a revision of the Utility Users Tax set to expire in 2015. The current tax is set at 4 percent and levied against basic Pacific Gas and Electric charges for every residential, business and commercial account within the city. This tax generates approximately $330,000 each year and is applied to the city’s General Fund.
General Fund revenues can be used for any purpose the City Council wants. There are no restrictions or requirements for these funds. Campaign and ballot arguments or suggested uses have no legal or binding effect. The City Council is free to spend the money on whatever project or endeavor can gather three votes.
The revision would lower the rate to 3.75 percent and for the first time apply to cable television, telephone (including cell phones) and garbage services. PG&E services would be taxed at the new rate. This tax will be levied on top of the existing Franchise Fees the city collects from PG&E, the cable company and the garbage company.
The garbage franchise fee is 10 percent and generates more than $150,000 annually. Cable and PG&E feature a lower percentage fee but provide significant revenues because they apply to a larger billing amount.
The entire council and the one council hopeful support this tax measure and have made no promises as to how the money will be spent. They continue to insist that the city finances will be bleak unless it is passed. That may or may not be so, however, questions remain.
Why has there been no discussion of the existing franchise fees and the money they generate? It is doubtful that 1 in 10 rate payers even knows that they already pay fees on their cable, garbage and PG&E bills. Is this council trying to pull a fast one on residents?
The council appears to be hoping that voters will trust them and just vote yes. Where is the transparency and full disclosure this council so smugly touts itself on? Sadly, the council has not made the case for this tax in an open and trustworthy manner.
Ken Foley
Sebastopol