Letters to the Editor 10-30-14

Need for a fresh mind
Editor: On Saturday, in the mail, I received a political ad from James Gore titled “My Opponent Has It All Wrong.” I want to congratulate James for stating what most politicians have seemed to have forgotten —we vote to put people in office who are willing and able to listen to all of their constituents. Signing and agreeing to pledge support to groups as Deb Fudge has done even before being elected to me is not the sign of someone with an open mind. Does anyone find it odd that the majority of council members in the Town of Windsor support James Gore? To me it tells a lot about relationships or lack of. We need a fresh mind and energy to be the 4th District Supervisor. I encourage your vote for James Gore as 4th District Supervisor.
Mike Velasquez
Windsor
Windsor Schools
Editor: The current Windsor School Board is not broken, but certainly has room to improve. Implementing the myriad of recent changes in educational theory, while utilizing new tools and technology, should be foremost in the minds of all board members. The difference between what students need today and what they needed 15 years ago is vast, it needs to be addressed in a timely manner by an involved and knowledgeable team.
Endorsed by the Windsor District Educators Association, Eric Heitz is far ahead of the curve in all aspects required for a successful board member; effective communication, school safety and local control funding. Eric is the only candidate with classroom experience—this alone is paramount in bringing a fresh perspective to the rapidly changing school environment.
Robert Kecskemeti
Windsor
My Choice
Editor: I just cast a vote on my mail-in ballot for James Gore as 4th District Supervisor. I’m a little concerned because I don’t yet know as much about him as I would like, and I haven’t met him face-to-face. On balance, however, I think he is the best choice because of his previous executive-level government experience, what I perceive as a ‘will-do’ attitude to governing, and his minimal ‘debt’ to builders and government employee unions. On two different occasions my wife and I were at Windsor Town Council meetings and heard Ms. Fudge refer to Orrin Thyssen as “our builder.” Of course that was before he became over extended and crashed financially. The business community surrounding the Town Green is attractive, but it’s a graveyard of many short-lived and failed businesses and Ms. Fudge offered no assistance to overcome the problems. Lack of sufficient parking is a key factor, so why wasn’t Ms. Fudge keeping an eye on that? Now it appears “we” have a new builder; a Southern Californian with a plan to develop another ‘village’ and Ms. Fudge is aiding him by voting for his proposed development despite cautionary comments from her council colleagues and Town functionaries. He, of course, has also contributed large sums of money to her supervisor campaign. Further, Ms. Fudge delights in telling us of her ‘leadership’ role in SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rapid Transit), and her long-term involvement with the governing board. Six years ago I and many of my north county neighbors voted a tax increase on ourselves to get and use a rapid transit system. Six years later we have nothing and no foreseeable plans to get anything in Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, etc. Where has she been to look after our interests?  That’s not the kind of ‘leadership’ or representation I want or need. Twenty years of her talk with little, if any, supporting action is too much. I urge you to join me and vote for James Gore.
Ralph Patrick Austin
Windsor
SOS endorsement
Editor: Save Our Sonoma Roads endorses James Gore for county supervisor. He is an intelligent, articulate, and energetic man who cares deeply about his native county. When we first discussed road issues, James analogized the problem to the scores of crumbling dams that were challenges during his work at the Department of Agriculture. Like our failing road system, the government constructed dams but neglected to maintain them. James is committed to solving our infrastructure problems because they directly impact our economic viability and quality of life. While he supports the quarter cent sales tax increase for roads, he recognizes we also must change county budgeting to increase the contribution for road maintenance from the county general fund. The new supervisor must stand firm to implement the goal of reigning in pensions to 10 percent of payroll (currently 30 percent for safety workers) and demands for salary increases.
Deb Fudge promises to solve this problem, but we are concerned about her pledges to county unions. JFK observed that “to govern is to choose.” We need a supervisor who chooses to fix our roads without being compromised by promises to siphon funds elsewhere.
Craig S. Harrison
Santa Rosa
Clean Campaigns
Editor: I was dismayed to see the Smear Gore campaign attributed to Deb Fudge. She disavowed and deplored the campaign from the first mailer, and I think that should be respected. Both she and Gore have run clean campaigns, and they agree on most issues. It seems to come down to: she’s a committed local, and he has experience nationally. I would hope folks would make up their minds on that, and not let that ugly campaign smear either one of them, either by believing the hyperbole, or by believing Fudge responsible or approving. A back-lash either way would not be fair.
Mary Johnson
Healdsburg
We need a Leader
Editor: A year ago, Deb Fudge and I were competitors for the same position. But, really, we were competitors in name only. As local elected officials, we shared a mutual respect for each other’s accomplishments. I have endorsed Deb in the Supervisor race, and I’m happy to tell you why I made that decision.
We have a clear choice in this election: Deb is a candidate who has a proven track record of accomplishments in Sonoma County, who has a proven record of fiscal responsibility, and who has not been afraid to take a stand on issues and fight for what she believes in. She is a leader, not a follower. In November, we will make a choice: will we choose a supervisor who has no local experience, has never made a decision in a public forum, and whose campaign has received thousands of dollars in contributions from out-of-county or out-of-state PACs? Or will we choose a Supervisor who understands that everyone in this county, not just the politically connected or the extremely wealthy, are entitled to fair and honest representation? We need someone in this seat who will be able to hit the ground running, someone who can address the crucial issues facing Sonoma County today —issues such as availability of water, how to allocate taxpayer dollars sensibly and effectively, how to best deal with transportation issues, and how to provide access to quality health care for our citizens. To paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt: The credit belongs not to the critic, but to the man (or woman) in the arena, who strives valiantly in a worthy cause. We need a leader who can represent all of us, not the select few. We need a leader, not a cheerleader. Please join me in supporting Deb Fudge on November 4 for Supervisor.
Pete Foppiano,
Former Mayor of Healdsburg
Qualified and Female
Editor: It seems that both 4th District candidates for County Supervisor meet minimum qualifications for the position. Now consider this: only Deb Fudge has a contiguous 18-year record of local public service. And ponder this: there has never been a female 4th County Supervisor in the entire history of the District, and women make up 51 percent of the population. A Penn Medicine study showed women have superior social cognition skills, making them better at collaboration in group problem solving. They spend more effort crafting policy than seeking power in the political process. Women legislators achieve 9 percent more federal dollars sent to districts than men. And women are merely 30 percent of California’s elected officials. With one vote for Deb Fudge you can both support the best qualified candidate and right a historical inequality all in one box. Really think about it.
Jo Gustely
Cloverdale
My Money and My Vote
Editor: To date I have received reams of glossy campaign literature trying to convince me that James Gore is the better choice for 4th District Supervisor. Despite being a recent transplant to Sonoma County, he nonetheless claims he has a vision and plan for our county. He is even billed as a “water expert”. I am concerned that the huge amount of money Mr. Gore has raised will make him quite beholden to large business and development interests, some from far beyond Sonoma County. I want a supervisor who knows the ins and outs of local politics and who has the best interests of area residents and the environment at heart. I am putting my money and vote behind Deb Fudge who has worked tirelessly for several decades to preserve the very qualities that make Sonoma County such a wonderful place to live.
Bretta Rambo
Healdsburg
Known Quantity
Editor: I am concerned: flashy signs everywhere, mailers galore, a disturbing trail of questionable activities by James Gore prior to landing in Sonoma County a year ago. Mr. Gore is very much the unknown, possibly murky, candidate. Meanwhile, Deb Fudge competently runs a campaign based on the many positive things she has done for our area. She is a definite known quantity.
I will vote for a proven candidate who I am certain will do a very good job for our district. I am voting for Deb Fudge.
Walt Maack
Windsor
Diligence and Care
Editor: We past elected mayors and members of the Windsor Town Council will vote for James Gore for County Supervisor, 4th District. Together, we include all of the formerly serving council members who still reside and vote in Windsor. We join the majority of all the current elected city council members in our 4th Supervisorial District, including our own, in this endorsement. It is time for fresh voices in local government. Having seen first-hand the crucial importance of a local government’s relationships with state and federal agencies, we know that Gore’s experience on the federal level adds a dimension of knowledge that will benefit the entire county. We like his having served in the Peace Corps and studied internationally, his fluency in Spanish and Italian, and the choice that he made to return here with his wife to raise a family. Relatively young, Gore is a mature and responsible person, able to connect with the diverse stakeholders in our district. His advanced degrees in business and agriculture further set him apart as highly qualified to understand the tremendous range of issues that a supervisor must deal with. We note that many local agricultural families, having known James all his life, have posted signs on their properties to show their support. We appreciate Gore’s diligence and care, and we admire his commitment to serving. We urge fellow voters of our 4th District to elect James Gore.
Julie Adamson Galvez
Maureen McDaniel Merrill
Warin Parker
Marjorie Smith
Windsor