John Necker makes it fun to read about the city council
EDITOR: Returning from evacuation and catching up on my backlog of Sonoma Wests and what a joy to read Mr. Necker’s notes from the city council meeting. While presenting the actual issues being covered, his style makes it hugely readable. He captures that Sebastopol attitude that we are all so familiar with. I would be thrilled to read his takes every week or as often as the council meets, provided he has the fortitude to stand up to the demands of the task.
Buffy Simoni
Sebastopol
From the editor: John Necker has been writing Necker’s Notes for seven or eight years. That’s several years of council meetings! Fortitude seems to be no problem.
On the teacher’s strike
EDITOR: Speaking as a former reporter who covered local elections and politics, as a former media consultant and as the former chair of the Sonoma County Democratic Party, I have to say that the school board and administration are on their way to scuttling their own parcel tax on the March 2020 ballot by pissing off the teachers during contract negotiations.
Everybody knows that it is the teachers that are the foot soldiers that school parcel tax campaigns rely upon when ballots are crowded with many issues.
This is probably more detail than you want, but…..If the current $48 annual parcel tax can’t be collected after July 1, 2021, then proponents have only the March primary election, maybe the Nov 2020 general election and it would be a gamble on the June 2021 primary election (this is considered awful timing because the tax assessor’s office sends out its bills in Sept 2021 and revenues from paid taxes don’t flow into coffers until Dec 2021.)
The proposed parcel tax is for $72 annually, although you won’t know this because the district’s website links to the 2013 Measure K ballot measure with the $48 per parcel price tag. The district’s website, confusingly, reads: “Measure K is a flat tax of $48 per parcel annually. Measure K is a renewal of the previous parcel tax while adding an additional $2.00 per month.”
Even students who failed Ms. Amirkhan’s classes can hopefully figure out $48 plus the sum of $2 per month (2 times 12) equals $72.
If you read Laura Hagar Rush’s article in Sonoma West, the June 19, 2019 edition, it reports the board’s own polling consultant back last summer put the new proposed $72 parcel tax at only somewhere between 69 and 74 percent likely approval. Since a two-thirds majority is required for approval, not much math is required to know that 66 isn’t isn’t that far from splitting the difference between 69 and 74.
And that was before the current fuss, which threatens to spill over into and well past the holiday season. Before you know, it will be March.
Bleys W. Rose
Sebastopol
Sebastopol’s split personality
EDITOR: Last Saturday, I attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at Sebastopol Family Pharmacy. While a grand opening of a new business in our town is not new, what is different is the fact that this is an independent pharmacy at a time when chain drug stores have, with few exceptions, killed off the “corner drugstore.” That certainly is Sebastopol’s history. What fascinates me is how this reversal of history intersects with a community-based outcry from two years ago.
I remember that when CVS moved from its location on the north end of town to its current location, some vowed to “never shop at CVS.” They vilified big-box chains and encouraged all who would listen to do the same. And, after the Tubbs Fire, a portion of the community reminded us how Sebastopol needs independent businesses and to support hole-in-the-wall restaurants or risking losing them. In contrast however, it was the talk on our local online bulletin board, Nextdoor that asked the question, “What do we need in our town?” referring to the property vacated by CVS. As I recall the majority answer was Trader Joe’s (a big box chain).
So, now our town-with-a-split-personality has a choice. Support the big-box chain pharmacy of our choice or support our independent un-chain pharmacy: Sebastopol Family Pharmacy. Okay Sebastopol, it’s time to put our prescriptions where our values are!
And FYI, I’ve been a pharmacist since 1971, and, no, I have no relationship with Sebastopol Family Pharmancy.
Stan Green
Sebastopol
