Thursday's Letters to the Editor

<p class="bold allcaps">Landfill details</p> <p>EDITOR: Before concluding that selling the landfill may be county’s best opportunity (“Garbage in,” Editorial, Tuesday), let’s assess the impact on our economic and environmental goals. With the county opening up the landfill planning process after months of closed-door negotiations, it’s time to examine the proposed deal. </p><p>The draft 20-year contract with Phoenix-based Republic Services is filled with many complex provisions. Among them is a “put or pay” clause that triggers a penalty if this community recycles too much, thus creating a perverse incentive. </p><p>Another provision requires Republic to build a materials recovery facility but doesn’t specify a goal to divert waste. Why would Republic use this facility if landfilling is cheaper? </p><p>This community made a pledge to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions — a pledge achieved by recycling, not landfilling. Much more of our trash could be recycled, but we landfill it anyway. Burying waste creates methane, a greenhouse gas more than 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide emissions. Responsible management of our waste stream will translate our pledge into action. Let’s not lock ourselves into a 20-year contract unless it fulfills this community’s economic and environmental values.</p><p>BRANT ARTHUR</p><p>Climate Protection Campaign</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><h3>Judging Barich</h3> <p>EDITOR: Four years ago, I transferred from the Fairfax Police Department to Cotati to become its dog handler. The transition was easy as I enjoy working in small towns and becoming familiar with local citizens.</p><p>Cotati police were the first in the county to take a voluntary pay cut to help with financial troubles, and additional cuts are pending. I was very dismayed to learn that City Councilman George Barich, with his lone dissenting vote, destroyed the possibility of Cotati citizens determining on their own whether they want to keep their local services (“Half-cent sales tax won’t be on ballot,”¬July 24).</p><p>It is amazing to me that Barich’s arrogance was such that he wouldn’t let citizens decide whether they want to keep the city viable — similar to when the voters of California decide something and a judge overrules it.</p><p>I guess Barich has decided he is Cotati’s judge. I can only hope that Cotati citizens demand immediate action from their City Council so they can keep their quaint city and local services and possibly avoid bankruptcy for the city in 2010. </p><p>CHRIS KAUPE</p><p>Cotati</p><h3>Shameful cuts</h3> <p>EDITOR: With all due respect to Dennis G. Tobin (“Proper vetoes,” Letters, Sunday), I must take issue with his views on who will be affected by the governor’s cuts. If he looks a little closer, he’ll see that one of the largest cuts was made to Early Start, a program for infants and toddlers with special needs. The governor cut 50 million more dollars from Early Start — after cutting more than $300 million from the Department of Disability Services. I fail to see how these babies could be capable of “self-inflicted maladies.”</p><p>Is Tobin suggesting that these children do not deserve our support, compassion and, most of all, our help? The governor did have options. He made this cut as retribution for the failure of Proposition 1D and wrote, petulantly, that the money for this program should be sought from the Children and Families Commission (First 5 California). Since he has no authority to order this, he essentially abandoned California infants and toddlers with special needs.</p><p>This wasn’t tough; it was shameful. I suggest Tobin look a little harder at the list of cuts before spouting such callous views. </p><p>MICHELE ROGERS</p><p>Executive director,</p><p>Early Learning Institute</p><p>Rohnert Park</p><h3>Highway fund</h3> <p>EDITOR: I’m deeply concerned about the bankruptcy of the Highway Trust Fund and the bailout patch that Congress has passed and about how it will affect transportation here locally.</p><p>The entire transportation system is broken — getting around is increasingly expensive and difficult — and this bankruptcy shows that our funding mechanisms aren’t working either. We can’t let Congress get away with putting a Band-Aid on highways and not addressing the dire need for a safer, cleaner, better 21st century system.</p><p>SUE PARKER</p><p>Rohnert Park</p><h3>Taxes on pot</h3> <p>EDITOR: I would like to offer some facts related to the taxation of medical marijuana sales in California (“Should pot be taxed?” Monday). The sale of medical marijuana has always been considered taxable in California, regardless of the fact that federal law prohibits sales. Sales of medical marijuana in California are generally subject to tax and sellers are required to hold a seller’s permit. </p><p>Recent estimates indicate that approximately $200 million of sales annually are subject to sales tax through medical marijuana dispensaries, generating about $18 million in taxes a year. The revenue may be greater to the extent some sellers do not disclose the nature of their sales activity due to concerns about confidentiality and self-incrimination. </p><p>You are required to obtain a seller’s permit if you are engaged in business in California and intend to make sales or leases that are subject to tax. Sales tax applies to all tangible personal property, whether it is a pair of slippers, a washing machine or medical marijuana. If you do not obtain a seller’s permit or fail to report and pay the taxes due, you will be subject to interest and penalty charges. </p><p>Answers to common questions on sales tax and registration for medical marijuana sellers are available on the state Board of Equalization’s Web site,</p><p>boe.ca.gov/news/pdf/173.pdf. </p><p>BETTY T. YEE</p><p>Chairwoman,</p><p>Board of Equalization</p><p>Sacramento</p><h3>Racehorse death</h3> <p>EDITOR: I’m disappointed that there was no mention of a great athlete, Papoose La Moose, that had to be euthanized after competing in the seventh race Sunday at the Sonoma County Fair.</p><p>You covered Shem winning the Grace Handicap on the first page of the sports section, Rachel Alexandra winning a race 3,000 miles away and track veterinarians having to make tough calls on Page B4, which I thought was the appropriate place to mention what thousands of race fans witnessed Sunday afternoon.</p><p>I imagine there were many eyes focused on Papoose La Moose when the accident occurred, since the majority of betting money was on the maiden. My son and I watched fearing the worst, and many couples held each other knowing the inevitable.</p><p>I thank the field crew for handling the loss so professionally, and I wish your paper had handled it more respectfully.</p><p>REGGIE LOVE</p><p>Santa Rosa</p><p><i>Editor’s note: Coverage of Papoose La Moose and a discussion of the danger faced by horse races appeared in Post Time, Bill Nichols’ blog at horseracing.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.</i></p>