April 12 Letters to the Editor

Crossing the line

EDITOR: We all realize that there is a blurred line between politics, religion and big business. Tuesday's vote by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisor's approving the expansion of a printing press in a "plant half the size of a football field above Salt Point Sate Park" is sacrilegious ("County: Buddhist printing press can expand").

Thank you, Supervisors Shirlee Zane and Susan Gorin for supporting our neighbors who live peacefully among the hills and oceanside views above Highway 1.

However, Supervisor Efren Carrillo turned his back on his west county constituents in an insidious, low-profile political move. Ratna Ling's religious retreat is one thing, but the printing press business needs to return to Berkeley. I believe the board majority made a horrible mistake and violated the county's general plan in allowing a factory to be built in rural Sonoma County.

TERRY LOUCKS

Santa Rosa

American propaganda

EDITOR: The Washington Post editorial in Wednesday's paper ("The right call in Cuba") was a classic example of American propaganda.

It reminded me of the scene from "The Godfather Part II," where mob boss Hyman Roth carves up a birthday cake decorated with a map of Cuba. Slices are given to Roth's greedy U.S. business associates. The message is clear: All those gathered will share in pieces of the despoiled isle. American-style democracy and capitalism will flourish at the expense of human rights.

But that was a movie. The reality is more damning. The U.S. has been quite good at funding initiatives to help overthrow governments. Consider the U.S. Agency for International Development's plan was to organize "smart mobs" to call for regime change in Cuba ("U.S. says it tried, failed to start Cuban social network," April 4)

If I were president, I'd sign an order normalizing relations with Cuba. I'd push to close the military base at Guantanomo Bay and give this piece of land back to its rightful owners. There would be one stipulation, though. The part of the base that houses the infamous gulag where countless people were tortured would have to remain intact. It would forever be open for people of the world to see how America — a once admired, great country — lost its footing and stumbled into darkness.

STEVE BAKER

Santa Rosa

Utility rates

EDITOR: Sonoma County users of electricity are smart enough to know that the published attacks against Sonoma Clean Power are motivated by moneyed interests, not by what's good for Sonoma County consumers of electricity.

Community-owned electric utility companies, such as those in Healdsburg and Sacramento, deliver the same product to consumers at a significantly lower price than do investor-owned utilities. Sacramento's electric utility district indicates that its rates, for 750 kilowatts of residential consumption per month average 24 percent less than PG&E's.

The substantial savings that Sonoma Clean Power promises should be kept in our communities to stimulate the local economy and boost the creation and use of renewable energy.

PG&E should do what private business does best and innovate to bring about efficient energy storage and smart grid technology. That would be something worth obtaining a good profit.

ANDY FERGUSON

Petaluma

Suspended with benefits?

EDITOR: So state Sens. Leland Yee, Ron Calderon and Rod Wright have been suspended from office — with pay — pending the potential months or years of inquiry into their alleged misdeeds. That's outrageous. Legislators no longer receive pensions, but how about health benefits? Do they continue accruing them? Why?

JACK RANNELLS

Calistoga