Saturday’s Letters to the Editor

Birx’s dilemma

EDITOR: Thank you for Matt Bai’s column about Dr. Deborah Birx (Birx’s dilemma is a lesson for the ages,” Sunday). We can now see that our country wasn’t always protected by leaders who placed careers over public good. In highlighting the importance of future leaders studying the consequences of these decisions, we can hope for future decisions that benefit leaders and the people served. I am grateful to The Press Democrat for continuing to discuss and highlight this issue.

GINA CROZIER

Santa Rosa

Funding fire protection

EDITOR: There already is a source of funding for the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District to cover costs incurred by providing services to visitors (“An urgent call from Bodega Bay’s fire department,” editorial, April 2). The transient occupancy tax is specifically designated to mitigate increased costs associated with tourism and short-term visitors to Sonoma County.

The unincorporated areas of Sonoma County generated $22.7 million in transient occupancy tax revenue in 2018, according to the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. This is 46% of the total collected in the county.

Our boards of supervisors (past and present) have used this money for a variety of programs. Ask your supervisor where this money is spent and if those uses are more important than providing funding for fire protection.

Asking another fire protection district to consolidate with Bodega Bay is not a realistic option. Why should the county place this ongoing debt burden on another district? Why should the citizens of other fire districts be asked to contribute their parcel taxes to cover the shortfall of Bodega Bay when there is a source of funding that was created for that purpose?

If you are concerned about fire protection in Sonoma County, ask your county supervisor for answers.

WILLIAM JACKSON

Guerneville

Hiding behind the badge

EDITOR: I’m not a Superior Court judge, but it seems a no-brainer to me that Mark Essick was acting in his capacity as elected sheriff, not as a law enforcement officer, when he took the call from Supervisor Lynda Hopkins about fire evacuation policy (“Sheriff accused of bullying,” Sunday).

He is, of course, both a law enforcement officer and an elected official. If the complaint concerns his actions as an elected official, the complaint and investigation should be disclosed to the public. The sheriff should stop hiding behind his badge and put on his big boy pants. Typical bully.

Frankly, when on May 29, at the threshold of a horrible pandemic, he publicly declared, “I’m not following this f---- health order,” he disclosed enough for me to conclude that he’s an ideological right-wing radical and he's unfit to serve as our sheriff. Resign. We voters will not reelect a bully as our sheriff.

SARAH PHILLIPS

Santa Rosa

Mother’s milk of politics

EDITOR: Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat there’s an unfortunate shamelessness to the people who are elected to office. A standard protocol for politics is to get a college degree, maybe a law degree, or tons of inherited wealth, and work as an intern in support of a state or national candidate.

During your internship you are introduced to the K Street cotillion — meeting and schmoozing with big business, big donors and big money. During this period your fealty to their interests will be assessed to determine whether you get financial and political support to run for office.

Regardless of your partisan affiliation, the product of this mixer is frequently a blend of bland and bad policy, and the end result doesn’t make you any smarter or better prepared.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Jesse Unruh said, “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.“ I can’t argue with the truth, but we can help by reducing the power of dark money.

You may not agree with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but it’s undeniable she has the right stuff without going to a smoke-filled debutantes ball. Both the GOP and the Democrats need regular people to represent us. Eliminating Citizens United would be a step in the right direction.

STEVE CARTER

Sebastopol

A water solution

EDITOR: The problem with water is that there is not enough. Agriculture uses eight times more water than urban users. It takes over 300 gallons of water to make one gallon of wine.

To fill needs, the county is contemplating the purchase of Scott Dam ($200 million with liabilities), seeking Eel River water to pass through Lake Mendocino. This water never makes it to Sonoma County as it is hijacked by Mendocino County ag diverters along the way.

There is available water in Lake Sonoma. Transporting this water for use is a problem. A pipeline is needed at an estimated cost of $80 million to $100 million.

The county is contemplating additional uses — cannabis cultivation (a huge water user) and additional housing.

Solution: Build that pipeline, constrain cannabis and conservation by all users — ag, vineyard and urban uses.

ALAN LEVINE

Santa Rosa

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.