Sunday’s Letters to the Editor

Put it to a vote

EDITOR: Sonoma County is facing the possibility of a project costing hundreds of millions of dollars without voter approval. We implore our fellow citizens to take action concerning the proposal to move county offices to the site of the old Sears building in downtown Santa Rosa.

The proposal includes the purchase of the lot, construction of an 18-story building to house county administrative offices and 739 parking spaces for over 1,800 employees plus the fleet of county-owned vehicles. The 83-acre area on which county offices are now located is owned free and clear by Sonoma County.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors deadlocked on a decision. Now is the time to raise our voices. Whether you do or do not support this project, please reach out to your district representative. Demand this project be decided by the people who will carry the debt for the next 30 years, not the five who sit on the board.

ARRON R. and JOSEPHINE MEYERS

Santa Rosa

Pay attention

EDITOR: As a first-generation American of Ukrainian descent, the attack on my parents’ and grandparents’ homeland has been horrific to view. Unfortunately, this attack by Vladimir Putin is doing irreparable harm to the Ukrainian and Russian citizens who aren’t at war with one another. The bravery and determination of Ukrainian citizens is a welcome sight after experiencing the abhorrent behavior of Donald Trump and his followers who support Putin and refer to the president of the United States as stupid.

I shudder to think if Trump had won the election, particularly since he is such an admirer of Putin. I wonder what was exchanged between the two of them in Helsinki, when no one was privy to their conversation. Make no mistake, Putin was grooming him to be used as a pawn.

We need to be diligent as to the voting rights that are being undermined in several states by the GOP. We need to wake up and take note of the Ukrainian fight for their country and their democracy, since ours is in danger if we continue to allow the lies and misinformation being spewed by the far right. If you truly love this country of ours, pay attention to what’s happening in our backyard.

ROSE KOSTIUK NOWAK

Petaluma

Insider candidates

EDITOR: Two of the four declared candidates for Sonoma County sheriff spent most if not all of their law enforcement careers working in the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office; one is still there. During their time working under various superiors, including Sheriffs Steve Freitas and Mark Essick, they were members of the deputy sheriffs’ union, an important, legally protected and influential player in the culture and politics of the Sheriff’s Office, if not the entire county.

They would now have voters believe that, if elected sheriff, they will upend the culture of the organization that helped form who they are today, provided their livelihood and formed relationships — friendships — that come with years of immersion in any organization, and that they will embrace the voters’ strong intention (as made resoundingly clear in the passage of Measure P) to end Gestapo policing in Sonoma County. Sure they will.

BOB EDWARDS

Sonoma

Spreading hate

EDITOR: The distribution of antisemitic flyers throughout the Bay Area sows fear. The reported statement by Napa Police Sgt. Mike Walund, likening these incidents to the delivery of mail, sows more fear, this time from a public servant sworn to protect the community (“Hateful flyers linked to rapper,” Feb. 26).

The distribution of hate speech to targeted citizens is not defined as a crime, but according to the U.S. Department of Justice it is a “Bias or Hate Incident” defined as: “Acts of prejudice that are not crimes and do not involve violence, threats, or property damage.”

Either Walund’s statement was reported out of context, or Walund has revealed an opportunity to reflect on his need to be better informed about his department’s duties. According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, “Law enforcement can help to defuse potentially dangerous situations and prevent bias-

motivated criminal behavior by responding to and documenting bias-motivated speech or behavior even if it does not rise to the level of a criminal offense.”

I invite more reflection from Walund and The Press Democrat, so that they might take this opportunity to alleviate the harm done to the community by the implication that hate incidents will not be taken seriously by police.

HONORA RUSSELL

Sebastopol

Happy he’s gone

EDITOR: In response to David Korte’s letter (“Are things better?” Thursday), I am a 76-year-old widow of a Vietnam veteran, and I guess I could be labeled a “Trump hater,” but I prefer to think of him not with hatred but with relief that he is no longer our president.

Things are not better for the almost 1 million Americans dead from COVID-19 due to Trump’s inept handling and denial of the seriousness of this disease and the politicization of vaccinations. Nor are things better for middle class people who pay more in taxes after Trump’s tax cut benefited corporations and the top 1% of the wealthy in the U.S.

And Trump’s decision to freeze congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine in order to extort their president may have emboldened Vladimir Putin to attack.

So, no, I don’t hate Trump. I’m just very happy he’s no longer in office.

CONNIE KELLOGG

Sebastopol

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