Wednesday’s Letters to the Editor

No new gas stations

EDITOR: Is it me, or did Staff Writer Guy Kovner sound a bit sarcastic, or perhaps just biased, in his story about Sebastopol and gas stations (“City may ban new gas stations,” Aug. 9)? Kovner writes that “the burg with liberal bent” has just three gas stations “serving a population of about 7,700.” A quick search on my maps application lists nine gas stations within a 5-mile radius of downtown Sebastopol. Kovner makes it sound like we have a shortage where none exists.

As a Sebastopol resident for over 35 years, I applaud our City Council for considering a ban, and I encourage them to pass one. We simply don’t need new gas stations. We are moving away from this type of infrastructure and toward all-electric vehicles, which is a good thing while in a declared climate emergency.

I’m mostly proud of what Kovner calls Sebastopol’s “lib credentials,” although if I were reporting on them I would use complete words that don’t seem to poke fun. His intentions came off as murky at best.

Bottom line — no new gas stations. They are not part of our future, and we don’t need them.

JAN KAHDEMAN

Sebastopol

Changing for safety

EDITOR: I am a Rohnert Park resident and I support Measure D. I am also president-elect of the Rotary Club of Rohnert Park-Cotati and have worked in our fireworks booth many years. It is exhausting work, and there is a better way.

The majority of our fundraising came through firework sales, but as a club we have decided to stop the sales due to the extreme danger fireworks bring to our community. There are numerous ways to raise money, and we will redirect our efforts to do that for the safety of our residents and properties.

The City Council has also voted to make nonprofits whole if fireworks are banned, giving us time to develop new fundraising efforts. I love fireworks too, but unfortunately the risk of fire and the safety of the public is greater.

If you have bought fireworks before, please consider keeping our community safe by instead donating those funds to your favorite nonprofit so we can continue to do good in the world.

DARREN PATTERSON

Rohnert Park

Humane treatment

EDITOR: I was sorry to read that many folks have a problem with the possible scarcity of bacon and the probability of price increases (“Pork set to get pricey,” Aug. 7). Californians voted for Proposition 12, showing that they are becoming more aware of where the food on their plates comes from and that they care about the treatment of farm animals. The Los Angeles Times gets it right: Pork producers have long known this has been coming and have done nothing about it (“A small price to pay for treating farm animals humanely,” What Others Say, Thursday). Instead of complaining about a coming law giving gestating sows more space, pork producers should have been working on complying with it.

SHARON PONSFORD

Santa Rosa

Worthwhile expenses

EDITOR: I’d like to thank Patrick T. Flower for pointing out the obvious when he says we will have to pay the bill for tax money spent on various projects (“Rescued — at a cost,” Letters, Aug. 9). But he omits more than he should and in a somewhat disingenuous manner. Yes, we will have to pay. But no one is likely to get an instant bill for $100 or $200 or even $800. He knows, as well he should, that the trillion dollars in spending will be paid out over a period of years and that any tax increase will not be immediate or direct.

The thanks is to point out that regardless of how Flower makes his statements, they show one thing — we are in this together. If he really wants to direct his ire somewhere, maybe it should be toward people and corporations that can do creative accounting the rest of us can’t to substantially reduce or make no tax payment at all.

Otherwise, I’m happy to know that at least some of my tax dollars are going to positive projects and educating the populace.

JACK JACKSON

Sebastopol

Newsom’s own doing

EDITOR: Contrary to what Elizabeth Warren and Gavin Newsom think, the recall isn’t about Trump Republicans. This is about Newsom’s air of superiority. It’s about telling everyone else to mask up and social distance while he dined as he did at the French Laundry. It’s about giving out Golden State stimulus checks to everyone except those who needed it the most — those on disability and Social Security (because they didn’t have “earned income”). It’s about giving Medi-Cal to illegal immigrants, young and old, while citizens have to wait forever to be approved for it. So, Newsom can’t blame anyone but himself. This is all on him.

BECKY BONKOWSKI

Petaluma

‘Mega buck bully’

EDITOR: As a lifelong resident of Sonoma County who is politically astute, I’m disgusted by the retaliatory attempt to recall our highly respected district attorney, Jill Ravitch, by a local millionaire businessman.

For those who aren’t aware, he owns Villa Capri, an assisted living where dozens of seniors were abandoned during the 2017 fires. Thankfully, they were rescued by family members before it burned to the ground. He was sued by the state and the DA, resulting in a $500,000 fine. Now he’s bankrolling a recall against Ravitch for doing her job. Don’t let this mega buck bully influence your vote. Vote no on the recall.

ROBBIN MONTERO

Santa Rosa

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