Yes on Prop 44
As a patient and member of the Board of Directors at Alexander Valley Healthcare, a community health clinic serving Cloverdale and Northern Sonoma County, I see firsthand the difference accessible, preventive care makes for thousands of patients, including seniors, children, expectant mothers and working families.
But the care my clinic provides is now at risk because of a dangerous statewide ballot measure, Proposition 44.
Prop 44 would cut $1.7 billion from California’s community health clinics in the first year alone and billions more in the years that follow. The consequences would be devastating. Hundreds of clinics throughout the state would be forced to shut down and cut essential services, jeopardizing access to primary care, prenatal care, mental health services, dental care and more.
If clinics close or reduce services, millions of patients would lose access to the care they rely on and be forced to turn to hospital emergency rooms for routine and preventive care. That would mean more overcrowded emergency rooms, longer wait times and higher health care costs for everyone.
Community health clinics like Alexander Valley in Cloverdale are a critical part of California’s health care system. Prop 44 threatens the vital role clinics play in communities across the state.
California voters should reject Prop 44 at the ballot box this November and protect patients and the community clinics they rely on.
Mark Thayer
Cloverdale
Bagby for Supervisor
Most Americans, and certainly Sonoma County residents, are vehemently against the current administration’s dangerous and inhumane policies. One way to help protect our communities from the madness is by using our vote to elect strong local leaders who will stand up for us and defend our values. I believe that Melanie Bagby is that candidate for Supervisor District 4.
Melanie is the only Democrat in the race and for over 20 years her peers and colleagues have selected her to represent the region in various capacities which have included: chair of Sonoma Clean Power, Russian River Watershed Association and Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District; at-large member of the League of California Cities Board of Directors; President of the Mayors and Council Members Division; and chair of the Sonoma County Mayors and Council Members Legislative Committees. The mayors and council members of Sonoma County selected her to represent them on the SMART board.
Her opponent cannot point to comparable peer-elected leadership across the region. Melanie Bagby has my support and will bring bold, progressive leadership to our BOS. Please be sure to vote in these very important midterms and, if you live in District 4, Vote Bagby for Supervisor!
Janice Blalock,
Santa Rosa
Depot’s Growth Potential
While one can make a case for both the old Depot and a Vine Street train station location, on balance I support leaving the station at the old Depot site.
The SMART right of way (ROW) on the south side of the tracks at the Depot along with the adjacent Opperman property provides a unique opportunity for true transit-density housing, essentially at the station platform. No such site exists at the downtown site.
The train station located at the old Depot was the foundation of the Central Healdsburg Avenue Plan (CHAP). It included up-zoned land uses around the Depot and street-type designations with specific design guidelines that are now embedded within our Zoning and General Plan. Moving the station would render the CHAP seriously out of whack. Will the CHAP, our General Plan, zoning and design guidelines be reconsidered and revised if the station moves?
The City is embarking on a plan for the south side of the bridge. It is also based on the historic station location. Hopefully there will be significant housing in this area. The Depot site is midway between this area and downtown. A Vine Street station would be over a mile walk from south of the bridge. It would be shortsighted to ignore the area south of the bridge.
The station at the Depot will provide incentive for the historic Depot building to be refurbished and put to use (coffee shop? toilet rooms?). Having legitimate use is key to successful building restoration. Getting off at the historic Depot site with a refurbished Depot would connect visitors and residents alike with our long history of train service and its impact on Healdsburg.
The station at the Depot will bring ridership closer to the redeveloping area south of the Roundabout. A parking lot was built next to the Depot for the future station. Do we want to add more southbound commuter cars parked all day downtown?
Alan B. Cohen,
Healdsburg
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