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The Sonoma County Growers Alliance (SCGA) has closely studied Measure A, the Sonoma County Cannabis Business Tax, weighing benefits and concerns. It is with great disappointment that the Sonoma County Growers Alliance Board of Directors found itself in opposition to Measure A. We want to explain how our board came to this decision, and offer our support to work to craft future policy that has the best interest of the community and local economy in mind.

It’s Women’s History Month!  (Odd that this celebration is in March, which was named for Mars, the Roman god of war.)  The 2017 theme:  “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business”.  Your library has many materials recounting significant moments in women’s history and the contributions of great leaders who helped advance the rights and opportunities for women.  One highly recommended video:  “Iron Jawed Angels” with Hilary Swank.

Marijuana seems to be almost everywhere in Sonoma County and not always where it ought to be. High school and even middle school kids smoke before, after and in-between classes. On highways and country lanes, drivers too stoned to adhere to the basic rules of the road jeopardize their lives and the lives of others.

Over the past two years the Healdsburg City Council has demonstrated its commitment to identifying lower cost housing solutions that allow our residents to live more affordably in our community. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), often referred to as second units, in-law units or granny flats are additional living quarters built on single-family lots that are independent of the single family residence.

Marijuana continues to be in the local news just as we promised last year that it would. The latest news is next week’s special election to create a “cannabis business tax” in the unincorporated areas of Sonoma County. The single ballot item is called Measure A.

A developer's dream if I ever saw one. At [the Feb. 15] Windsor Council meeting it was decided development impact fees for sewer and water would be decreased from $19,500 to $13,200 per new dwelling unit with granny or auxiliary units fees for these services reduced to -0-. This is basically a 1/3 reduction. Significant work went into the analysis and the reductions have their benefits to the Town in terms reducing certain limitations on how the impact fees may be spent. I failed to support the new methodology and reduction as Council was advised our capital reserves for our sewer treatment is very minimal at $171,000. I am alarmed that these reductions go into effect on the verge of 800 to 1,000 new units coming forward and the demands of new housing on our current system will be unfairly passed on to you, the existing rate payers. I understand Windsor's reclaimed water needs include storage ponds and recycled water connection to the Airport Business Center among others. I cannot see how these infrastructure needs can be met with these reductions.

Kitty Alarm 

Vacancy on Senior Citizen Advisory Commission

The other day, I picked my son up from school and had some errands to run afterward. I also had the baby in the car and we all know what a pain it is to get the littles out of their car seat every time we have to go a store. So I nicely asked my son to run into the post office to mail a folder to my mother-in-law. I handed him a couple of dollars and the folder, expecting him to just hop out of the car and go mail it. Instead, he looked at me like I was crazy. “Mom,” he says. “I don’t know how to mail this. What do I say when I get up to the counter?” Oh my goodness, I’m thinking to myself. Ok, be nice Elizabeth, don’t insult him. I had to handle this situation correctly as it was a very delicate one.