Editorial

Today (Thursday, May 14) is the annual “Bike to Work Day,” equal parts celebration and encouragement of safe and affordable transportation that doesn’t involve driving a fossil-fuel powered vehicle.

When we look at our Sonoma County ballot for the Nov. 8 election with the many individual tax increases we wonder why some items are missing. County leaders want us to raise our taxes for parks, libraries and tourist activities to upkeep “the luxury of living in a world class destination.”

Local law enforcement leaders oppose Proposition 47. Although well intended, its consequences will not be as advertised.  The proposition promises to channel funds from prisons to schools and rehabilitative programs by reducing many crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. However, what we’re not hearing in pro Prop 47 arguments is that many successful programs currently exist for offenders that Prop 47 would negatively impact. In Sonoma County we have an extensive diversion program for drug offenders, and specialized courts to address drug and alcohol addiction.  By reducing these crimes to misdemeanors, the incentive to combat these addictions is replaced by a revolving door at the jail.  Worse yet, date rape drugs will be reduced to misdemeanor crimes.  

As a new year opens for us, we see lots of evidence about how two major events — our economy and the weather — keep avoiding our best predictions. We know they both run in cycles, but we can never get the timing just right.

I request that the city council reconsider their action to prohibit short-term vacation rentals. I understand that there are valid concerns about loss of low cost housing and the impact vacation rentals could have on our residential neighborhoods.

Why do public health systems matter? Because they work extraordinarily well, and are among the most efficient public programs in the country. More importantly, because public health providers work together to keep our communities healthy.

Domestic violence continues to thrive in our local communities

I do not intend the following to be mere nostalgia, but rather a description of a safer world in which a teenaged boy would not likely be shot by a police officer.