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Officials say changes in benefits are a good start, still may look to do more

I am running for Healdsburg City Council and as such I am one of six people running for a total of three open positions.  There are two incumbents and four new people, such as myself.  I have no doubt that each of the candidates have the interests of Healdsburg at heart.  They have to, with a salary of $150.00 per month, with very limited medical coverage and no real retirement benefits; you sure don’t do it for the money.  You surely don’t do it for the vast prestige of the position either, as there are no corporate boards to join after your retire or speaking tours that are super lucrative.  In point of fact, you end up working something on the order of 20 hours a week for a basic salary of something less than $2.00 per hour.  This is less than minimum wage in California.  Even at that, some people feel that their representatives are overpaid.  SO WHY DO IT?????  I think you have to have some issues that you feel need to be addressed and the belief that you can materially contribute to the resolution of these issues.  In my case I am very concerned about the financial well-being of the city, given the current city government salary levels and the generous retirement benefits.  This is a CURRENT problem and not a future issue that can be addressed by simply changing the conditions for new hires only.  The work force is contracting and not expanding, so the impact of new hires on the retirement system is minimal.  The city employees are very dedicated and through salary give backs and related concessions they have materially lessened the financial impact on the city.  However, these steps may not be enough and additional difficult steps may be required to achieve financial well-being for the benefit of everyone.

Healdsburg voters will be asked in the Nov. 6 election to increase the city’s sales tax a half percent “to stabilize city finances, offset declining revenues and the loss of redevelopment funds.” Measure V is unanimously supported by the current five city council members and has been endorsed by the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce directors and the Healdsburg Unified School District trustees.

Ten years ago this month, more than 100 Healdsburg Peace Project members and supporters gathered on the Plaza to protest the threat of a U.S. invasion of Iraq.  The protesters believed that the U.S. had no right to invade a sovereign country and that the reasons for war given to the American people were lies. History eventually confirmed this, and the price paid has been horrible.

Once again, the residents of Healdsburg have demonstrated support for our children! Thank you to the thousands of voters who helped to pass Measure E to modernize schools in Healdsburg.

Last year, I was lucky enough to have been selected as Corp Member for Teach for America, a non-profit organization that places teachers in high need schools throughout the United States. My placement is in the Mississippi Delta, a region that has experienced long-standing high poverty, low graduation, and very poor college admission rates. Here, I have taught English to some wonderful students at Amanda Elzy High School in Greenwood, Mississippi. Unfortunately, many of these students are years behind grade level in a variety of subjects and often do not have the resources or opportunities that I was fortunate enough to receive in Healdsburg.

I’m back. Four months ago I signed off and stepped out to get ready to have baby number two. After a month of patiently waiting for her to arrive, Molly Paige Lindecker was born on May 21. There were some complications, and she spent the first week of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sutter Hospital, but she’s a big, strong girl and has made a complete recovery.