Letters to the Editor

Clarification on LBAM

Editor: There is an error that needs to be pointed out in the story entitled, “Moth #3 appears, just as CDFA calls off twist tie program” by Bonnie Durrance in the Aug. 21 Sun.
The reporter claims that, “Twist ties, laced only with the moths’ own pheromones, are designed not to kill but to confuse them, preventing them from mating.” While it’s true that the product used on the twist ties, Isomate-LBAM Plus, is a mating disruption formula, it is not true that these are the only chemicals with which they’re “laced.” A look at the manufacturer’s label shows that there are other chemicals present on the twist ties and most important to consider, “Other Ingredients” making up a third of the formula that are not listed, and will not be revealed by the manufacturer. So the fact of the matter is the public does not know what other chemicals are in this product.
Furthermore it states on the product’s label to keep it “out of reach of children,” and under “Hazards to humans and domestic animals” it lists the following precautions: “Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Harmful if absorbed through skin. Causes moderate eye irritation.” It further cautions to “Contact a poison control center or doctor…” if there’s contact with the product on skin or clothing.
A recent resolution passed by the Sonoma County Democratic Central Committee makes these important points:
*Sonoma residents have not been informed that they have a choice to not have the twist ties on their properties;
*The pesticide twist ties are specifically designed for agricultural use and not home use;
*Sonoma residents have not been informed of the manufacturer’s explicit health warnings, and that there are undisclosed ingredients in the twist ties; and* There has been no long-term testing to determine health effects on humans, and that the bio-pesticide may persist in their bodies for an undetermined and indefinite time.
If the government is going to ask us to expose our families to untested pesticides, at the very least it’s their obligation to fully inform the public of the risks they take in doing so.

Will Shonbrun
Boyes Hot Springs

Rancho residents want to be heard

Editor: At the Sonoma City Council meeting of Aug. 22, 2007, I asked the council to appoint an ad hoc committee to bring an agreement between Mr. Preston Cook, owner of Rancho de Sonoma and the “residents’ association.” Mr. August Sebastiani and Mr. Steve Barbose were kind enough to volunteer for the committee. Both council members worked diligently to effect a solution to the issues. On Feb. 11, they conducted a meeting at the park clubhouse that was open to all residents. The meeting was well attended and I believe many, if not most, residents left that meeting believing an agreement had been reached. It was not to be.
The association, with a group of outside agitators, continues to hold secret meetings that are not open to park residents. Then Mr. Mike Warner issues statements to the press that are presumed to be the views of all residents of the park. Since they will not allow us to attend their meetings, we started our own association. We are the Rancho de Sonoma   Homeowners’ Association. We are the only resident association that is working for a better community. We support Mr. Cook’s resident ownership plan with his promised improvements, which will keep our community open for future generations. The few, but vocal, opponents to conversion have offered no ideas or solutions to the many infrastructure problems in our community. We would appreciate your cooperation in getting our voices heard.

Earl Ahern, President
Rancho de Sonoma
Homeowners’ Association
Sonoma

Supports Democrats

Editor: While party conventions are traditional and times of celebration, it disturbs me to think that people will come away thinking that this election is all about the candidates – when it isn’t.
While it’s important whom we select as the Democratic nominee for president, what really matters is that the Democratic Party wins in November, because if the Republican Party remains in the White House, the average citizens of this beloved country will continue to lose ground.
We need universal health care and education for all – through the college level – so we can build a strong country that will lead the world in advancements and technology. We need to end not only this war, but ALL war. Wars only deplete our country of its human and economic capital and bring misery around the world. We need to eliminate our deficit that is now approaching $9 trillion and growing. We need to regain the world’s respect and we need to show our respect for everyone else in the world. We need to develop an energy policy for the future and we need to bind our planet’s wounds and rebuild our infrastructure.
Remember, it was the Democratic Party that initiated our social security program and Medicare that keep our elderly population from becoming destitute when they can no longer work. It was under a Democratic administration that we passed civil rights legislation. The Democratics are responsible for countless pieces of legislation that have helped working people, have helped protect our environment, our financial institutions, our judiciary and our constitution. All these safeguards, plus our earning power and our security have been seriously eroded over the past eight years. We must put a stop to this criminal abuse of power. November is just around the corner. Help us take back our country. Restore sanity and economic justice. Vote Democratic.

Helen M. Rowntree
Sonoma

Let the voters speak

Editor: What were they thinking?  Democracy must have lost its mind (8/20/08) at the Sonoma City Council meeting when Mayor Joanne Sanders did not recuse herself from the vote as to whether to appoint two nominees to the City Council in lieu of an election.
Not only did Mayor Sanders, who is running for City Council, not step down from voting, but she praised Laurie Gallian so highly that for a while I thought she was her campaign manager!
Write in … wasn’t that once part of our democratic process?
The cost of $7-8,000 was cited as one of the reasons for not having the election. How much money has been spent/wasted so far on the duck pond? Give me a break!
The November election is for the citizens of Sonoma to make their voices heard …bring back the write-in ballot … let us have our say!!!

Linda Tomback
Sonoma

Give and take

Editor: In response to the Board of Supervisors recently capping County retiree health care benefits at $500 month and proposing to do the same to union working-class employees. It comes after administrators developed a strategic plan last year to give the Board of Supervisor’s each an $18,000 pay increase and County administrators another $20 million in additional pay increases this year alone. Pay increases that put many administrative staff future retirement pay well over $100,000 annually. A particularly selfish strategic plan, concocted to give themselves “golden parachutes” to pay for their health care needs and working class families a “big rock” tied to a short rope.
And proposing to give employees a one-year, $600-a-month cash bribe to dump the retiree health care benefits, is, to quote an employee, “like abandoning your grandma to eat cat food while you live it up for about 12 months.” Please respect working families, retirees and affordable health care for all, by supporting your County workers in their fight to elect a fair and equitable Board of Supervisors in the upcoming November election.

Joe Kase
Santa Rosa