Letters to the Editor

No on P, Yes on health

Editor: Proposition P is just another costly measure to keep people tied to the idea that they are going to be sick. We do not need to build more facilities to house the sick. Instead the hospital should put their funds towards educating people on how they can stay healthy, which involves proper nutritional choices which do not include meat, dairy and sugar. In Europe, doctors are paid incentives by their governments to keep their patients healthy. We live in a diseased economy which keeps people fearful, sick and confused. Our current economic slavery leads to stress, and the physical breakdown of people’s bodies. Without proper nutrition, it is hard for us to maintain proper health under these conditions. The strength of a nation is directly proportionate to the health of the people and it is time that people started taking seriously what they are putting into their mouths. We have people running to the hospital for a quick fix of the latest designer drugs, which is now leading to taxing the citizens with more bonds to house all of these people when it would be a far wiser decision for the hospital to vigorously start educating people on proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.
Kathleen Callaghan
Sonoma

Supports 12

Editor: I have been so distracted by your feeble “recommendation” on Prop 8 that I missed your recommendation to vote No on Prop. 12. You do your readers a disservice – you clearly didn’t do any research on this one. You state that, “We’ve just seen, though, what happens when sweet deals for home buyers get them in over their heads: a bail-out by taxpayers.” The Cal Vet program has been around since 1921, helping veterans purchase homes in California. These loans are not exotic, they are very straight forward, full documentation, 30 year fixed, low interest rate loans. Veterans have consistently paid these loans off and covered the cost of administration of the program. The program relies on bonds for funding. It’s the least we can do for veterans who call California home.
Brooks Rumph
Sonoma

Vote for Pier

Editor: Supervisor Valerie Brown’s latest mailer attacks her opponent, Will Pier, for suggesting that the County resume managing Community Hospital from Sutter Health. The mailer omits an inconvenient truth. We, the taxpayers, already own Community Hospital. Sutter manages the hospital under a contract which they have threatened to renege on.
If Sutter Health walks away from its contract as it threatened last year, the County will have two choices; either close the hospital or take over managing it until another “for profit” corporation can be persuaded to operate it. Will Pier, unlike the incumbent, is at least addressing the issue. We can only assume from Supervisor Brown’s mailer that she is in favor of closing the hospital to save “taxpayer millions.” She can then chalk that up as another victory in her “Less Health Care is Better Health Care” agenda.
I hope voters will not be fooled by this deception and vote for Will Pier on November 4.
Philip Sales
Sonoma

Editor: We have been hearing from incumbent First District Supervisor Valerie Brown and her supporters that she is the preferred choice over Will Pier because of her superior experience, especially in dealing with large budgets. What has her experience done for Sonoma County so far? 1) A contract with Sutter to manage Community Hospital which apparently allows Sutter to walk away without sufficient protection for the County, 2) Mismanagement of Russian River water supply by failing to regulate unpermitted and excessive diversions and allowing gravel mining which reduces natural filtration and storage capacity, so that more water flows to the ocean instead of being stored in the aquifer, all of which results in higher costs to ratepayers 3) Recently hiring a County public relations person at $200,000 per year (one of the wasteful expenses Will Pier will eliminate) 4) Reducing County retiree health benefits while raising Supervisor salaries by $18,000 (which Will Pier has pledged to reject).
Will Pier has practical budgetary experience as a building contractor as well as extensive public service experience on City and County commissions. Dealing with a larger budget does not require a degree in rocket science. The sheer fact of Ms. Brown’s experience as Supervisor is not a reason to elect her to another term. We can’t afford to give Valerie Brown more experience at promoting policies which serve big development and other moneyed interests at the cost of local residents (e.g. the Greywood Resort project in Kenwood). As a 30-year resident of the Valley and a working attorney who pays taxes and cares about the economic health and long term quality of life in Sonoma Valley, I will be voting for Will Pier.
Jerry Bernhaut
Sonoma

Questions Woolsey

Editor: It’s all Bush’s fault, at least that’s what Lynn Woolsey says in a recent e-mail. Really now, well I just had to check that one out.
At the time of their takeover, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed-up nearly half of all mortgages in the U.S. As much as $388 billion of those loans were high risk.
Congress is responsible for the oversight of Freddie and Fannie as well as our entire banking system. The House Services Committee states this on their website.
Now for some history:
In September, 1999, The New York Times reported President Clinton pressured Freddie and Fannie to relax their credit requirements so people with poor credit could get house loans. The article warned of the consequences of doing this. This practice continued into the Bush years.
In 2003, President Bush proposed legislation that would create better oversight over Freddie and Fannie.
In 2003, an audit of Freddie revealed poor management and accounting procedures. They had misstated earnings of five billion dollars.
In 2004, it was reported to Congress that Fannie had cooked the books to meet profit goals and trigger bonuses. Congress was also warned that Fannie was grossly under funded.
In 2005, Bush’s proposal for oversight died in Congress without a floor vote.
In 2006, the Federal Election Commission fined Freddie for 1.7 million dollars in fund raising violations. The money raised benefited members of Congress on the House Financial Services Committee and others.
And as we now know, in September, 2008, the federal government took over Freddie and Fannie because their losses threatened the entire mortgage industry.
So the truth is it’s more Congress’ fault. My question is why did Lynn Woolsey so casually try to mislead me? A lot of them do it, not just her. If we can’t trust them to tell the truth, they shouldn’t be working for us.
Craig Buckhout
Sonoma

Thinks SMART
is smart

Editor: Alan Fackler’s article about SMART and Measure Q in the October 28 Sonoma Sun is misleading. All one has to do is go to SMART’s web site, www.sonomamarintrain.org, to find answers to nearly every question imaginable about SMART, including a white paper about SMART’s financial plan.
Dr. Robert Eyler, director of the Center for Regional Economic Analysis at Sonoma State University, calls SMART’s 20-year financial plan “reasonable and conservative.”
SMART relieves traffic congestion at a much lower cost than widening Highway 101. The cost of laying more pavement on 101 is at least $10 million per mile, building SMART costs $7.7 million per mile. Plus SMART already owns the rail right-of-way. Using it this way is fiscally responsible and cost-effective.
SMART protects the environment by taking 1.4 million vehicle trips off the highway each year, reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.
SMART benefits both the local economy and environment. That’s why it’s endorsed by groups as politically diverse as the Sonoma County Alliance and Sonoma County Conservation Action.
With today’s high gas prices, it’s time Sonoma and Marin counties had a modern day transportation alternative. Our economy and environment will suffer if we continue to rely on roads and driving. Please vote yes on Measure Q.
Gina Cuclis
Sonoma

It wasn’t me

Editor: On Oct. 23, you printed a letter from “Stephanie Parsons, Sonoma.” My name is Stephanie Parsons and I live in El Verano, not to be confused with the one from Sonoma? If there is another Stephanie Parsons in town, I would like to meet you.
Stephanie Parsons
El Verano