There are 13 major states in the U.S. that have declared Sanctuary status including California. There are 20 or more cities and counties in California that are also Sanctuary-declared jurisdictions. The County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors was silent in this regard during the first Trump Presidency when thousands of immigrant families were separated from their children, and a great many have never been reunited. Now it’s four years later and the new Trump stated policy wherein our 11 to 12 million immigrant population has been threatened with forced incarceration and deportation, and Sonoma County’s stalwart County District leaders maintain the same deafening silence. Massive concentration camps and deportations of millions apparently has no impact on Sonoma leadership to speak up on their behalf through a Sanctuary resolution policy or ordinance. What does it take to move these representatives of the people to protect the safety and security of the people that live and work here whose lives are in jeopardy? This is not a rhetorical question and the people of Sonoma County wait and deserve an answer.
Will Shonbrun
Thank you so much David for stating in print what so many community members have been thinking. Time to play hardball with our elected officials at the county and state who are failing us and the people of California by privatizing public lands for developer profts.
Yes, thanks David and you too Teri for again stating the obvious: The State and the County have no intentions of reaching a compromise with the community’s wishes for a common sense plan that offers affordable housing, environmental protection and historic preservation. The Eldridge Renewal plan submitted by Mr. Rogal is, simply put, Outrageous! It’s nothing more than a give-away to this mega developer for personal profit; and for tax revenue for the county and state. It doesn’t address any of the concerns brought forth by the community. From the very beginning of this process we were told that this would be “a community driven plan”. Now after nearly 8 years of community input, dating back to 2016 at one of the first brainstorming sessions held at the Vintage House in Sonoma, there is nothing in these current proposals that even comes close to representing the wishes of the people. Even after the CEQA law suit, nothing has changed. Permit Sonoma is still pushing to build a high density town on this 180 acre site. Recently, however, there’s been some information floating around of a legal statute that proclaims that public lands have certain protections, especially on sensitive land such as this. The Public Trust Doctrine (PTD) may be able to stop the foreseen pillage of this historic and environmentally significant piece of land. From the little I’ve learned about the PTD I must say this legal doctrine has given me renewed hope that “the people” will prevail. As Teri stated: It’s time to play hardball.
(Correction to my previous post)
The above post was meant to be in response to David Bolling’s editorial.
Oooops!
~ Gregg Montgomery