City Council Candidate Questionnaire

Eight candidates are running for three seats on the Sonoma City Council. Here, in part one of our candidate questionnaire, the candidates introduce themselves and the address in their own words two timely issue. The word limit for all answers was 250 words. Next week’s topics: water; business regulation; and affordable housing. Part 2 can be found here.

1. Tell readers about yourself and your vision for Sonoma.

2. Minimum wage:
Should City Council pass an ordinance requiring that the minimum wage paid to all workers in the City of Sonoma be at least $15/hr?  Why?

3. Tourists vs. Residents:
Should City Council undertake efforts to make the City’s economy more, or less, tourist-oriented, or keep it about the same?

Madolyn Agrimonti

About the candidate:

For three decades I have dedicated myself to public service and volunteerism. As your neighbor, I recognize the sensitivity of the balance of our small town way of life with our need to provide jobs and economic stability. As your Councilwoman that knowledge will guide me in all my decisions. I will bring my experience as a U.S. Senate Aide, a State Senate Aide, former Councilmember and former Mayor to the Sonoma City Council.  I am proud of my accomplishments, especially with my work with non-profit organizations. As former President of the Board of the Community Center, we were able to obtain Redevelopment Agency funds to retrofit our building. This process saved the Community Center from extensive damage to the stairway during the recent earthquake. We also renovated Andrews Hall, with the help of the Rotary of Sonoma Valley’s matching grant.

I served on the Hospital Health Care District Board from 2008 to 2012. During that period our Board of Directors implemented the $35 million dollar retrofit project and renovation of Sonoma Valley Hospital. After leaving the Board I joined the Hospital Foundation Board where I was responsible for chairing the Celebration of Women in 2013 and 2014. Most recently I am serving on the Fundraising Committee on SVHRA’s Board project “Sonoma Splash” to build a community pool at Paul’s Resort.

I have held leadership positions and will use those skills to provide my best for the citizens of Sonoma.

Minimum Wage
After President Obama’s call for an increase of the minimum wage. the City Council of Seattle, Washington passed a local ordinance that increased the minimum wage of the city to $15 an hour. Seattle now has the highest minimum wage in the United States.

I attended the September 3, 2014 Council Meeting in which Councilmember Barbose’s agenda item requested discussion of the possible implementation of an ordinance which would establish a higher minimum wage for businesses operating within the City limits of Sonoma. Staff research had not shown any smaller cities to have undertaken this legislation. The Council vote was 3 to 2 to calendar the issue and possibly enlist the help of a team of researchers from UC Berkeley. This is the same team that prepared research for the City of Seattle.

I support using the research team to promote an open discussion between the City Council and constituents of Sonoma. It is especially important because our economy is tourist driven and those within the hospitality industry the lowest paid.  A majority of the City Council have already shown their willingness to discuss this issue in a public forum. Once they have the information they seek there will be a decision. Whether they choose to pass the ordinance will be determined once they have reviewed all the material and listened to their constituents. I lean toward passing the ordinance however, like the Council I would wait to hear the research before making that decision. Most important is that they will have the discussion that has to happen.

Tourists vs Residents
As the 10th friendliest city in America there is no possibility that the City Council will make our economy less tourist oriented? With that in mind I would offer that the market controls itself and can increase or decrease.  Of course I would prefer an increase.

Visitors to Sonoma bring their enthusiasm for spending. Their spending was reflected in the City’s 2014 – 2015 budget review, which revealed that the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), “city fees our visitors pay to hotels during their visit,” is 21 percent of our general fund revenue or $3,162,900 projected for 2014.

There are two concerns that have been brought to my attention, traffic and Airbnb.

The traffic can be overwhelming and we shouldn’t settle for “it’s good enough.” I will use my experience with traffic circulation solutions to bring the issue to the forefront.

Airbnb has become very popular and is an issue that has to be resolved. Not only does it take money away from the City byway of not having permits for the accommodation but those providing the space do so under the radar by not having guests pay a Transient Occupancy Tax.  While we welcome these visitors, they are disrupting neighborhoods not prepared for all night parties or cars taking up parking spaces. We are a friendly City but we also need to protect our quality of life. As your neighbor I have similar concerns and as Councilwoman I will not shy away from these and other issues. We’re in this together!

Ken Brown

About the candidate:
I am 67 years old, a father of four and grandfather of five. I live in Sonoma with my wife Jewel Mathieson, 24-year-old son Moses and 7th grader Eden. I have two older daughters, Chandra  and Shoshana. I have a column in the Sun newspaper and host a show called Hey Neighbor on KSVY. I am a mentor with the Sonoma Mentoring Alliance, and a founding member of the Sonoma Ecology Center and Sonoma Sister Cities. I am a Life Member of the Sonoma Community Center. I sit on the SV Citizens Advisory Commission, the Oversight Board to the Dissolved CDA, Sonoma County Health Action, the Sonoma Valley Health Roundtable, SV Economic Development Sterring Committee, the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, and the Mobile Home Park Rent Control Ad Hoc Committee.

I have served on the Sonoma City Council for the last 16 years, Mayor of Sonoma in 2002, 2008 and 2013, and I am a far better council member now then ever before. Councilmembers are in the customer service business and I provide the very best of customer service to the citizens of Sonoma. I have been supported by Congressmen Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman, the Sonoma County Democrats, and Sonoma Mayor Pro Tem David Cook and Sonoma Council Member Laurie Gallian. I have much more to offer the citizens and I plan on using my long experience to best serve the citizens of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley.

Minimum wage:
I supported the city in developing a study to explore the raising of the minimum wage in Sonoma. I have not yet come to a conclusion as to what the dollar amount should be. I will wait for the study results to decide. This issue cannot be ignored or wait for the county, state and federal governments to take the step. Sonoma is an expensive place to live and we must provide that each and every worker gets paid a living wage. It’s time to act.

Tourists vs Residents
The balance between our residents and our tourists is of utmost importance. I have no intention to be the council member that destroys this balance. We must keep our relations with the tourist serving community and our business community strong and vibrant. We must always be sensitive and open to listening to the issues of our citizens. We must extend our listening abilities to hear all of the complaints and solutions offered. We have achieved this balance through many years of hard work. I am very proud of this council, councils past, our commissioners and city staff who work each and everyday to achieve harmony and balance. Our work is not done and never will be. We must not be afraid to continue.

Linda Corrado

About the candidate
I am running for City Council because I will sustain my commitment to truth, integrity, and direct, decisive communication with and for the community. I always wanted to be an architect. With a penchant for space planning and a creative flare, I was relegated to either becoming a teacher or nurse. My father, of the old school, only allowed my brother to go into business major.

In my late twenties I realized that teaching was not my passion although I came to enjoy the profession very much. So I moved from the right to the left coast, was hired as a facility planner for AT&T and progressed into a position of long range planning and project management over all construction. I switched my major from education to business management and then entered a graduate program for project management with an emphasis on construction. I was recognized by AT&T and nominated for the women’s achievers club. My innate ability to take a problem with a large scope and quickly determine an economical plan of attack led me into this recognition status. Through planned growth through consolidation; expansion with reduction I was able to save the company over $5 million in lease costs.  I can and will do the same for Sonoma. I am of the people and for the people. I am a leader with heart.

Minimum Wage
I understand both sides of this issue and can sympathize with local business owners yet rally for the low income wage earner who deserves to be paid their worth. There needs to be a common ground and both sides need to work towards that compromise. I can and will do all that. As a certified US Sailing Judge I am trained and experienced in dispute resolution work. I can to facilitate an equitable solution to this very important issue.

Tourists vs Residents
Sonoma needs tourism. The revenues generated from this industry help support this town in many ways. I believe we need to keep this in mind for our long term plan. Yet at the same time City Council must absolutely devise and long term strategic plan to reduce congestion around the town square so that the local community can navigate with a bit more ease than they can right now. I would love to see the Broadway corridor developed in such a way that includes local artists and wineries and plan to some type of ongoing shuttle service to and from the plaza. But I do support tourism whole-heartedly.

Gary Edwards

About the candidate
I love this town.  I came to Sonoma over 20 years ago to find a village. I was fortunate to be neighbors with some of the first people I met in Sonoma, Ig and Sally Vella, Bob Cannard, Dan Ruggles, Bob Parmalee.How fortunate to be in the middle of the history of Sonoma.  That is what Sonoma is to me. All of those people have done great things to shepherd our history. With my children being 3 and 5 years old, and the great young families I have had the opportunity to spend time with and learn from.  I want to be a connection, a conduit, to bring that history forward to the next generations.

My vision for Sonoma is to leave it better than I found it.  Share my children the history and the character of our community.  In the work I have done, with the Rotary, The Ecology Center, Community Garden, the Thanksgiving meal every year for over 400 people, BGC, Willmar Center, I continue to be conscious about our young people because our young people are our future. My vision of Sonoma is to have it always be a place that people come to get a taste of what it is like to live here.

To always be welcoming and friendly and let them know they can come back any time, and sharing what it is we like about this place.  And set the example for other communities in Sonoma County.

Minimum Wage
As a 15 year old in 1974, my first real job was for 75 cents per hour in a supermarket.  I had the opportunity to go to work in a highly competitive supermarket that gave me a chance to prove my value to the company.  This experience gave me a great foundation for the career that I am now in.  And it wasn’t long after this job that my father moved the family 100 miles north, and I elected to stay.  By that time, I was earning enough to sustain my life from 16 years on.

As a small business owner, there are increasing government requirements and regulations that have added enormous costs and burdens to small business, it is difficult to mandate yet another requirement that would force many small mom and pop operations to bear the cost.  This may eliminate the possibility of students, and young people having an opportunity to receive a taste of work or business.  I don’t want to eliminate the opportunity for young people to have the chance I had, by adding additional requirements to small business.  It could create a disadvantage to companies that are just inside our city limits.  However, I look forward to the conversation that I expect to continue on this topic and I look forward to a prosperous and productive community that helps us achieve this organic.

Tourists vs Residents 
Many of our residents were once tourists in our beautiful town.  Tourism can be one of the most environmentally friendly industries that a community can have.  It is my opinion that the city council should encourage it and be conscious, and consistent in our approach to this tremendous industry that we are blessed to have as far as I’m concerned.  And keep in mind that the lifestyle that we enjoy in this community is something that tourist come to have a taste of. So we need to continue to be ourselves.  The tourist industry really wants to feel what we feel. If we can remember that, it is a good thing.

Rachel Hundley 

About the candidate:
I am passionate about local government because that is where decisions are made that affect our day-to-day lives and quality of life. I believe serving as a leader in my local government is the most direct way I can serve my community. I also believe I have the background and skills to be a fair and effective decision maker. I started my own business in Sonoma with a strong work ethic and a tight budget. I am also a licensed and practicing attorney. I want to use my experience as a business owner and my background in law to find pragmatic solutions to Sonoma’s pressing issues, build bridges between opposing viewpoints, and encourage regulation that is easy to understand and efficient to implement.

I deeply care about my community, and I believe I will add to the dialogue of the council in a way that will more fully represent the Sonoma community. I came to Sonoma to start a business, build a family and be a part of a community, and I want to help make decisions that will best serve the City for generations to come.

Minimum Wage
I support the City Council’s recent vote to commission a study of the effect of raising the minimum wage in Sonoma. We owe it to our workforce to explore this issue thoroughly. Other local governments in the North Bay have tackled this issue in recent years resulting in minimum wage increases anywhere from $10.15 to $12.53, with implementation ranging from immediate to over the course of several years. That being said, all of these cities are at least ten times as big as Sonoma, and it is hard to predict what the effect would be on our existing and future businesses. We need the study results before we can make an informed decision on this issue.

From a logistics standpoint, establishing a local minimum wage would require Sonoma to operate as its own Department of Labor. Our current city staff does not have the expertise or manpower to serve this function, and we need to determine how feasible it is to create and operate this new agency. Additionally, I am concerned about the effect of raising the minimum wage on teenagers entering the workforce. With a higher minimum wage, an employer will always choose the more experienced person over someone looking for their first job. I am also concerned about the effect on new businesses that already have a tough time getting financing.  It might be possible to craft a local wage ordinance that addresses these and other concerns, but the City Council must have all of the information first.

Tourists vs Residents
Some cities have manufacturing. Others have corporate tech companies. Others, still, have large warehouse retail stores. In Sonoma, we have a picture perfect plaza in the center of a city that is steeped in rich history and surrounded by rolling hills of vineyards. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit to experience our paradise for themselves. In the process, they pay enough taxes to cover a third of our annual budget. They also give millions of dollars to our local businesses that provide thousands of jobs. I understand why some people are concerned about this growing industry. If our priorities fall out of balance, meaning if we lose sight of the fact that the reason we are nurturing this industry is because it supports our city, then we would be at risk of losing those the unique and wonderful qualities that make us love living here so much.

The key is balance. I support all of our local businesses that bring in tourism-related revenue. I support the Tourism Improvement District, which levies an additional tax on our hotels and puts in straight into unified marketing that focuses on increasing overnight stays, particularly during the off season. Conversely, I support our strict vacation rental ordinance, which discourages second home purchasers and keeps our property values stable. I came to Sonoma because of its deep sense of community and quality of life, and I know we can reap the benefits of our tourism industry while honoring our small town values.

Andrew Sawicki

About the candidate:
I went from Chicago and University of Illinois to California and the University of Redlands in Southern California. Next came medical school in San Francisco.  After graduation and marriage to my wife, Katie, I joined the U.S. Army, 8 years active and reserve duty to include the 25th Infantry Division and Company Commander at the 352nd Medical Evacuation Hospital.  Settled in Sonoma in 1987 with my wife and growing family and became a staff member in the surgical department of Sonoma Valley Hospital.  Over time I became a consultant for California Correctional Medical Facility. I served on the board of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center and, in time, became the podiatric consultant there.

Minimum Wage
Minimum wage should be cost-of-living dependent to our area.  Small businesses are dying because of government taxes/service charges/licensing, etc. If minimum wage is too high we will become an outlet city. Report on what would be reasonable minimum wage for our city – according to job distribution/training/housing.

Tourists vs Residents
Tourist dollars are a vital part of our city budget.  However, do not hold our historic city hostage to only boutiques and wine tasting rooms. We must grow and make sure these tourist tax dollars are used proportionately to help our infrastructure as well as promote tourism.  Transparency.  Fix roads, sidewalks, clean creeks and trim city trees. We must hold policy on rental homes for vacation properties in the community that we are not registered and taxed.  Otherwise we will become a transient highway town in a very small valley. No free ride!

Cameron Stuckey

About the candidate:
My Vision for Sonoma? 250 words? I’ll give it a shot.  My vision is for the people that work here and provide hospitality and services in and around our town to be able to at least afford a meal and a room at the same hotel or restaurant that they work in.  For us as a city to look to provide a more efficient water system to lessen our dependency on the VOMWD.  For our youth to be factored more into the city’s general plan so that they feel more confident that the city is invested in them other than sports (tiny example: No charge for the schools for events held on city property and continued dialog as to what projects they would like to see happen for them.) For the elderly in mobile home parks to live in a safe, secure and relaxed environment of their own amongst their peers.  For business and commerce to thrive not only with goods and services for tourists, but with a keen eye towards locals and the community at large. I could go on and on and if you know me, you know I can.

Finally, I want those of you who live here, who raise your families here, who believe in and understand what it means to live here, to stand up and be heard. Now is the time. This is YOUR town. This is YOUR future. This is YOUR legacy. That is my vision.

Minimum Wage
Let’s look at the math:

The annual income for someone making the current minimum wage of $9 per hour is $18,720.00. The annual income for the proposed $15 per hour minimum wage would be $31,200. Does that seem fair to you?  Could YOU afford to live on either of the above incomes?

The problem is implementation and enforcement. It would put a strain on city staff as they would have to hire another person to oversee it. In the end more research needs to be done on the impact on small businesses for cities of our size and the immediate impact on the economy. However, we are doing a great disservice to our community by not discussing or even exploring it, so if it’s possible we should delve deeper into this issue.

Tourists vs. Residents:
Keep it the same. The Tourism Improvement District has done a phenomenal job in promoting Sonoma and bringing tourists here to support businesses small and large.

That being said, Sonoma still needs to keep a watchful eye and maintain our rural cultural heritage.

Jack Wagner

About the candidate
I was born in the City of Sonoma in 1980. I grew up throughout the Valley, ultimately attending both SVHS and SSU. Sonoma is my home. After college I spent time traveling overseas and throughout North America, and recently lived in San Francisco for five years.

My professional experience includes working in the Video Game Industry, Farming, Fund-Raising, Community Organizing, Writing, Food Service, and even a little bit of Music. I received a Minor in Political Science from Sonoma State University in addition to my English Degree, and have volunteered on a number of campaigns; local, statewide and national, as well volunteering on poverty relief efforts.

I want Sonoma to remain both a place of great economic opportunity, and a place of rest and relaxation. I want to see Sonoma become known for not just our world renown wine, but our music, film, agriculture, micro-brewing, philanthropy, and political leadership.

With projects like Sonoma Clean Power, Sonoma, as a City, Valley and County, continues to prove its political leadership. The challenges that we are being presented with; budget, housing, water, roads, development and balancing our tourist industry with our small-town feel, will present us with solutions that can inspire other Communities around the world.

My experience in politics, my life-long connection with our Town and Community, and the diversity of my professional career, will help me represent the City of Sonoma and continue us toward a long-term sustainable future.

Minimum Wage
Studies show that increases in local minimum wages do not hurt employment rates, and only increase overall costs of businesses less then one percent annually. Studies on basic income show that giving the lowest income earners more money boosts local economies. Despite a lack of studies on the relationship between local minimum wage increases to local economic activity, I would predict that there is a similar positive correlation.

As well, increasing the amount of unconditional wealth to the poor and middle-class dignifies them, and allows them the freedom needed to move upward economically.

At some point however, too high of a minimum wage would have negative effects on business and employment, being counter-productive to the intent of the policy.

An independent study, requested by the City Council at the 9/3 meeting, would give us a clear picture of the costs and viability of increasing the City’s minimum wage. Unless a report shows a counter-productive effect from such an increase, I would support an initial modest increase, perhaps to $12-13/hr (with possible exceptions to restaurants and other tip-earning industries), and look toward studies and findings from cities like Seattle which have passed an increase to $15, as to the effects on employment and business costs there. If studies show no negative effect I would support an in-kind increase in Sonoma’s minimum wage.

Tourists vs. Residents
Nearly half the City’s tax revenue can be attributed to visitors and tourists (through our TOT and Sales Tax). With that said, more than half comes from our residents. Tourism must always be treated as a means toward maintaining our town as a locally focused community. Tourism also allows us the opportunity to showcase the many aspects of the Sonoma culture, of which we are rightly proud of. The best thing the City Council can do to help the economy is to make sure the lowest-income earners have access to essential services and to support diversity within and among our local industries.

I have talked about two specific ideas to spread out tourism, rather than focus it into a “peak season.” As hotel occupancy dies down in September opening the town to Oktoberfest celebrations would both promote our local emerging micro-brew industry, but also connect summer to Harvest, celebrating our local farms and agriculture.

During the one of the slowest weeks in January I would support a Chess Tournament, which a modest purse, funded through the TID and/or private sponsors, would make us the premiere Northern California Chess Tournament and fill our hotels for a regularly slow week of the winter. I would be open to increasing the TOT to help fund projects such as Public Housing and Public Transit that will help off-set the role that tourism plays on traffic and affordable housing.