The revenue from the tax on Sonoma hotel rooms continues to check in with penthouse-view numbers. The latest figures, from the first quarter of 2014, show the second highest figure for that period ever: $487,000. Last year’s $538,000 was the record high, the start of a $3.1 million year that broke records for each quarter. The rest of the Valley is lumped into the Unincorporated category, which set its own first-quarter record of $1.61 million… For those of you with Healdsburg envy, the first quarter total there was $414,000.
Speaking of cash, Rep, Mike Thompson continues to deliver for the Sonoma Valley Health Center. A few years ago, he was instrumental in $5 million in federal money to make the move to the center’s new facility possible. This week he delivered a $211,840 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to hire additional staff for the health center’s new dental clinic, and support staff for the primary care clinic. The new funding, says CEO Cheryl Johnson, will allow an additional full-time provider, resulting in an additional 450 patients served. “Also, with the addition of comprehensive dental services through our new Dental Clinic, the long-standing oral health disparities and lack of access to dental care in our service area will be remedied,” she said. As for Thompson, “I am proud to announce these important funds which will allow our health center to hire more providers and serve more patients.”
Maybe if it cost more than a dime per bag there would have been more conversation about the plastic bag ban at grocery stores. If you hate taxes, for instance, where’s the outrage? Mandating a 10-cent charge for a paper bag is nothing less than a new tax – legislators admitted as much, but said if they used the t-word, the bill would need two-thirds approval rather than a simple majority… And where do your dimes go in under the guise of environmentalism? Straight into the coffers of Safeway et al. Billions of bags will lead to millions in straight profit to the state’s grocers. You’d think some of the money would go to recycling programs, education, something with a public benefit. Nope. Straight profit… The law is also free money to liquor and other small stores that never used plastic bags to begin with. Now they get a dime per deal – for something they were doing for free a month ago.
David Bolling has exited the Sonoma Index-Tribune. The circumstances are unclear, but here’s wishing him, after nearly eight years with the paper, all the best.
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