After the Legislature imposed billions of dollars in new car and gas taxes on Californians last month, a friend emailed me to register his disappointment and disgust: “It’s like we live in an apartheid society where the politically powerful live in luxury and laugh at... Continue

On April 28, Governor Brown signed SB1 into law. This new California law is a fuel tax that will be placed on diesel fuel and gasoline. Starting November 1st 2017, diesel fuel will go up by $0.20 per gallon and gasoline will go up by... Continue

What kind of a society penalizes its sick, poor and elderly? According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, our own -- if the Trump/Ryan AHCA is enacted into law. The CBO estimates that health premiums for the average 60 year old would skyrocket to $16,000... Continue

I am a 43-year resident of Sonoma Valley. I’ve worked at Sonoma Valley Hospital for five years and with Sutter Health for 18 years in Administration as well as directly with patients and their families. I strongly support Sonoma Valley Hospital. However, I do not... Continue

Before the ink on the governor’s signature has dried on the largest gas tax increase in California history, Sacramento Democrats are fully intending to break their promise to dedicate the new revenue to fixing our crumbling roads. In the upcoming budget, there is a proposal... Continue

California’s already overburdened taxpayers are, once again, being blamed for being the problem, now that Gov. Jerry Brown has labeled those who object to his new $5.2 billion gas and car tax as “freeloaders.” Taxpayers have become accustomed to being insulted by those who want... Continue

I am a 43-year resident of Sonoma Valley. I’ve worked at Sonoma Valley Hospital for five years and with Sutter Health for 18 years in Administration as well as directly with patients and their families. I strongly support Sonoma Valley Hospital. However, I do not... Continue

I recently drove 900 miles to receive treatment at Sonoma Valley Hospital, opting out of Seattle's mega medical centers.  Naturally, I received excellent care from Dr. Robert Harf, but what pleased me most was my discovery that the tradition of personal, compassionate, and professional care... Continue

In late April, Kim Vail and I along with Karissa Kruse, Supervisors Gore and Hopkins and other Sonoma County leaders joined Herman Hernandez of Los Cien Sonoma County Latino Leaders for a bus trip to the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco. We met... Continue