Editor:If city and regional planning represent a stool that has three legs: economic development, environmental sustainability and social equity, Measure B can be seen simply as push back against the economic leg becoming too out of proportion. That’s why I am Yes on B. Being... Continue

Poverty, FISH and Gleaning Early in October an editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle caught my eye. The editorial cited a study released by Stanford’s Center on Poverty and Inequity that recalculated poverty using the California Poverty Measure that factors in the high cost of... Continue

Editor: In his IT piece Steve Page says that Measure B "subverts" the design review process of Sonoma, when all it does is add a stipulation about the size of hotels, one of many regulations that the Planning Commission, Design Review Board and City Council... Continue

A diverse cross-section of groups and individuals have come out opposing Measure B because they realize the unintended consequences the Measure would have on Sonoma’s city services and our quality of life. The Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs Association, Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, Sonoma... Continue

Editor: Dear Editor, Recently a local hedge fund CEO and securities trader complained that voting Yes on Measure B to protect Sonoma from big hotels would be "robbing us." Which "us" is he talking about? Seems to me that the "robbing" is usually in the... Continue

Editor: When you do not have a cogent political argument, the best tactic is to confuse people. You may have noticed signs advocating "No" on Measure B in order to “Protect Our Plaza.” Allowing large hotels to dominate our beautiful plaza will "Protect Our Voice"... Continue

As I prepare to cast my vote on Measure B, I’ve read the voter information written by both the sides of Measure B. The most misleading argument within the ballot arguments is a claim by Measure B proponents in their opening paragraph that states “Sonoma... Continue

Editor: The Preserving Sonoma Committee was disappointed to learn of labor union Unite Here's decision to oppose Measure B, the Hotel Limitation Measure. Unite Here has mistakenly confused it's own mission of increasing union membership with what's best for Sonoma's long-term health and quality-of-life. In... Continue

What started out as opposition to Darius Anderson’s proposal for a high-end hotel near the Plaza has turned into a local civil war. The two biggest issues appear to be commercial growth and the Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT). This debate has turned our otherwise sophisticated... Continue