.Letters to the Editor: June 6, 2012

The Carrillo Quandary, Continued

I too am a graduate of Sonoma State University like Supervisor Efren Carrillo, but I graduated in 1971, before Efren was born. In those years one of the things I have learned is that past behavior, unfortunately, is the best predictor of future performance.

So I do not share Gabe Meline’s optimism concerning Carrillo’s “future” position on Preservation Ranch (“The Carrillo Quandary,” May 30). I think someone who would protect the redwoods like we protect the poppies would better serve the “Redwood Empire”! Efren’s vote on the Dutra Asphalt plant and the fact that his former campaign manager now works for Preservation Ranch bodes ill for the future.

I would recommend voting for Ernie Carpenter rather than having to wait four more years to try and hold Carrillo accountable for what I fear is inevitably a betrayal of our environmental heritage in a vote for development interests over the environment.

Sonoma

Understanding Posterity

I read “The Carrillo Quandary.” It reads “Vote for Efren Carrillo,” even though some of his important Sonoma County environmental votes are problematic. It characterizes Ernie Carpenter as out of office too long, and “the job he’s reapplying for has changed significantly over the past 16 years.” Note: George Washington climbed back into the saddle (a middle-aged man) 20 years after his success in the French and Indian War to lead the American Revolution. After which he twice served as president of the United States. Suffice to say middle-aged people can be productive in a variety of capacities, including county government.

I don’t know any of the candidates running for supervisor, nor will I give any of them campaign money. I have met Supervisor Carrillo a couple times in the capacity of my professional job as a government wildlife biologist. I find Mr. Carrillo articulate and a good listener to my ideas. I also respect his intellect. That’s why I hope this election goes down to a two-way race, so my supervisor can have many opportunities to better articulate his environmental record to the voters.

Dutra: The sitting board of supervisors voted to build an asphalt plant on the banks of a river in a flood plain, and to do so they amended a previous county document that had designated this area as environmentally significant. The lower Petaluma River is now on the block for possible further document-amending for development if a sitting board of supervisors wants to. Methinks a lot now about the Russian River after this vote.

Preservation Ranch: To the best of my knowledge, the sitting board of supervisors has not come out for or against the proposed project, which is a conversion of 1,800 acres of redwood forests into vineyards, the largest proposed redwood-to-grapes conversion in California. They say they are waiting for the environmental documents to be completed. Read the first sentence again in this paragraph. How can any sitting supervisor not have a definite position on such an extraordinary proposal at this time?

Historian Henry Steele Commager said that the problem with most political leaders is they have little if any understanding of posterity, and by that I mean our future. The above two examples are “bellwethers” as to how Sonoma County will conduct its open space stewardship.

Guerneville

Horrible Actions

My God. Is anyone paying attention to these horrible actions by Paul Andersen? (“Revealed: The Man Behind ‘Who is Stacey Lawson,'” June 3.) I’m happy Susan Adams will not get elected if this is the kind of person she trusts and has on her staff. I can only imagine Norman Solomon is just as bad—spending big bucks to slander another candidate. Whatever happened to integrity? Stacey Lawson just got my vote as the only “real” candidate in the race who is focusing on us, the people. Seriously, a sign of strength is to keep the focus on our needs and us.

Online

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