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  1. TopTop #181
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    -If Government were bound by the same Actuarial requirements of private industry ERISA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employ...e_Security_Act), requiring a 7 year pay back of unfunded liability (maybe we could require that), we would have to declare bankruptcy. We could then do as Stockton and San Bernardino did and rescind retiree medical and cut Rod Doles $500 Million of Pension Obligation Bonds to pennies on the dollar. Do what United Airlines did with Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation and cap the retirements to $43,000? Thus far pension reform in California is losing the court battles (as the judges also have skin in the game). Presently we have $400 Million Unfunded Liability, $500 Million in Pension Obligation Bonds and $300 Million in unfunded retiree medical---this supposedly will be paid back at 7.5% interest over the next 20-30 years (ain't gonna happen).

    In lieu of the above, we are on the hook, and have to reduce the payroll and benefits of Sonoma County as best we can:

    -$17,000,000 overtime for the Sheriff's Department...reduce this by helping our Deputy Sheriff's (and jail staff) spend more time with their families with Project Safe Zone (combination of private security, volunteers, technology, working together to protect our communities), "observe and report but do not engage." similar to other areas of the country and Sea Ranch. Restorative justice as alternatives to incarceration, homeless camps and more affordable housing, with services to reduce the 30% in the jail mentally ill and all the ambulance calls. Decriminalize drugs treating them less as a crime and more as an illness. Home incarceration and monitoring in lieu of jail with ankle bracelets and technology. Some have suggested as they do in Germany and England cameras to catch speeder's (I'm not there yet.)

    -More and more groups like Stewards of the Coast and Slavianka, taking over all the multi-jurisdictional responsibilities taking care of the Coast--- State Parks have a huge budget for the Coast and they can't even maintain a port-a-let with closed trails and people going to the restroom outside. Non-profits including Surfriders working to help lifeguards, shared maintenance of public facilities, volunteers staffing campgrounds (as Stewards do now with $50/day stipend for Bull Frog pond to volunteers), internet access at the Coast to compete with private campgrounds/RV parks.

    -Senior centers with Uber type transit service where we increase their funding overseeing better rural mass transit and rideshares. Technology...more resource and volunteers to libraries.

    -Workfare similar to what COTS (Committee on The Shelterless) are doing in Petaluma (love to see them take over county-wide efforts. Camps for the homeless with supervision and services to give them a hand up. $150,000/winter at Guerneville vets with a room with 20 1/2" foam pads and no pillows-let them in at 5:00pm and kick-em out at 7:00am, then their shuffling around the community like Zombieland, is inhumane and doesn't work for me...Housing First...give people a place to stay 24 hrs a day and help them get back on their feet. Utilize Chanate campus and Sonoma Development Center, again with volunteers and nonprofits as we can no longer afford the County to staff these endeavors.

    -Roads, let people fix their own roads with licensed contractors without charging them $1000's of dollars for encroachment permits, free permits and tell them we're grateful you're fixing our roads (like they do in Napa). Allow business to sponsor road repairs... there are a couple hundred miles of little used and dead end roads out there we should allow homeowners to create an association and put a gate on.

    Look at the top 500 salaries with benefits of Sonoma County on www.transparentcalifornia.com ... if we can't reduce the pension debacle (I've tried without success, with many others for eight years, and the costs keep going up and up while we reduce all the services), we need to reinvent government with using the resources a lot more with volunteers, non-profits, faith based groups and private business.

    There are a lot of ways we can do this...and most of the Supervisorial candidates are providing some great ideas...with the exception of one...who I believe is partially responsible for a lot of the mess we're in right now.

    OK...that's it for now...


    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Barry: View Post
    Thanks for the response, Tom, but that's all about where we are now and how we got here. Are you saying all there is to do now regarding pensions, is to figure out how to run the county government on less money while paying the pensions?
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  3. TopTop #182
    tommy's Avatar
    tommy
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    I used to be a member of SEIU, in the 70s when I worked for the state govt of PA. I support unions. Workers have been totally screwed since the 60s - that's one of the issues that Trump has based his candidacy on - not that he would do anything about it. The right wing has reduced the size of govt, reduced employment, in many states, and the federal govt. Look at Gov Walker in Wisconsin - he took away collective bargaining - one of the essential tools of workers aligning together and supporting each other, to improve their salaries & benefits. So much manufacturing has gone away in the US, leaving the govt sector one of the only places left for unions.

    I'd appreciate it if someone can post the summary numbers on pensions in Sonoma County govt. I know the Grand Jury issued a report on it a year or two ago. While I agree w Lisa that everyone should have a pension, the reality is that fewer & fewer have pensions, as the employment economy has changed.

    It would not be fair to not support Noreen because she voted to increase pensions. She has excelled in protecting our environment. For transparency sake, I wish she'd say something about pensions... because it could be spoken of in a positive light, of supporting workers, and she could take a leadership role in the pension debate... that no other candidate has taken, to my knowledge.
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  5. TopTop #183
    scamperwillow's Avatar
    scamperwillow
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Noreen did not vote to increase county pension. Where does that idea come from?
    Tom posted the rare high end pensions. Lisa, could you post what the average county pension is again?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by tommy: View Post
    ... They think that Noreen benefited from her vote to increase County pensions, & is now being paid back by SEIU supporting her. ...
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  7. TopTop #184
    rossmen
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Wow those are some scary numbers! Didn't Churchill or another fiscal watchdog petition the county auditor/controller to examine the early 2000 increases for their legality? And he declined with almost no explaination? And he was a bos hire to fill the vacancy of his retired predecessor (who got a really big pension and held the job when the increases occured), and then he went on to beat wysocky in a contentions election with full endorsement by county staff, management, and bos, and then retired last year (after only a few years on the job), with a big pension? Something is rotten in the county of Sonoma : (

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by riverosprey: View Post
    Good question Barry...sorry for the long response but this is a complicated issue....
    Last edited by Barry; 05-09-2016 at 03:17 PM.
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  8. TopTop #185

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by riverosprey: View Post
    P.S. Check out the retirement difference before 2003 and after,...
    Wow. It always amazes me when those who hurl accusations at others about 'attacks and unfair campaigning' let loose with a hailstrom of lies and propaganda. I'm not surpised to find Ken Churchill behind these "facts" as he has been called out for his made up numbers many times. His union hating and labor hating continues. All I ask is a little critical thinking. When I cited Lynda Hopkins' big business donations, I linked directly to the County's FPPC site and her own 460 form that was filled out by her campaign.

    The 'transparent' website that Ken and Tom posted is from a conservative Koch Brothers think tank:
    https://npri.org/
    Check it out yourself. They truly stoop to conquer.

    Here's the truth: If voters wish to side with Big Business, and Big Wine and Construction and Real Estate- then vote for Lynda Hopkins. If you wish to side with ther Sierra CLub, Sonoma County Conservation Action and SEIU 1021 and the hard working people who make this county run, then your choice is Noreen Evans. But don't let stooges for the right wing Good Old Boys and Wineries in this county pull the wool over your eyes with phony statistics from Right Wing Websites. Critical Thinking counts!
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  10. TopTop #186
    podfish's Avatar
    podfish
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    Wow. It always amazes me when those who hurl accusations at others about 'attacks and unfair campaigning' let loose with a hailstorm of lies and propaganda....
    are you saying the chart isn't accurate? or just the websites they linked to? unfortunately, the "discussion" here on wacco about these two candidates has been very low on data except for guilt-by-association naming of donors. Which is legit, but limited, and has been reiterated and reiterated and reiterated.

    I'm not saying the chart of pension benefits are especially relevant to the choice between these candidates either, since I haven't yet heard that either is proposing to roll them back. But I'm still curious - so, are you saying these are made-up numbers?
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  12. TopTop #187
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Agreed, Noreen never voted for the 50% unfunded retroactive for Sonoma County, she voted for it as a Santa Rosa City Councilmember. What Tommy's friends may be referring to is the subsequent $Millions Noreen received from unions as a legislator, rubberstamping and carrying the union bills attempting to get them passed.

    What I've said in forums when Noreen plays the "guilt by association" card, is that Noreen is one of the last of a generation of politicians who voted for these massive unfunded pension increases, putting at risk the retirements of ALL retirees and actives, especially the 1000's who retired before the increases (like Ernie, Jim Harberson, etc.), as well as the next generation of new union employees who get even less/later retirement than the before 2003 retirees, if there is a retirement program left for them when they retire.

    Sorry for the confusion Marty.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by scamperwillow: View Post
    Noreen did not vote to increase county pension. Where does that idea come from?...
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  13. TopTop #188

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by riverosprey: View Post
    -If Government were bound by the same Actuarial requirements of private industry ERISA....
    The Manure Man moniker sure fits! Again- you continue to post charges and attack Noreen Evans for votes which YOU ADMIT, she never made. She did not vote to increase county pensions- how could she, she has never served on the county. As for city pensions you continue to make wild and unsubstaniated claims while hoping voters won't understand what you are taking about by burying them with made up facts and figures from a Right Wing Koch Brothers website.

    I posted direct facts from the registrar of voters. Your propaganda is FULL of made up numbers. I know that you and Ken Churchill are doing the dirty work for Lynda's Republican Campaign Consultant Rob Muelrath (Efren's former campaign consultant who is also now working for the Cloverdale Casino- gotta love politics in a small town) but this is a new low-even for Republicans.

    Yuck- you have really debased yourself. As I said. Check the candidates 460's . This is the form that they legally must fill out. Educate yourselves about who is backing each candidate and why. Noreen has never hidden her support from the Sierra Club, Conservation Action or SEIU1021. She is proud to be supported by environmentalists and working people.

    It is the spokepeople for Lynda Hopkins (Tom Lynch has finally given up all pretense and outed himself as a shill for Lynda) who are trying to throw a bunch of anti union dirt at Noreen by yelling "pensions" in the hope that this scares voters. I don't think this will work in this county but they seem determined to try. I will not argue with phoney made up numbers from a right wing web site. Those tactics don't deserve a response.
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  15. TopTop #189
    twodogs's Avatar
    twodogs
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Perhaps it's an oversight on the Press Democrat's part , but among the biggest donors to Noreen Evans' campaign is the wife of Darius Anderson, aka The owner of the Press Democrat.
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  17. TopTop #190
    rossmen
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    I looked at your link and didn't see any tie to new sonoma. Where is the info you are referring to?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    ...
    The 'transparent' website that Ken and Tom posted is from a conservative Koch Brothers think tank:
    https://npri.org/
    Check it out yourself. ...
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  18. TopTop #191

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by rossmen: View Post
    I looked at your link and didn't see any tie to new sonoma. Where is the info you are referring to?
    When you click on the "ABOUT" link for the "Transparent" website you will see it is produced by a NEVADA Conservative Right Wing Think Tank. Try it .
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  19. TopTop #192
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Owe! Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains... well, let's not even go there :).

    Lisa, sorry you missed the below response of mine to Marty, of course Noreen has never voted as a County Supervisor (and we'll see in June how many would like to change that ).

    Sorry you missed this and for the confusion, hope this clears things up... Kind regards...

    ----------------------------------------------
    Marty

    Agreed, Noreen never voted for the 50% unfunded retroactive for Sonoma County, she voted for it as a Santa Rosa City Councilmember. What Tommy's friends may be referring to is the subsequent $Millions Noreen received from unions as a legislator, rubberstamping and carrying the union bills attempting to get them passed.

    What I've said in forums when Noreen plays the "guilt by association" card, is that Noreen is one of the last of a generation of politicians who voted for these massive unfunded pension increases, putting at risk the retirements of ALL retirees and actives, especially the 1000's who retired before the increases (like Ernie, Jim Harberson, etc.), as well as the next generation of new union employees who get even less/later retirement than the before 2003 retirees, if there is a retirement program left for them when they retire.

    Sorry for the confusion Marty.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    The Manure Man moniker sure fits! ...
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  21. TopTop #193
    Michael Anthony
    Guest

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Dear Ms. Maldonado,

    With all due respect for you and your job with SEIU Local 1021, I have one question [stated at the end].

    Since you are posting to Wacco during what appears to be your employment hours with SEIU Local 1021 and because the SEIU Mission Statement reads in part;

    • Through our collective voice, we achieve justice, empowerment, and respect in every workplace.
    • Working people engage in the democratic process and exercise their collective voice at a local, state and national level.
    are your posts here on Wacco representative of the collective voice of the SEIU or your own personal beliefs?

    Thank you, Michael A Carnacchi
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  22. TopTop #194
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Hi Lisa,

    The link is to Transparent Nevada, which it appears is related to Transparent California...so you're saying they're funded by Koch Brothers? I donate to Transparent California, can you show me the tie-in to Koch? And that's beside the point...are you saying the information provided to Transparent California from Sonoma County is false? Do you realize all this is payroll/pension data is public information, part of the open government/transparency struggle, available to anyone for the asking.

    Do you notice a difference in retirements between our public servants retiring before 2003 and after? Look carefully :).. This is why we're seeing massive cuts in all the traditional Democrat supported social programs, education and infrastructure. I am a Democrat who wants social services Lisa, I want fair pensions...but I want them to be fair to everybody, including the older and younger retirees.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    When you click on the "ABOUT" link for the "Transparent" website you will see it is produced by a NEVADA Conservative Right Wing Think Tank. Try it .
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  24. TopTop #195
    rossmen
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    So for you the link between these two websites is the word transparent? After looking at both websites I could cite far more concrete details which show they are not linked. If you want to dispute the county budget evaluation of new sonoma you need to way up your game. Wacco is not Facebook comments on PD articles or the slash and burn of the old PD forums. There are consistent readers who are here to learn and question, and there are no echo chamber algorithms like Facebook discussion. It's a tough crowd : )...

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    When you click on the "ABOUT" link for the "Transparent" website you will see it is produced by a NEVADA Conservative Right Wing Think Tank. Try it .
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  26. TopTop #196

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by rossmen: View Post
    So for you the link between these two websites is the word transparent? ...
    I think you are a little unclear. The 'about' link is part of the Transparent page. (it tells you "ABOUT" the page and who is sponsoring it. That is the link. The page itself is propaganda produced by an anti labor website. Yes. I dispute those phony numbers. I am truly done trying to argue politics with people who play so fast and loose with the truth that they are willing to use data from a Koch Brothers Think Tank.
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  28. TopTop #197
    jbox's Avatar
    jbox
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    I think you are a little unclear. The 'about' link is part of the Transparent page. (it tells you "ABOUT" the page and who is sponsoring it. That is the link. The page itself is propaganda produced by an anti labor website. Yes. I dispute those phony numbers. I am truly done trying to argue politics with people who play so fast and loose with the truth that they are willing to use data from a Koch Brothers Think Tank.

    Who is playing fast and loose, Lisa? You dispute the numbers but won't give us any information except to smear the source. Show us something true if you can......
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  29. TopTop #198
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    OMG...Lisa are you serious? I have been parsing this data for years with Freedom of Information Act requests and can have SCERA (Sonoma County Employee Retirement System) send me all of the data that is on this website. Do you honestly expect anyone that reads this thread on WaccoBB to believe this data is fabricated by Koch Brothers? DOES ANYBODY ON WACCO THINK THE DATA I POSTED WAS FABRICATED BY KOCH BROTHERS???

    The information on www.transparentcalifornia.com is accurate public data provided by law from Calpers, and retirement plans throughout California. You have to represent your union better than some lame excuse saying this data is from the Koch Brothers for crying out loud. Or to play the "guilt by association" card that SEIU did in 2008 that cost Rue the election. The Fifth District voters are not stupid...we want to listen to everyone's positions on the issues, see their backgrounds, and vote...my hope for someone that has voted in the District before (i.e. ME ! ).




    As the leader of SEIU, and in order to represent the interests of your members more adequately, by being aware of what is really going on in the real world with the retirement issue, my suggestion is you familiarize yourself much more thoroughly with these massive unfunded retirement obligations, responsible for the loss of tens of thousands of jobs for new union workers, as local and state government can no longer to afford to hire the next generation, people retire and we can't rehire.



    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    I think you are a little unclear. The 'about' link is part of the Transparent page. (it tells you "ABOUT" the page and who is sponsoring it. That is the link. The page itself is propaganda produced by an anti labor website. Yes. I dispute those phony numbers. I am truly done trying to argue politics with people who play so fast and loose with the truth that they are willing to use data from a Koch Brothers Think Tank.
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  31. TopTop #199
    rossmen
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    OK yes, transparent California is provided by the Nevada site, and all it is is public data of public employee compensation. What a great resource. Also has nothing to do with new sonoma, which is what I think you are disputing?

    Understanding the county money flow and listening to what supervisor candidates say about it is top notch info for wise voting, unlike endorsements and donations. Mostly organizations and businesses just want to pick a winner so they have access after that person is in power. I love numbers, they are so much harder to lie with than words.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    I think you are a little unclear. The 'about' link is part of the Transparent page. (it tells you "ABOUT" the page and who is sponsoring it. That is the link. The page itself is propaganda produced by an anti labor website. Yes. I dispute those phony numbers. I am truly done trying to argue politics with people who play so fast and loose with the truth that they are willing to use data from a Koch Brothers Think Tank.
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  33. TopTop #200
    riverosprey's Avatar
    riverosprey
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    OMG! I am shocked, shocked to find the unions just spent $17,196.11 on a mailer supporting Noreen Evans!!!! *

    A Union PAC just divulged they have sent out a mailer in support of Noreen Evans! Gee, I wonder if they are paying back Noreen Evans for all the things she did for the first wave of retiring baby boomers, lauding her achievements over the last twenty years she's held political office??? D'ya think?

    Oh no, or maybe they're concerned at the momentum of my campaign for Supervisor, and an angry Lisa Maldonado told them to send out hit pieces against Tom Lynch?

    I'm so excited to see what's about to hit our mailboxes (Fat cat on a stump of a clear cut forest? Oil wells on the coast? Global warming?); we boomers can be so creative losing elections for our candidates. As Voldemort would say, "They never learn. Such a pity."

    *To paraphrase one of the greatest lines in cinematic history:

    Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME
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  35. TopTop #201
    jbox's Avatar
    jbox
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by riverosprey: View Post
    ...
    Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME
    Don't forget the next line as the staff approaches Renault to say "Your winnings, sir".
    The union expects a return on investment.
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  36. TopTop #202
    podfish's Avatar
    podfish
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    well, I'M shocked that the union supports candidates that share their interests. To use a fun new bit of jargon, I'm amused by the amount of pearl-clutching that's going on in this thread. I know that the posters are not a naive bunch but a lot of posts in this thread seem to be over-the-top reactions to pretty unremarkable behavior. I would expect development groups to put money into the campaign of the candidate that seems more likely to support policies favorable to them. I'm sure they'd be thrilled if they can own the candidate outright, but I'm equally sure they'll live with less and be relatively happy with the outcome. And I'd expect a union to behave likewise. In fact, I'd expect anyone who's affected much by public policy, who has money at stake and who has any to spend, would pick a candidate who helps further their interests. If any person or group has non-financial interests, but money to spend, they might act similarly. A lot of posts here prefer to jump right to the extremes - all motivations are taken to their comic-book-villain equivalents. No candidate has a mild preference or tilts slightly in one direction or another - everyone's sold out and self-interested. Fun, but weird and unrealistic. And not really helpful for those of us who don't intimately know the candidates themselves.
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  38. TopTop #203
    rossmen
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    The seiu supported furch, then carrillo, now evans, everybody makes mistakes, the question is; do you learn from them?
    Last edited by Barry; 05-12-2016 at 10:35 AM.
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  39. TopTop #204

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?


    Syar Industries enters political frey in the Fifth

    by Ernie Carpenter

    Syar Industries, a former Russian River gravel miner and Superior Supplies, a gravel supplier, has entered the Fifth District Supervisorial contest. They gave candidate Lynda Hopkins $15,000 in March 2016 and that is how they entered the Fifth District campaign. Whatever one may conjecture, Syar Industries definitely knows that one vote counts.

    The Sonoma County Aggregate Resources Management Plan long called for an end to instream and Terrace pit mining on the Russian River. Syar Industries tried well after County deadlines had passed to continue terrace mining. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors after intense lobbying allowed Syar to resume gravel mining on a 3-2 vote in 2009 in the Russian River terraces. That was “blocked by a Sonoma County Superior Court judge’s ruling that county supervisors exceeded their authority in granting a permit extension to the quarry company.”

    Syar was challenged by Russian Riverkeeper, Westside Association to Save Agriculture and North Coast Rivers Alliance according to a November 19, 2009 Press Democrat story. Now, Fifth District Supervisorial candidate Lynda Hopkins has received $7,500 from Syar owners; one lump coming from a “Closed” Napa golf course owned by the Syar family. At the same time, Superior Building Supplies, gravel suppliers, bequeathed an equal donation of $7,500 to Hopkins; $15,000 at one table setting from river rock mining companies.

    River residents must be scratching their heads over this one given Hopkins proclaimed love for the Russian River. Hopkins may be a “fresh face” but it is an old staid gravel, construction, Big Wine and real estate money faucet that is funding her campaign. A majority of her contributions flow from out of the District and that has given her the boost she needs. Syar has now apparently found a candidate that is to their liking. Must be the open seat. It has been rare for gravel miners to spread their wealth into the Fifth. Previously, no environmentally conscious Fifth District candidate would take instream gravel mining money.

    Perhaps, not so odd. Hopkins’ majority contributions have come from out of the Fifth District and from development interest. She has more contributions from the Fourth District than the Fifth District. Development and real estate political committees have dug deep for Hopkins. Voters and residents should be asking “What’s up with that, Lynda?” It has been demonstrated that one vote on the Board of Supervisors’ counts. That is the knowledge and the reason Syar and development interest are willing to enter the Frey, get skin in the game, set the table in the Fifth. Lots of good, leafy green extraction money to try and capture the Fifth and the third vote. They chose Hopkins.

    It is incongruent to see Ms. Hopkins out picking up trash from the lower Russian on Monday and then taking over $15,000 from gravel interest that want to operate in the Middle Reach on Tuesday. The environmental issues from Terrace and instream mining have been well documented. The Board of Supervisors correctly phased out Terrace mining due to these negative environmental impacts. Syar never agreed with the phase out and perhaps have waited for this moment. Whatever the reason for Syar and Superior to enter the Frey in the Fifth, it is probably not good for the environment or the Russian River.
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  41. TopTop #205
    tommy's Avatar
    tommy
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Slam unions all you want. They are not perfect, little is, except Mother Nature.

    However, through the history of our country, unions - groups of workers - are the main democratic force, standing against complete control by big money.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by jbox: View Post
    Don't forget the next line as the staff approaches Renault to say "Your winnings, sir".
    The union expects a return on investment.
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  43. TopTop #206
    jbox's Avatar
    jbox
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by tommy: View Post
    Slam unions all you want. They are not perfect, little is, except Mother Nature.

    However, through the history of our country, unions - groups of workers - are the main democratic force, standing against complete control by big money.
    Point taken. My problem is not with unions but rather the pension deal which is strangling the county budget, especially police, fire, and upper level management.
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  45. TopTop #207
    KWilson's Avatar
    KWilson
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    I for one would not be able to vote for you, Tom, after this display of immature sarcasm on WACCO. This type of temperament is not what we need or want in a public official.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by riverosprey: View Post
    OMG! I am shocked, shocked to find the unions just spent $17,196.11 on a mailer supporting Noreen Evans!!!! *...
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    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by jbox: View Post
    Point taken. My problem is not with unions but rather the pension deal which is strangling the county budget, especially police, fire, and upper level management.
    wandering OT yet again.. but I agree with this formulation of the problem. I think this country - and for that matter, the world - has a problem with the single-digit percenters as a whole. Most of them feel (and with some justice) that they worked for and earned their position in the single digit group. Since they played by the rules to get there, they feel, again with some justice, that it's unfair to penalize them retroactively. Some idiot even coined the phrase "punished for their success" which shows a severe misunderstanding of the concept of punishment.

    But that's the challenge of the future - can we find a way to limit the resource inequities? By definition, there will always be a top ten percent and it won't really matter if those in it now are still in it then. (Despite the fact most people consider themselves well above average in many ways, the math says otherwise.) How to rebalance that, without fueling those who think that 'wealth redistribution' is stealing, is the biggest social challenge we're going to face. Social equality (e.g. race, gender) is still a tough one too, I guess....
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    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    Some of us have motives other than money. I don't stand to gain financially from any of them. I support Noreen Evans because I love the coast, the open space, the farmland, the wildlife that lives off the open spaces, the parks. I also support working people and the need for affordable housing. I don't profit financially from any of that, but I do profit spiritually. I think you will find that true of most progressives - care about the public good and not personal profit.

    I also want to add that Lynda has lived in the Fifth district 6 months longer than Noreen but has never voted in the 5th district. Whereas Noreen Represented the fifth district as our Senator for 4 years. I have watched how she represented us and everything she does matches my values with a record to prove it.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by podfish: View Post
    ...If any person or group has non-financial interests, but money to spend, they might act similarly. ...
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  51. TopTop #210
    Jude Iam's Avatar
    Jude Iam
     

    Re: What do you think of Lynda Hopkins?

    thanks, lisa.

    lynda's support FROM GRAVEL MINING COMPANIES PLUS REALTORS AND BIG AG AND WINERIES (plus EFREN'S ENDORSEMENT)... uhhhh, what part of this do people not understand?

    does anyone actually believe money is accepted without allegiance to the donors of these funds? this is beyond obvious. please get real - enough with a candidate decrying not being beholden. sheeesh.

    this thread, while exploring many important aspects of county finances, etc., has given far too much repetition /visibility of lynda's name. let's start new threads with other candidates' names.
    jude


    p.s. to kwilson: regarding deciding against voting for tom on the basis of some humor injected here, after his contributing pages of detailed information and analysis and proposals - i find humor not only not a crime but welcomed relief from the tedious and necessary delving political responsibilities entail. not to say that i am settled on voting for him, though i certainly have gained respect for him through his substantive interchange here. far more than the other candidates.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Lisa Maldonado: View Post
    Last edited by Barry; 05-13-2016 at 12:06 PM.
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