from The Press Democrat, 10/31/16;

EDITOR: On Oct. 14, The Press Democrat suggested that all four candidates of the Sebastopol City Council “largely agree on what the city’s priority issues should be” (“4 vie for open Sebastopol City Council seats”). I’m concerned this statement hides a critical difference in how the candidates would address the future of the Sonoma West Medical Center, which as a mother of a toddler I feel is the most pressing issue Sebastopol faces.

While the hospital isn’t part of the council’s jurisdiction, I appreciate the voice of leadership from Jonathan Greenburg, who advocates that a local hospital requires active local political support, which, for example, could take form in water and sewage subsidies.

Greenberg is the only candidate who has the endorsement of the doc and the cop, Richard Powers and Dennis Colthurst, who won the election two years ago to lead the Palm Drive board to reopen the hospital.
Greenberg also has put forth a revolutionary vision of a “participatory budgeting” citizen polling system to enhance civic engagement and transparency in how our town spends tax revenues.

If voters feel preserving the life-saving hospital is a priority issue, I urge them to also support Gail Thomas and Rob Cary for Palm Drive District Health Care District board.

K. KAI HARRIS
Sebastopol