5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

[mouse]

Beholden to people in unions you mean, like teachers, firefighters, police, public works employees, and social workers? People who work at jobs and deserve a decent wage? It should really give you pause when you find yourself stumping for the wealthy and attack unions in America. Do your homework and know your history.

You seem to overlook the fact that Noreen is completely beholden to the Public Employee Unions, and they are a very big guy on this block.

[Roberta Llewellyn]

Organic Farmer isn't the only skills Lynda Hopkins brings to the table by any stretch of the ruler. She has terrific vitality, and remarkable knowledge of Sonoma County government issues and will use her fine mind to come up with some great ideas and strategies for working with different agencies.

Lynda is running for Supervisor of the Fifth District to bring change to how things are done here and as a newbie myself to Sonoma County politics but not a newbie to politics in general, I have a different sense of what is needed to energize various agencies for getting more things accomplished in partnership with various players in Sonoma County. She has prioritized affordable housing, the infrastructure, as well as environmental issues, including the protection of the Coastline. She respects Noreen and the work she has done in the county, but, Lynda wants to create her own path with integrity and innovation.

Please check out her backers on the county link for candidates filing for office and note the great majority of them are individual contributors and she doesn't have any big business backers only small, local businesses. The opposing side has made a claim of big business moneyed backers which is actually is not the case and is a distortion of facts. Noreen Evans is qualified candidate and one I respect and have considered voting for too, however, I am excited by Lynda's taking a run at this race because of her ability to see both the details and the bigger picture. She will be able to hold these varied points of knowledge in her grasp for creating success in the position.

She has tremendous energy toward fulfilling the many faceted aspects of the job. She is a gifted person and may I add, as pointed out by journalist/reporter Vesta Copestakes who recently has endorsed her in the Sonoma county Gazette, Lynda is a kind person and willing to engage. I am not being paid by anyone to say what I have just written. I am an independent thinker with a great sense of seeing a larger picture for change. I have spoken with Lynda Hopkins and find she resonant from a place of participatory engagement and doing the work!

[beshiva]

aaaahhhh- this isn't at all how it works. locals will not have an opportunity to do anything of the sort. Task Forces come from the BOS, and they and they alone, Pick someone from the community to study a problem or a solution.
People in the community don't just willy nilly get to meander on up to the BOS and tell them they are gonna be on a committee or task force- of course, that's a great idea but the BOS wouldn't have the control they want if that were the case.
the special interest of each individual BOS member "always" will come into play for any such studies.
Lynda's idea may be a good idea and it's not a new idea- just might be too much $$$ to implement.
And, as for Progressives- as much as we like to think we have Progressive ideas in this County, very few actually
ARE Progressive. We are a pretty conservative county once you get on out there and talk to people. And, when you are up against a Board of Supervisors like we have-not a one of them is Progressive...i don't believe Hopkins or Evans fall into that category either though you may not agree.

It's so sad when people who self describe as progressive trash the other candidate for proposing that locals have more opportunity to democratically participate in community concerns....

[photolite]

I said "unions" not "people in unions", which is a world of difference. Unless you agree with Citizens United. I guess if corporations can be people then unions can also be people.
I'm stumping for my neighbors, not some bloated special interest who has little regard for milking the rest of us dry.
Try thinking a bit more critically. Political correctness rarely pays the bills.

Beholden to people in unions you mean, like teachers, firefighters, police, public works employees, and social workers? People who work at jobs and deserve a decent wage? ...

[rossmen]

Beshiva i hope in your move you find a place to be happier in who you are, a passionate, intelligent advocate for justice and fairness. While i might disagree with you about the possibilities of elected and appointed citizen groups in representative democracy, i appreciate your point of view. I agree with you that wacco, soco, and west soco are conservative places, for most of the people who civically participate, the world works for them and they fear change...

...And, as for Progressives- as much as we like to think we have Progressive ideas in this County, very few actually ARE Progressive. We are a pretty conservative county once you get on out there and talk to people. ....

[mouse]

Federal law grants workers the right to form labor unions and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. Labor unions are not corporations or businesses.

"Corporations and unions face very different rules and requirements for their political spending. Labor unions must publicly disclose their political spending and, in some instances, face restrictions about seeking consent from their stakeholders before using political funds. Corporations do not face the same requirements. After Citizens United, there are many avenues through which corporations can spend money in politics without disclosing their financial support for particular candidates or causes. And corporations are not required to seek approval from their stakeholders—in fact, shareholders don’t even have the right under federal law to know if and how a company is spending money in politics."

You've got strong opinions for somebody who doesn't understand the difference. (You seem not to understand Citizens United either, btw.) Do some research.

You're stumping for your 4th district developer and landed wealthy neighbors--super. You're currently stumping for a bloated special interest that provides no service to the community, and seeks only to profit. So, what happens when "the rest of us" need police assistance in this expensive town without unions?

Thanks for exposing the truth behind many of the "fresh-faced candidate's" supporters. Just as we have suspected, they are corporate profiteers looking to greenwash their businesses and avoid paying taxes for services. How refreshing!

I said "unions" not "people in unions", which is a world of difference. ...

[photolite]

To use your own words...

"That's just a ridiculous and massive stretch there."

As with other Noreen supporters on this thread, you seem deeply invested in demonizing "the other".
Whatever floats your boat.

... Labor unions are not corporations or businesses....

[Sara S]

from The Press Democrat, 9/29:

Land-use battles continue
EDITOR: Some individuals are attempting to fool people into believing that environmental/land-use battles are vestiges of the past. One merely needs to conduct a perfunctory perusal of recent events to discover a radically different scenario. Those who espouse such inanity may not have the best interests of 5th District voters in mind.

Consider these: Dairyman Winery; Best Family Winery; coastal waters leases; Occidental gateway plan; Spud Point Marina plan; Gualala River logging plan; development of coastal lands.

From a cursory review, it becomes clear that this is no time to place a novice at the helm who is long on platitudinal catch phrases but short on specifics. We need a strong advocate with a proven track record who is unafraid to confront powerful interests.

Leadership sometimes involves taking stances on issues long before public and legislative sentiment aligns with one’s own. Noreen Evans’ 2011 vote favoring overtime for farmworkers presents but one example of her political courage.

On Nov. 8, I will be proudly casting my vote for Noreen Evans to become our next 5th District supervisor. I strongly urge others who share concerns about the preservation and future well-being of our beloved 5th District to join me.

THOMAS DAVID BONFIGLI
Sebastopol

[riverosprey]

From : Vesta Copestakes (Publisher of Sonoma County Gazette - via FB)


People want to know the details of why I endorsed Lynda Hopkins instead of Noreen Evans. As I come up with replies - if it seems applicable - I will post them here.

I normally don't weigh in on political endorsements or even ballot measures since I want people to learn for themselves, then decide. But on several ballot measures I feel very strongly, and I came to the conclusion that I also feel strongly about the 5th District race.

I have been very discouraged and disappointed by the political campaign attacks on the integrity of Lynda Hopkins. Nothing in her career indicates that she is anything less than a strong independent thinker, intelligent, well-researched on a broad range of topics, knowledgeable about the nuances of policy, an avid environmentalist, and committed to a high moral standard. She has refused both money and endorsements from entities that insist on loyalty once she gets into office. She cannot be bought.

These attacks on her personal integrity are insulting - and worse - they are what give politics a bad name. I am very tired of “this is the way political campaigns are run” as an excuse. I have spoken with enough of Lynda's supporters to know that there are good reasons for their support.

One is based upon the fact that she is an organic farmer with all the environmental protections to which she commits to keep Sonoma County a clean environment and therefore our agricultural products secure on the world market. She is a small business person who understands that Sonoma County is small business strong, and that these businesses are what provide the vast majority of jobs in this county. We need someone who understands our need to pay our employees well so that they can live close to their jobs in affordable housing. Lynda's perspective on both issues delve into the details on how both can be accomplished in our district - which is different from the cities. We need rural solutions because we come under a different set of laws and rules than incorporated areas.

I also appreciate how she is available - on a personal level - to everyone...not just people who support her. She puts herself out there for conversations. The Coffee Chats and Town Halls are so different from Meet and Greets in private homes of supporters. She does not fear confrontation, nor opposition. I want that in my supervisor. Someone with an intelligent and open mind. Someone who does not attack, but who opens her mind to different perspectives while being firmly committed to a high moral and ethical standard.

I thought this through very carefully - attended meetings, have 10 questions to each candidate in the Sonoma County Gazette and learned from their answers. I am holding forums where people get to ask their own questions, and paid attention to each candidate's Facebook pages and websites to see how the candidate conducts herself. All this brought me to the conclusion that Lynda Hopkins will serve us in the way I wish to be served.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

Syar........that's a deal breaker for me.

The other thing is Eric Koenigshofer. If he is with Evans that's good enough for me If someone can confirm that me and mine will vote for Evans..

[scamperwillow]

Do you mean if he is with Hopkins? Koenigshofer has been advising Hopkins since the very beginning. Now he has formed a PAC that will funnel TONS of development money into a campaign against Noreen Evans. There are no limits on donations to these "independent expenditure' committees. So watch the cash fly. There is supposed to be no communication between an IE and a candidates campaign...but wait, Eric has been involved with the Hopkins campaign since the beginning, so what gives? What gives is the builders and developers and real estate groups are desperate to keep Noreen out of office.

...The other thing is Eric Koenigshofer. If he is with Evans that's good enough for me If someone can confirm that me and mine will vote for Evans..

[beshiva]

yep, there is a whole lot more that smells in this County than the manure. Koenigshofer who served as a Supervisor, (80') watched and approved the growth of the Wine Industry without questioning them whatsoever, never met a winery he did not support.
Efren Carrillo appointed Eric to the Task Force and he was specifically on the subcommittee that watered down any real oversight of law enforcement..he himself a lawyer...pounded home to the Task Force it just wasn't feasible to make an oversight person have much responsibility..without an awful lot of work-work he and a couple of others did not wish to do like Mark Essick one of Sheriff Freitas' right hand men. The oversight of LE was dead in the water before it began.
and Efren picked Lynda to fill his little shoes, i'm sure with the direct advise of Koenigshofer. he seemed to be gleaming at the possibility of running himself for Supervisor, changed his mind-obviously, he doesn't have to be Supervisor to wield his power and influence any longer, supervisors do His bidding.
so it particularly irks me when i read that Hopkins is gonna be a Progressive on the Board- and has some great ideas...yeah, and i'm gonna win the lottery today!

Do you mean if he is with Hopkins? Koenigshofer has been advising Hopkins since the very beginning. ...

[jenielson]

For those who feel that judging Lynda Hopkins by her supporters and donors is unfair, an article in today's Press Democrat, reports the conclusions of an academic study on how various potential Supreme Court appointees would be likely to vote: center with Kennedy; left with Kagan and Ginsburg; or right or left of Alito (nobody is as far right as Clarence Thomas).

The studies' methodology is to evaluate political positions of the potential appointees' supporters—exactly what Hopkins and her surrogates protest: they say it's unfair to base conclusions about how she would vote as Supervisor on who her supporters are, and particularly her large donors. But the academic study seems to validate the position of Noreen Evans and supporters: Hopkins' big-money donors are not people who just toss big checks at politically untested candidates because they like fresh faces!

I have to add that in some elections I have decided to vote for or against State ballot initiatives by looking at the identities and associations of people who have authored the pro and con position statements. It does seem to work.

[Roberta Llewellyn]

Who are Lynda Hopkins Backers with Big Bucks? The ones I'm aware of are individual donors, many, and small businesses in the community???

...Hopkins' big-money donors are not people who just toss big checks at politically untested candidates because they like fresh faces! ...

[scamperwillow]

Are you serious? It is all here - but not up to date because the new reports just go in today and she has been getting max-out donations ($2894) every day.
https://www.noreenforsupervisor.com/followthemoney

And here is her official campaign finance report - hot off the press - Total raised by her campaign this year: $385,120. That is not coming from small carrot farmers.
https://campaigndocs.sonoma-county.org/CFD_Web_Images/2016/203/00120320160929F12.pdf

Add to that the soon to come in huge donations to the new PAC formed by Eric Koenigshofer against Noreen that can take contributions of any amount - no limits. So everyone that has maxed out to Lynda, can now donate to that PAC.

Also, out of the $150,000 plus donations she received this period, only $1648 came in small donations less than $100. Think about that for a minute.......

This is serious stuff.

I do have to add that I don't believe Lynda started out intending to go this route. But the big money power brokers that hand-picked Carrillo and Gore decided she was their best chance to defeat Noreen - who they are scared of because they know she will stand up to them as she has for 20 years.

Who are Lynda Hopkins Backers with Big Bucks? The ones I'm aware of are individual donors, many, and small businesses in the community???

[rossmen]

So your theory is that Lynda gets big bucks cause those who play are scared of noreen. One problem with that is noreen has received the same bucks in past elections. How about a simpler theory, scientifically this is what not to ignore; lynda is getting the big bucks cause those who play are sure she will win and they want to be in the game. A difficult message for a paid political partisan to read, step out of those boots for a sec and into those of a business with a political budget, what would you do?

[rossmen]

Yet the most interesting supreme court choices are judges who decide their own why, like kennedy, or scalia. Obama's nominee garland, it's unclear what role he would play, he could go either way, we would only know if he got a say ; )

... study on how various potential Supreme Court appointees would be likely to vote: center with Kennedy; left with Kagan and Ginsburg; or right or left of Alito (nobody is as far right as Clarence Thomas). ..

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

You say that Evans has received the same bucks in the past. So now she isn't getting these same bucks. Isn't that really a point in her favor if you are generally apposed to what many of those big donors have done and may want to do in the future in the west county. As far as they being sure she will win. I don't buy that. Companies and organizations make donations because either they believe a certain candidate is more inline with their interests or can be persuaded to become so.

So your theory is that Lynda gets big bucks cause those who play are scared of noreen. One problem with that is noreen has received the same bucks in past elections. How about a simpler theory, ...

[riverosprey]

Wow...Monte Rio Forum...Difference of Night and Day between Lynda Hopkins and Noreen Evans.

Sorry, but Noreen doesn't have a clue how to create affordable housing in our rural communities. We need realistic solutions to house the people who work in our villages, who's kids go to our schools, and for the retiree's who are part of our community. Junior second dwelling units are the solution. Not Noreen's "inclusionary zoning" in new subdivisions (and the pension fund is not going to loan money at less than 7.25% interest.)

This is borderline demagoguery...

[jenielson]

From the PD: "In the most recent filing period [end September], Hopkins received maximum donations from the Sonoma County Alliance, the county’s largest business organization, as well as the political arm of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Northern California, a trade group. She also received campaign donations from winery executives, including Gary Heck, owner of F. Korbel & Bros., Inc., which produces Korbel sparkling wine and John Dyson, proprietor of Williams Selyem Winery in Healdsburg."

To that add the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and Syar Industries (gravel mining company). The new super PAC organized to oppose Noreen Evans is headed by former County Supervisor Eric Koenigshofer.

[photolite]

Striking contrast in approach on this issue.

Noreen seems disconnected from our 5th Dist. rural character when she espouses urban-centric solutions. It shows her heart and head remain in east Santa Rosa. Her proposal also appears mandate and bureaucracy heavy. I believe if Lynda made the same suggestions the opposition would howl that she was promoting increased development to repay her real estate supporters.

Lynda's proposals represent a very opposite approach where existing available assets are capitalized on, with minimal expense, that in the long run would have the side benefit of providing an additional, but modest, income stream to rural property owners. This is also affected by removing bureaucratic obstacles, yet it doesn't mandate anyone to do anything.

Wow...Monte Rio Forum...Difference of Night and Day between Lynda Hopkins and Noreen Evans. ....

[Dan Gurney]

Here's my campaign sign.

It sums up the 5th District Supervisor's race in a 2-word puzzle,



You can figure out what this puzzle means if you research who's paying for the campaigns.

[Barry]

Wow...Monte Rio Forum...Difference of Night and Day between Lynda Hopkins and Noreen Evans. ...

The above video is really worth watching! Lynda has got some fresh new ideas that seem really good to me, while Noreen is talking about 2 ideas each of which has problems:

Inclusionary Zoning has been around for many years to very little effect

Using the Sonoma County Employees Retirement Fund to fund to finance affordable/workforce housing was discredited in a PD column by two very respected professionals in housing and finance.

[rossmen]

No, money buys access pure and simple. Just look at the swings in business donations in presidential politics. Hillary gets the money now. They know she will win. If trump does all bets are off. If evans had ran for state senate business would have funded her cause she was a incumbent shoe in. Instead she quit, retired, and then moved to sebtown to run for sup. Why? Her reason, people asked me, has nothing to do with her. Still looking for an answer to why are you running from noreen.

As for which candidate can integrate best all the interests of west soco, including all that can't pontificate on wacco, i will take time. The best decision does.

... Companies and organizations make donations because either they believe a certain candidate is more inline with their interests or can be persuaded to become so.

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

How you get I'm running from Evans from my posts i'm not sure. I'm leaning Evans at this point. I am still kicking the tires to some extent. I have noticed in my travels around the west county that the signs for Evans tend to be on privated homes and small apple orchards (people who I tend to share intrests with) and the Hopkins signage tends to be on vineyards and business.

... If evans had ran for state senate business would have funded her cause she was a incumbent shoe in. Instead she quit, retired, and then moved to sebtown to run for sup. Why? Her reason, people asked me, has nothing to do with her. Still looking for an answer to why are you running from noreen...

[rossmen]

You want to write about gravel? Give me an invitation. I might know more than you...

...To that add the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and Syar Industries (gravel mining company). ...

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

So allow everyone to make their house into a condo is a good Hopkins plan?............oh hell no.......that would be a disaster........you would be basicly urbanizing all these little county lanes. Those county lanes don't have the infrastructure needed for a large increase of populations. If you wan't to make it cheaper to build a granny unit I'm all for that. Reasonable limitations on size of unit, lot size etc are already in effect.

And is everyone forgetting about the current Sebastopol traffic Or shall we just blow a new road over the Laguna and make Occidental Road into a freeway? Because that will be the next plan.

The above video is really worth watching! Lynda has got some fresh new ideas that seem really good to me, ...

[rossmen]

Road signs are just one measure. They both are common. I tried counting and lost it cause driving is more important. Waiting for my mail in ballot. So many exciting decisions, the biggest ever! And then, the collective will decides. Really, as far as the 5th, the most important choice for me, i trust both women. The rest of our choices, this is a big election. Lets write, and think, and then vote : )

... I have noticed in my travels around the west county that the signs for Evans tend to be on privated homes and small apple orchards (people who I tend to share interests with) and the Hopkins signage tends to be on vineyards and business.

[kane]

I absolutely agree with you uke, and was thinking the same just today.
Our crumbling rural roads cannot handle any additional traffic, such as would be created by adding more rural units and residents, and by more heavy construction vehicles in rural areas. Add to this the increased possibility of wildfire presented by denser rural dwellings and dwellers, many fire-unaware ex-urbanites, and for me this is a big NO WAY blue jay.

I dodge oncoming traffic on a nearly daily basis, having to decide whether to avoid collisions and thus damaging our vehicle suspension in the gynormous potholes, or saving the car but risking everyone's safety.

Further, I watch as wildlife corridors, likely used by 100 generations off deer families, become more and more constricted by more and more Grand Estate Fences, channeling the creatures onto our rural roads, to be increasingly auto-slaughtered by very important people in very expensive cars who are in very much a hurry to go sit in traffic in Sebastopol on their way elsewhere. The carnage has increased greatly in the last few years.
Where do the badgers, foxes, bobcats etc. go when a winery is scraped into existence from field or forest? but that's another story largely unexplored.

Kane

....you would be basicly urbanizing all these little county lanes. T....

[scamperwillow]

Right - city-centered growth is what our General Plan is all about. New housing should go in the city (and town) centers where services and transportation is already available.

...Our crumbling rural roads cannot handle any additional traffic, ...