Rue Furch and Shirlee Zane need grassroots help
From: "Alice Chan"
Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:43:46 -0700


Yesterday the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, with two strokes of the pen, drew a picture of the future of Sonoma County for us, if voters don’t elect Rue Furch and Shirlee Zane for Supervisors in the 5th and 3rd Districts.

With the first stroke of the pen, the Supervisors passed an ordinance that raises the limit on campaign contributions from $1,000 to $5,000 per year, to take effect after the final filing date for public disclosure before the election in November. This change of the rules will candidates whose supporters have deep pockets, and in this case, that means the resource-extraction companies who are supporting Efren Carrillo and Sharon Wright for Supervisor.

By establishing the effective date of October 16th, the supporters of these two candidates, who have already maxed out their donations of more than $110,000, would be able to pour another $440,000 into those campaigns in the last 19 days before the election, without going public about their contributions until after the election.

With their second stroke of the pen, the Supervisors completed the picture of our future by givin permission to Syar Industries to resume gravel mining in the Russian River, despite the fact that their permit ran out in 2006. Retiring Supervisor Tim Smith, who endorses Sharon Wright, voted for Syar’s request. Syar is a big contributor to the campaign of Sharon Wright. Coincidence? Retiring Supervisor Mike Reilly, who endorses Rue Furch, voted against the request, joined by Supervisor Valerie Brown.

If Wright and Carrillo are elected in November to join business-interest-controlled Supervisors Kelley and Kerns, our County Supervisors will tear up the current picture of Sonoma County and replace it with one of gravel mines, rock quarries, industrial vineyards, and rampant commercial real estate developments without restrictions. I don’t think we’ll like what we see. Vote for Rue Furch and Shirlee Zane in November!