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

[riverosprey]

Thank you Dan Gurney for your years of public service, and thank you for your kind words toward our next Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. Likewise Shepherd thank you for your continuing good vibes, we agree that every little act of kindness is the hope of the world.

Sonoma County is in the worst fiscal disaster in history, partially due to policies pursued for twenty years by Noreen Evans, and others of our generation. We have a tremendous lack of affordable housing, along with many issues requiring innovative solutions, that are not forthcoming from Noreen. I believe Lynda Hopkins is the superior candidate, with the energy, intelligence and courage to re-invent local government, with new solutions, that do not burden the next generations to pay for them.

The Supervisorial race is not so much a divide between unions and business, but more a divide between generations. My generation, the boomers, have given themselves benefits without funding them, and now are severely burdening the next generations with increasing costs to pay for them. I believe the next human rights movement, just like the Suffragettes and Civil Rights movements of the 20th Century, should be for "Intergenerational Equity", that one generation cannot burden the next, with benefits and obligations not paid for.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergenerational_equity

Just last week a homeless, mentally ill young man, denied services as none were available, hung himself a half mile from our home in Guerneville. There are social consequences we cannot begin to quantify, due to our failure to create a sustainable and fair system. Our towns have become zombielands, with homeless shuffling the streets, for lack of services government once provided for generations. Our schools, colleges, social programs, healthcare, roads and infrastructure, continue to decline due to unsustainable policies.

All of our public institutions are on an inevitable path to insolvency, perhaps even some sort of Malthusian meltdown. And the next generations are getting less and less, as we take more and more.

My hope is as Lynda Hopkins says, "Let's work together"; that we can find sustainable new ways to create a culture of kindness. I feel very passionate about what is going on, but will endeavor to be kind and civil as I participate in the debate. My hope is both candidates can tone things down, and present their solutions, without the guilt by association nonsense.

[beshiva]

Once again, we are distracted. as always, let's harp on pensions. that's a good distraction. for example, my husband worked for the county for over 30 years, working with our most vulnerable (children). and now he is in his 70's
and his pension is pittance of what Carrillo will receive (partial pension) and he is only in his 30's. for a mere few years Carrillo will receive a ridiculous pension. but let's get distracted by the people who have served their whole lives and have to beg and grovel for a decent pension.
let's be distracted by not having enough to go around, be it for the homeless or mental health services. But, we will always have enough to lock people up. We always have enough for a (not) Justice system spiraled out of control.
We always have enough to prop up our police state and maintain order and keep us in lock-step if we think it's unfair and attempt to change it. and make sure we punish the whistleblowers, after all they are the problem!
Do you think Evans operated in a vacuum? So, what does it give a damn that Hopkins has energy-youth is supposed to have "energy". I don't believe Hopkins is going to change a damn thing with the old order or the usual suspects of self-serving myopic puppets of the Wine Industry, Business, or the Sheriff Department. or she will quickly find out how to Play.
So, as a long resident of this County i see White Privilege sitting up there in those seats who haven't a clue so they use their $$$ to advertise their promises. Efren was gonna be the Leader of the Latino Community and fight for them, unfortunately, fell into the abyss and rarely could be effective agains. Maybe, we can start with the salaries of the BOS and top Deputies and Administrator positions and slash the hell from their pensions...maybe, they can be more in step with those they "serve"? Maybe, then there will be enough to go around or enough for those "programs" they always tell us they want to give us but just can't seem to find enough!! yeah, i know it's too complicated- to which i say, "bullshit".
So, let's continue to be distracted by the Real Issues and dine out and sip on our Pinot Noir. tisk tisk.

... My generation, the boomers, have given themselves benefits without funding them, ....

[beshiva]

PD + Fact check X Hope - Credibility = PD crappy news

It's too bad the PD didn't bother to fact-check or check in with Noreen. she is advocating building workforce housing - you know for our teachers, police, firemen, etc. - which there is huge demand for and prices are skyrocketing. She never said to use that money for affordable housing. John Lowry should know the difference - shameful.

[beshiva]

hi- i'm wondering about the part you suggest changing our development impact fee structure to a per square foot basis? in other words tax McMansions- Great Idea.
So, is it possible to come up with a formula that would be similar for the ridiculous salaries of BOS, and other County employee salaries, especially the higher echelon Administration salaries, including Sheriff Deputies?! you know that per square foot structure - the foot that's on our necks or up our arses and bleeds the simple hardworking folks...who never seem to get a break!?

...
We can also consider new solutions, such as changing our development impact fee structure to a per-square-foot basis -- which would essentially tax McMansions to subsidize the development of small efficiency units....

[scamperwillow]

Barry - I thought this guy was banned??

Typical stance for a Sacramento political hack, raid money earmarked for one thing and try to spend it on another. ...

[scamperwillow]

Housing Affordable to our workforce is a totally different thing than "affordable housing" which is a technical term used by the state based on income. Not the same and as a planning commissioner you should know the difference!

Marty,

You should read Noreen's comments in the Sonoma County Gazette, "Why not put these public employee pension assets to work for all of us, building housing affordable to our working families?" Using pension funds to build affordable housing is a non-starter ...

[Barry]

Barry - I thought this guy was banned??

Nope, that was "Dick", who voluntarily left the board instead of providing his real name. "jbox" is not a "Dick".

[Roberta Llewellyn]

I attended on this hot day in Bodega Bay at the "Secret Garden" a fundraiser for Noreen Evans and listened to a talk she gave about continuing to protect our Coastline and save it from exploiters and developers which she has been doing for decades. She worked in Sacramento with the knowledgeable on many fronts, Dr. Charles Lester, former Coastal Commission President who worked to preserve the coast for twenty years before unfairly being ousted this year. Dr. Lester shared anecdotal stories of having worked with Noreen in Sacramento many years past and unequivocally gave her his most enthusiastic support.

I am supporting Noreen, too, because she talks the language of having been there and continues to be a vibrant voice for the Sonoma County environment. She, also has genuine solutions to Sonoma County's infrastructure issues as well as supports affordable housing and rent control.

I like Linda Hopkins but she is making her way as they say through the hoops and I am putting my trust on the experienced candidate, Noreen Evans, for Fifth District Supervisor. I felt Noreen has the savvy to fight for policy changes to protect Sonoma County housing and environmental issues. I appreciated the large number of seasoned activist supporters gathered outside under the redwoods this afternoon who spoke of the work Noreen has done and what she has accomplished.

[Shepherd]

This response by Barry brought a needed smile to my face during this dirty electoral campaigning. Be sure to read the important article in this Sunday's PD about Lynda Hopkins new video and responses by Noreen Evans' campaign. A lot of poop is being spread.

If it were not be so important, we could all laugh together at ourselves, which I hope happens after whoever wins both the 5th District and Sebastopol City Council elections. "Can't we all get together and along," as others have said?

After all, most of us plan to continue living in our beloved Sonoma County and remain neighbors, unless one pulls a Kathleen Shaffer. This incumbent, after being defeated as a candidate to remain on the Sebastopol City Council--where she longed to be mayor--simply promptly moved away.
For the love of Sebastopol and Sonoma County, Shepherd (real name, on my birth certificate)

Nope, that was "Dick", who voluntarily left the board instead of providing his real name. "jbox" is not a "Dick".

[jbox]

Does anyone know if Noreen's rental agreement at her Sebastopol apartment is month to month? I bet is it. If she loses it's back to Fountaingrove for her.

[Ken Sund]

Does anyone know if Noreen's rental agreement at her Sebastopol apartment is month to month? I bet is it. If she loses it's back to Fountaingrove for her.

jbox- whoever you may be or pretend to be;
I'll take your bet.
How much do you want to bet? Shepherd (at least I know who he is) can hold the money. And when Hopkins loses, what neighborhood or county will you remain at or move to?
Ken Sund.

[scamperwillow]

Um not that it's your business, but she has a year to year lease on a HOUSE in Sebastopol where she and her dogs happily live every day. Oh, and she has never lived in Fountaingrove.....

Does anyone know if Noreen's rental agreement at her Sebastopol apartment is month to month? I bet is it. If she loses it's back to Fountaingrove for her.

[O.W.]

I have to agree with Dan here and also Rue Furch whom I admire greatly for selflessly working for better government for decades,( alot of that work without pay) with her thoughtful endorsement of Noreen . "Not ready for prime time" comes to mind. Only Gorin and Rabbitt had any governmental experience before becoming a supervisor. We now have 26 full time lawyers on county staff, the only department that has not ever seen staffing cuts by the way. There are numerous lawsuits against our county because the supervisors do not understand government workings. How many more lawyers are we to hire (last one was hired for $250K plus full benefits) to cover the butts of our supervisors? How many more will they hire for Lynda? Where else could that money go to?

I think some of the nastiness is that this county has been run by special interests for decades and we are tired of our way of life being threatened so the upper classes can reap profit from our resources. If you think Lynda will not be beholden to her donors and has no record to review to make a good decision who to vote for let me give you an example that has sent me huge red flags.(Just one of several).

Her stand on glyphosate. On video several times she goes into contorted and elaborate "cost benefit analysis" requirements before she would consider a ban. Her words. Noreen states FACTS that the World Health Organization has studied glyphosate (Round-Up) and found it a "probable carcinogen" so she supports the ban like so many other counties and countries that realize they are poisoning all of us. Mom's Across America, the organization that found glyphosate in breast milk, wine and now childhood vaccines has just published another study finding this herbicide at high levels, some 25 times higher than allowed. No studies have ever been done on injecting children or anyone with glyphosate. Heaven help our children!

Guess who uses the most glyphosate in our county? Wineries! Go to www.cdpr.ca.gov and find out yourself. 84,606 concentrated pounds sprayed just in our vineyards in 2013 alone which drifts to our air, soil and water (and over 2 million pounds of other chemicals a year). Kicking the can down the road for cost reasons and not public health reason is not leadership, it is covering for special interests. We need to ban the stuff now and the winery owners (chief donors to Hopkins) will either have weed or have to hire someone to get rid of the weeds without poisoning the rest of us.

And for those pushing for full names and pictures on this site, I had a terrible experience with actual threats of violence on this site so you won't see me being terrorized again. [This is discussed on the new thread "Requiring Real Names on WaccoBB" Barry ]
Thank you Dan for your critical thinking process.

I attended Lynda Hopkins' "Town Hall" at the Grange last Wednesday. I liked much of what I heard. (Lynda sounds progressive.)

Here's my take-away: Beginners should start at the beginning....

[beshiva]

thank you for connecting the dots. so few on this thread comment about lawsuits, and the number of lawyers needed to keep up with them!
i would like to point out that Rabbitt and Gorin (and we know Gore never will) have pushed the Wineries to use alternative to Roundup..still dumping this stuff on us at an alarming rate. (Shirlee Zane usually just blinks at everything and stares off into space)

... We now have 26 full time lawyers on county staff,...

[Shepherd]

As a dog lover, that is another reason for voting for Noreen. Dogs rule!

Um not that it's your business, but she has a year to year lease on a HOUSE in Sebastopol where she and her dogs happily live every day. Oh, and she has never lived in Fountaingrove.....

[Richard Nichols]

Thanks to both Dan and O.W. for thoughtful comments. Lynda will be in a terrible bind if she gets elected, and her backers come to her lobbying in their own interests, as development interest are so good at doing, and she has to decide between loyalty to her backers and the greater good. Noreen will not be in that same bind, because she has a proven record of working for the common good.

[beshiva]

precisely.... because Noreen Evans is seasoned she won't fall into the pitfall of "how do i get out of this beholden thing" . She is Not beholden to anyone.

Thanks to both Dan and O.W. for thoughtful comments. Lynda will be in a terrible bind if she gets elected, and her backers come to her lobbying in their own interests, as development interest are so good at doing, and she has to decide between loyalty to her backers and the greater good. Noreen will not be in that same bind, because she has a proven record of working for the common good.

[beshiva]

Woof Woof Woof- that's the message from my 3 dogs :)

As a dog lover, that is another reason for voting for Noreen. Dogs rule!

[jbox]

jbox- whoever you may be or pretend to be;
I'll take your bet.
How much do you want to bet? Shepherd (at least I know who he is) can hold the money. And when Hopkins loses, what neighborhood or county will you remain at or move to?
Ken Sund.

Ken,

To put my post in context, it was a response to Shepherd's post where he made note of Kathleen Schaffer moving out of town after she lost an election. My post was somewhat tongue in cheek but I actually do think if Evans loses she moves back to east Santa Rosa. Marty, thanks for the Fountaingrove correction and detailing Noreen's lease terms. Can you confirm she still owns a house in SR?

My Sonoma County roots date back to 1851 when my great great grandfather Reuben Franklin Box, who was the second assessor for Sonoma County, moved to from Texas to Kenwood and lived at the site of the Pagani ranch. The old house, known as the Lucy Box mansion, still stands along with the barn the family built. So, no, I'm not going anywhere, Ken.

I live in Villa Grande, along the river. We have traditionally drawn the short straw in county politics as the wealthy white suburbs like Sebastopol have gotten the gravy and the River gets the crumbs. 8 years ago I voted for Rue Furch, thinking Efren Carrillo lacked the necessary experience to be an effective supervisor. Efren was not perfect and made some mistakes, even a whopper mistake. But he grew into the job, was a quick study, and was all over west county, including the River. He spent more time here and did more for us than any other supervisor in recent memory. I see this same potential in Lynda Hopkins. She exhibits the bright, inquisitive, and open intellectual capacity to be an effective and innovate leader. I do not see this in Noreen. Her experience in Sacramento does not impress me. Her avowed expertise in manipulating bureaucracy can just as easily work against the public as for us, perhaps more. Her housing ideas are out of touch with 5th district reality. Her notion of taxing the hell out of legal pot seems like big pharma karma. The idea of using pension funds to fund affordable housing when the housing market is poised for a correction sounds like a cruel Sacramento joke. Constantly touting her environmental credentials and not much else makes her seem like an opportunistic self aggrandizing politician who is a player in Colbert's "Hungry for Power Games". Moving here to run for office without 5th district familiarity sounds disingenuous.

If elected and she proves me wrong I will be all in for Noreen. But right now, I think Lynda Hopkins is the better candidate.

Jon Box
Villa Grande

[scamperwillow]

I am not going to respond to all of that, but no, she does not own a house. Tried to buy one in Sebastopol but couldn't find one she could afford. Whether she wins or not, she will stay in west County if she can find a place she can afford.

She has lived in sonoma County for 34 years and raised her 3 kids here - who are now adults.

She is incredibly familiar with west county having represented parts of it for 20 years and how big is the county? If she lived a few miles to the east, does that mean she does not care about county issues? she has been actively involved in all the issues that matter to us. Check out her record please! I can't understand why anyone would want to elect a total beginner with no record at all to look at.

And she is not suggesting investing in affordable housing. She is suggesting investing in market rate workforce housing for our teachers, nurses, fire and police officers so they can afford to live here. Right now we invest in housing in Texas and Florida - does that make sense? And never all of our investment - a portion of a portfolio which is always the prudent way to go.

I do have to concede that many years ago when she was still married and her children were very small, she lived up in the general fountain grove area but not in one of those fancy mansions and she moved down into town as soon as she could. One of her first battles was to oppose that 4 lane hwy they built up there.

Ken,

To put my post in context, it was a response to Shepherd's post where he made note of Kathleen Schaffer moving out of town after she lost an election....

[Barry]

I can't tell you how trite and silly the accusations from the campaigns and supporters of both Noreen Evans and Lynda Hopkins that the other one recently moved into the district sound to me.

First both candidates recently moved from outside the district to inside the district, and secondly, both candidates have valid claims to be able to genuinely represent the district.

Stop being childish! It demeans both of your houses, wherever they happen to located!

[photolite]

Barry,
West County is so unique with its collection of small to tiny villages, each with its own identity and character, each different from all the others. These differences can be subtle and difficult to understand if you haven't lived here a long time. There's a sensibility that takes real time to acquire and wouldn't be readily apparent to someone from, say, east Santa Rosa, which is politically very, very different. It's hard to imagine someone from outside this area would be able to faithfully represent this district.

Regarding this statement by another poster,
"because Noreen Evans is seasoned she won't fall into the pitfall of "how do i get out of this beholden thing" . She is Not beholden to anyone.",
we all know this to be patently false.

I can't tell you how trite and silly the accusations from the campaigns and supporters of both Noreen Evans and Lynda Hopkins that the other one recently moved into the district sound to me...

[podfish]

Barry - I thought this guy was banned??

Ban JBox?? noooo!! why???

[podfish]

Nope, that was "Dick", who voluntarily left the board instead of providing his real name. "jbox" is not a "Dick".

and not all of us can claim that endorsement!

[Sam]

I keep seeing signs everywhere, really divided, saying Noreen Evans or Lynda Hopkins!

What I really want to do is put both of their names in my yard. One on the left, one on the right. And right in the middle, I want to have a sign saying "I like them both!" :-)

[beshiva]

that's nice/nice and mushy gushy. But make sure you put the correct one on the right and the correct one on the left. lol

What I really want to do is put both of their names in my yard. One on the left, one on the right. And right in the middle, I want to have a sign saying "I like them both!" :-)

[Glia]

Gee whiz, if Sonoma County had public campaign financing in place for county-level office, the "beholden thing" would be a moot issue for the candidates opting to "run clean" and NOT accept any private donations.

Help make this utopian fantasy a reality! Ask Gov. Brown to sign SB 1107, which miraculously got through the state legislature and is now sitting on his desk awaiting his signature to become law.

https://act.couragecampaign.org/sign...ightDarkMoney/

... Regarding this statement by another poster,
"because Noreen Evans is seasoned she won't fall into the pitfall of "how do i get out of this beholden thing" . She is Not beholden to anyone.",
we all know this to be patently false.

[Sara S]

from The Press Democrat, 9/21:

Evans’ track record

EDITOR: Barbara Baer’s comments in support of Noreen Evans were right on target (“The case for Evans,” Letters, Sept. 13). Just about the only letters in support of the other candidate come from sectors that oppose regulation by state and local agencies. Grape growers, winery owners, real estate and big construction are putting big money into this battle to elect a county supervisor more willing to compromise (in their favor) on needed regulations. Big money buys big access. It took too long to finally legislate overtime for farmworkers in California. Guess which industry is howling in protest? We need a county supervisor who won’t be too beholden to the money she receives to make clear decisions that benefit the majority of residents and not just the people who put her in power.
Only Evans has the scandal-free honest track record of making decisions based on all the players in the room, not just the biggest moneyed interests.
KEN SUND
Jenner

[Barry]

Here's a radio hit piece against Lynda Hopkins by the Coalition for a Better Sonoma County

I don't know about you, but the hyperbole of this really turns me off. I think we are blessed to have 2 great candidates. To me it seems that their values are roughly inline with each other and I'm sure either would represent us well. However,. it sure seems to me the Noreen and her supporters have run a much more negative and fierce campaign which turns me off. Lynda and her supporters are not lily white either, but Noreen's camp seems worse to me.

[jbox]

Here's a radio hit piece again Lynda Hopkins by the Coalition for a Better Sonoma County...

Paid for not by Noreen's campaign but by special interests investing in her. Believe me, they expect and will receive genuflection by Noreen. I am not aware of this type of support for Hopkins and still do not see her blithely following the orders of her contributors.