Letters to the Argus-Courier Editor Feb. 24, 2022

Another reason to vote for Hooper

EDITOR: “Muir Wood youth treatment center expansion plans scuttled by Sonoma County board,” illustrates how our County Supervisor treats the east and west sides of Petaluma differently. Because westside residents could not abide the slight expansion of a juvenile treatment center, David Rabbitt leapt to action hosting a town hall meeting and allowing those residents to air their complaints. Contrast this to when a group of eastside residents called on him to discuss a toxic 14-pump gas station planned to be built just across a narrow street from preschools and an elementary school. I was part of the eastside group that reached out to David Rabbitt's office. We never heard back from him (or from anyone else in his office). It would have been nice if he would have responded with a little empathy, maybe tell us he could do nothing for us because it was within city limits. Instead, we were left to believe he didn't care. Even though we reside within the city limits, he is still our Supervisor and we would have appreciated a reply. For many of us on the east side of town, the decision to deny the expansion of the youth treatment center by the Sonoma County Board of Zoning Adjustments (made up of planning commissioners appointed by our County Supervisors) is yet another reminder that people on the west side really are getting more attention than the people on the east side.

This is why I will be voting for Blake Hooper for District 2 Sonoma County Supervisor. Blake has the interest and the energy that the east side needs. I encourage all of Petaluma's eastside residents to vote for Blake. He won’t ignore the health and needs of Petaluma’s eastside residents!

Rebecca Carpenter

Petaluma

Steps to take for climate stability

EDITOR: Reading the recent articles in the Argus-Courier made it clear that folks in Petaluma are taking action to create climate stability. We salute them for their work. We are referring to the article about Ann Edminster, Chairperson, Petaluma’s Climate Action Commission and the article about Rhianna Frank, Climate Action Manager in Petaluma. As we all know we are experiencing a climate crisis that requires taking many actions if we are to create climate stability.

With that as the context, we offer some additional actions that we the people can take:

1. Go to the website for The Foundation for Climate Restoration. Read the latest White Paper about the need for Climate Restoration as well as mitigation

2. Check with your financial advisor about the companies in which your retirement money is invested. If the companies are not committed to climate stability, ask for a change to companies that have a commitment to having a climate in which we can thrive.

3. Join the North Bay chapter of The Foundation for Climate Restoration.

4. Write to your representatives in California and Washington, D.C. Ask them to support legislation that promotes climate stability.

5. Educate yourself about the need to remove the legacy CO2 in the atmosphere. It has accumulated since the Industrial Revolution. Yes, net zero is needed and the removal of the excess CO2 (a trillion tons) is vital and possible.

This is just a short list. The important thing is to TAKE ACTION NOW for our children and grandchildren to have a planet that is a place where they thrive!!!

Carol and Jeff England, co-founders, International Projects Fund; members, North Bay Chapter of Fans of The Foundation for Climate Restoration

Thanks for highlighting problem

EDITOR: We who live at Leisure Lake Village sure appreciate any attention we get from you about our mail situation and your doing an article in the paper about the problems it posed for many: like one quarter of the residents who have had to drive far and wide to get their mail and not only that, but most importantly how their mail never got delivered for payment and so on for such a long long time.

Thank you,

Joe Scigliano

Petaluma

We can all help wildlife, environment

EDITOR: Natasha Juliana's climate column in the Feb. 17 Argus Courier included a description of an Adobe Road resident who met with neighbors for the Cool City Challenge. Juliana said, "...they have already discovered a shared interest in habitat restoration that could become an exciting team project later in the program..."

The need for action to enhance and restore our habitat areas in Petaluma is actually yesterday. We can all engage in this stress-relieving and inspirational activity now to help birds and wildlife. Planting and maintaining habitat in our yards and as volunteers for areas in Petaluma will literally be life-saving for birds, wildlife and all kinds of organisms and small creatures.

A very good tree and vegetation planting list with info about birds and wildlife can be found at madroneaudubon.org. Madrone Audubon has also sponsored two phenology projects in Petaluma since 2016 for over six years (part of the National Phenology Project, usanpn.org). Citizen scientists collect local data for birds, mammals and plants and submit it to the National database. Phenology, more important now than perhaps ever before, is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life. Please feel free to reach out any time for resources - 707-241-5548, susankirks@sbcglobal.net.

Susan Kirks, president, Madrone Audubon Society; naturalist, Paula Lane Action Network

Rebuilding Together Petaluma can help

EDITOR: Regarding the questions, "How are we going to help seniors who are already struggling? Where are the funds to expand doorways and add ramps that are needed now?“ asked in “A Vote Against Visitability” in the Letters to the Editor on 2/17/2022.

Rebuilding Together Petaluma has been providing free critical home repairs for low-income homeowners in Petaluma for over 25 years. We receive funds from the city through Community Development Block Grants. We also solicit donations from individuals and businesses and apply for other grants year-round from organizations and foundations.

RTP teams volunteers with skilled tradespeople to provide critical home repairs and home modifications for elderly homeowners and people with disabilities.

We help elderly homeowners Age-in-Place and do so safely. Not only do we repair roofs, rotted floors, water heaters, furnaces, plumbing, and electric, we also install wheelchair lifts, ramps, and grab bars to improve mobility and accessibility.

Our services are available to all low-income Petaluma homeowners. Anyone who would like more information or an application for service can visit our website at rtpetaluma.org or call 707-765-3944. Anyone wishing to volunteer or make a donation can also visit our website or call.

Thank you,

Drake Cunningham, executive director, Rebuilding Together Petaluma

Time to move on from Rainier

EDITOR: How much difference a decade or two can make! There was a time when Rainier looked like a simple solution to crosstown traffic back-ups.

Little did we know that building Rainier would slash through the last remaining natural riparian habitat along the northern section of the Petaluma River. Little did we know that building a Rainier connector would entail cutting down heritage oak trees hundreds of years old. Little did we know that building Rainier was tied to developers’ dreams of building luxury homes and big box stores. Little did we know that paving the “vacant” land between Petaluma Blvd. North and Highway 101 would lead to more danger from flooding and would virtually negate the $100 million dollars spent on the flood walls and weir, putting the Payran neighborhood and downtown at risk of serious flooding again. Little did we know that we could have both Caulfield and Corona crosstown connectors for less cost than the one at Rainier.

Will we continue to ignore what we now know? Remember the flooding at the Auto Mall that we were told would not happen? Remember the flooding at the Factory Outlets that we were told would not happen? How many times do we have to be fooled before we wake up?

Now that we do know, we can make wiser decisions and stop wasting our city’s time and money on Rainier.

Beverly Alexander, Protect Wild Petaluma

On cannabis and promises

EDITOR: An open letter to Senator McGuire: Four-hundred cannabis stakeholders have sent you a request to eliminate or curb their taxes. What is at stake here? Prop. 64 was voted in because it promised to not only fully fund the cost of the industry but generate extra state funds for other worthy projects. These worthy projects include helping over 21,000 low income students. If there is extra money (projected excess is $31 billion) I contend that the state should either be returning the excess to the taxpayers or using it for programs, not propping up a failing industry. We the voters were sold one thing and the industry knew the terms.

Sen. McGuire, by you saying early education and child care will be funded at the same level via this legislation and budget investment…isn’t that code for using the excess to make up the difference?

I am not convinced that the handout to the industry will ever be walked back. If the promises of huge profits haven’t materialized, perhaps California is not the place to grow the weed. And let’s stop trotting out the small farmer myth. Most are big conglomerates.

Rachel Zierdt

Sebastopol