Candidate for
County Supervisor; Sonoma County; Supervisorial District 5

I want to make sure that this county is as wonderful a place to live for my grandchildren as it has been for all of us.

Top Priorities if Elected

- A comprehensive county water plan to reliably assess our water supply, the quality of that water and to integrate it into a master plan to ensure a lasting supply of clean water for all Sonoma County uses. We must also solve our septic and sewer situations in each community both to resolve water quality issues, and for the future of people and businesses in those areas.

- A comprehensive health care plan that will include ensuring access to high-quality hospital and mental health services, while maintaining more dispersed emergency care facilities around the County. While the County is not in a position to provide single payer health care at a local level, I would welcome the chance to work with our state and federal elected officials to come up with a coherent and sustainable health care coverage system.

- A plan of action that is implemented to meet our stated goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; acting locally and responsibly in a global effort to affect climate change. This includes both preventative actions to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, and precautionary measures to address the local implications of the degree of climate change already underway.

- A thriving local economy for a sustainable future + including affordable housing near transit. We will not go the way of one crop or one business sector counties, as long as we retain our vibrant mixture of businesses and industries. General Plan policies must be put into practice to support locally owned businesses, farms, vineyards, home based businesses and our tourism industry. We need living-wage jobs, a better jobs/housing balance, and affordable housing that is also close to pubic transit. The Affordable Housing Ordinance that I helped craft is now a model for other counties in the state.

- A plan to manage our resources: to include forests/timberlands, water, gravel, open space, habitats, etc. It is imperative that we preserve our resources for their long-term value. We need a new sustainable strategy for renewable resources such as timber and energy. Key building blocks like water, farmlands, habitats and open space must be protected for all our futures. Looking ahead for future generations is part of the job before all of us.

There is much to do to make the future safe, healthy and sustainable. With your support, we'll tackle the problems - large and small.