Republic or Oligarchy

By Richard L. "Dick" Sutter, Ph.D.

Local government in Sonoma County is too often dominated by an inner circle of self-appointed oligarchs. The result is dysfunctional policy and confused priorities.

Ever wonder why when faced with a virtual invasion from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Las Vegas gambling interests designed to foist a huge casino operation on Sonoma County, changing by Federal fiat the character of our home community forever, our County Board of Supervisors won't even permit the citizens to voice their opinion on the subject at the ballot box?

Ever wonder why water is being rationed while the price of that less available water is rising as fast as petroleum and the Board of Supervisors provides no long-term plan to alleviate the problem through increased storage capacity?

Ever wonder why we get modest attention to the widening of Highway 101, but high pressure to adopt the "SMART" train + a train to nowhere that will offer a few developers a big opportunity to build commercial developments around way stations financed by yet another rise in sales taxes, but which will contribute not an iota of improvement in traffic congestion?

Ever wonder why the Press Democrat wants its readers to avoid serious controversy and just let "business as usual" proceed unhampered and in the hands of the same cast of characters or their hand-picked successors?

Pick your favorite "ever wonder" and add it to the list. The answer to them all is pretty simple: the people of Sonoma County have become a tennis ball on a court with the Sonoma County Alliance Political Action Committee on one side and the Sonoma County Conservation Action organization on the other. These organizations, originally antagonistic, but recently in cahoots, have what they freely admit are "representatives" on our city councils and on the Board of Supervisors. They could care less what the taxpayers and citizens who elect these minions think. They intend to serve their unnamed masters at the people's expense.

At the root of this circumstance lies voter apathy and indifference. Your neighbors who are active in the Sonoma County Republican Party are working hard to restore citizen politics, genuine public debate, and common sense government. Join us! Help us to restore good government to Sonoma County.