Thank You SEIU and the Deputy Sheriff's Association!!

Tonight was a very difficult one for me. I felt more stress than when I covered four city blocks of downtown Santa Rosa with cow manure from a broadcast manure spreader 22 years ago. I was invited to address within an hour of each other the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriff's Association and the Service Employee International Union.

Both unions represent a total of 3600 +/- County workers and my mission was to meet them both and try to get their support for my supervisorial campaign. The deputy sheriff's association was a small cordial election committee with good questions...SEIU was a raucus caucus with over 150 members, again with lots of good questions. Why did I feel so stressed? Part of my solution to the budget problems of Sonoma County is calling for an across the board freeze on salaries and benefits in order to protect the jobs of less senior County workers.

I have spent countless hours trying to fathom the County budget and craft a realistic solution to save jobs, programs and services. I believe as a candidate for public office it is incumbent upon me to offer honest solutions. To me the inescapable conclusion going into a recession with declining revenues and increased costs is three fold...

1). We need to freeze salaries and benefits to avoid more cuts in social services and mental health programs.
2). We need to reorient our resources to more proactive and preventive measures rather than reactive solutions.
3). We need to restore cuts to non-profits and volunteer organisations to work with us toward solving problems.

Thank You SEIU and the Deputy Sheriff's Association for being such gracious hosts and letting me explain my positions. There are tough days ahead and I sincerely believe we need to build up our reserves and hold the line to avoid more lay-offs. We desperately need more of the essential services our public servants provide.

You welcomed me and made me feel at home...I like the term "Bedouin hospitality" whereby if one invites someone into their tent they are to be treated as family so as to not dishonor their house. Both groups excelled with warm collegial hospitality and I will be forever grateful to them for that.

There are hard times ahead. We all need the courage to discuss the issues openly and honestly without fear nor recriminations. Tonight was a break through for me where many dark imaginings I've had of proposing realistic solutions proved to be unwarranted. Thank you again to our County workers for allowing me an opportunity to share my thoughts on creating a sustainable future.

L.
Tom Lynch