The catchy title above may lead one to believe I am going to refer to Weight Watchers and/or my diet mantra "eat less; move more"; and how I think this is a prescription for solving problems we have with our government services as well (www.sonic.net/tlynch/salary.htm). Nice how I fit that all into one sentence as I get ready to "put the bite on ya". I am setting you up for a plea for funds so be careful!!
The second-half (July 1st to December 31st) donations for the 5th District Supervisor race have been filed at the Sonoma County Registrar of voters. My fellow candidates have all met the filing deadline (Jan,31) and I have reviewed their list of contributors. Of course most of the money raised is from outside of the district or from wealthy candidates large loans to their own campaigns. If one were to count only money raised in the 5th district I think we would come in as the #2 recipient of campaign contributions.
Alas we are #3 out of 7 in contributions; but the bottom line is we are #4 with money in the bank. Unfortunately money is the mothers milk of politics and we need funds from our fairy godmothers out there to get the message out. I encourage you to donate through our website under the donate button with paypal or send checks made out to "Friends of Tom Lynch" , 601 Johnson Street, Sebastopol, Ca. 95472.
To our advantage I am perhaps a little better known than most of the candidates through my 28 years involvement in West County activism, theatre and politics (http://www.tomlynch4supervisor.com-a.googlepages.com/pastisprologue). We also have a strong message calling for a freeze on Sonoma County salaries, benefits and non-essential hires with money saved being reallocated to our struggling non-profits, volunteer and faith based groups, and outsourcing to private business where competitive. But we need to get out our message...
There is a Chinese proverb,"...a closed book is nothing more than a block of paper." If you look at the front page of our website there is a Google video of my final comments at the recent Sebastopol debate in which I said to a wonderful audience of 200, "...one supervisor is not going to solve our problems...we need to ALL work together to do this or we're in a lot of trouble." If YOU support reforms and reallocations toward a progressive agenda for change; we need YOU to join us with your time, talent and treasure. Thank you for your support.
peace and love,
Tom Lynch
http://www.tomlynch4supervisor.com/
Monday, February 11, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Been a great week!
We had our first debate Saturday, Jan,26 a the Sebastopol Veterans Auditorium. Big thank you's to SOS Save Our Sonoma, the SCWC Sonoma County Water Coalition, and the Atascadero Green Valley Creek Association. I was a little nervous this being the first debate for Supervisor in the Fifth District in 12 years. You think about it the last Supervisor "elected" not "appointed" to office in Sonoma County was when Mike Reilly ran in 1996...now we have two open seats up for election including Tim Smith's seat from 1988. Interesting...
Lot's of great questions and answers with a standing room only crowd. We will be trying to put some videos up soon. Meanwhile check out the good job that Sonoma West did...including a front page photo at:
http://www.sonomawest.com/articles/2008/02/01/sonomawest/news/news1.txt
5th District forum draws overflow crowd
More candidates expected to enter race
by Frank Robertson - Sonoma West Staff Writer
ALL ALIGNED — Candidate Tom Lynch (standing) was joined by five other announced candidates for the 5th District Board of Supervisors seat now held by Mike Reilly who is retiring. Other candidates pictured from left is Rue Furch, Maddy Hirshfield, Dan Kahane, Jim Maresca and Guy Smith. The forum held last Saturday at Sebastopol’s Vets Memorial hall was organized by the Sonoma County Watershed Coalition and was moderated by Stephen Fuller-Rowell. The Primary Election is June 3 and run-off would be held in the November General Election if no candidate wins 51 percent of the June vote. - Photo by Rollie Atkinson
SEBASTOPOL - Nobody really won or lost the first debate in the 5th District Supervisors race last week.“I'd call it a draw,” said Jeannette Dillman, a Guerneville resident among the standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 who packed the Sebastopol Veterans Auditorium last Saturday.Rue Furch's formerly delinquent taxes, prominent in last week's news, came up briefly but didn't seem foremost on the minds of voters polled after the debate.
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Dillman said she's still a Furch supporter despite the flak Furch caught from critics who say her property tax issue set a bad example for a sitting Sonoma County Planning Commissioner and candidate for Supervisor.Despite that “I think she has a good working knowledge of the County,” said Dillman. “I think she'd do a good job.”“I deserve criticism,” said Furch, in her opening statement at Saturday's debate. “I've handled them,” she said of her back taxes. “I've fixed it.”
As expected at Saturday's forum all six attending candidates - Furch, Tom Lynch, Maddy Hirshfield, Dan Kahane, Jim Maresca and Guy Smith - spoke of their desire to preserve the West County's rural character and strengthen its tourism and agricultural base.“All of us have excellent environmental credentials,” said Jim Maresca, so the voters' challenge is to put the best person on “the team that runs the county for the next four years.”Graton resident Guy Smith said he cares passionately about the West County's natural environment and healthy ag industry and can bridge “the dichotomy” between the two camps.Dan Kahane, an environmentalist by profession and self-declared “un-politician,” said the environment is his top concern and that “all other issues fall under that umbrella.”Guerneville resident Tom Lynch reminded the audience of his early activist years fighting Santa Rosa wastewater discharges when he earned the nickname Manure Man for spreading fertilizer in front of Santa Rosa City Hall.Nowadays “My wife won't let me get arrested so I'm doing things more responsibly,” said Lynch, who's calling for a freeze on county spending.
Maddy Hirshfield emphasized her background in healthcare and the “established relationships” she has within government and the community as an aide to state Assemblywoman Patty Berg.Most of the questions last week dealt with watershed issues important to the forum's co-sponsors, Save Our Sonoma County and the Atascadero and Green Valley Creek Watershed Council.Environmentally “We are all pretty much all on the same page,” said Hirshfield after the forum. With the candidates views sounding remarkably similar, Hirshfield agreed that voters will be assessing traits such as character, personality and style.“People forget most of what they hear” when political candidates talk, said Hirshfield. “People will remember how you make them feel.”People will also be seeing some more candidates. With the first day (Feb. 11) still two weeks off to officially enter the race, the 5th District field has now grown to 10. Candidate Eddie Alvarez of the Roseland area did not attend Saturday's event owing to a death in the family. Two other marginal candidates, Narayan deVera, a world health activist, and Phil Graf a conservative gun advocate, have taken out petitions to circulate in lieu of paying filing fees.And now supporters say there's a viable tenth entrant, Efren Carrillo, who will announce his candidacy within the next few days.
Carrillo, who's active in the Roseland area and serves on the board of directors of the Southwest Community Health Center, was formerly a business and field representative for state Assemblyman Joe Nation.Carrillo works as education and government relations manager for Redwood Credit Union and is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley. He graduated from Roseland School and Santa Rosa High School.An 11th potential candidate, Karrie Singler of Forestville, also took out a petition in lieu of filing fee this week.
Lot's of great questions and answers with a standing room only crowd. We will be trying to put some videos up soon. Meanwhile check out the good job that Sonoma West did...including a front page photo at:
http://www.sonomawest.com/articles/2008/02/01/sonomawest/news/news1.txt
5th District forum draws overflow crowd
More candidates expected to enter race
by Frank Robertson - Sonoma West Staff Writer
ALL ALIGNED — Candidate Tom Lynch (standing) was joined by five other announced candidates for the 5th District Board of Supervisors seat now held by Mike Reilly who is retiring. Other candidates pictured from left is Rue Furch, Maddy Hirshfield, Dan Kahane, Jim Maresca and Guy Smith. The forum held last Saturday at Sebastopol’s Vets Memorial hall was organized by the Sonoma County Watershed Coalition and was moderated by Stephen Fuller-Rowell. The Primary Election is June 3 and run-off would be held in the November General Election if no candidate wins 51 percent of the June vote. - Photo by Rollie Atkinson
SEBASTOPOL - Nobody really won or lost the first debate in the 5th District Supervisors race last week.“I'd call it a draw,” said Jeannette Dillman, a Guerneville resident among the standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 who packed the Sebastopol Veterans Auditorium last Saturday.Rue Furch's formerly delinquent taxes, prominent in last week's news, came up briefly but didn't seem foremost on the minds of voters polled after the debate.
= 1147323600) && (nAdsysTime
Dillman said she's still a Furch supporter despite the flak Furch caught from critics who say her property tax issue set a bad example for a sitting Sonoma County Planning Commissioner and candidate for Supervisor.Despite that “I think she has a good working knowledge of the County,” said Dillman. “I think she'd do a good job.”“I deserve criticism,” said Furch, in her opening statement at Saturday's debate. “I've handled them,” she said of her back taxes. “I've fixed it.”
As expected at Saturday's forum all six attending candidates - Furch, Tom Lynch, Maddy Hirshfield, Dan Kahane, Jim Maresca and Guy Smith - spoke of their desire to preserve the West County's rural character and strengthen its tourism and agricultural base.“All of us have excellent environmental credentials,” said Jim Maresca, so the voters' challenge is to put the best person on “the team that runs the county for the next four years.”Graton resident Guy Smith said he cares passionately about the West County's natural environment and healthy ag industry and can bridge “the dichotomy” between the two camps.Dan Kahane, an environmentalist by profession and self-declared “un-politician,” said the environment is his top concern and that “all other issues fall under that umbrella.”Guerneville resident Tom Lynch reminded the audience of his early activist years fighting Santa Rosa wastewater discharges when he earned the nickname Manure Man for spreading fertilizer in front of Santa Rosa City Hall.Nowadays “My wife won't let me get arrested so I'm doing things more responsibly,” said Lynch, who's calling for a freeze on county spending.
Maddy Hirshfield emphasized her background in healthcare and the “established relationships” she has within government and the community as an aide to state Assemblywoman Patty Berg.Most of the questions last week dealt with watershed issues important to the forum's co-sponsors, Save Our Sonoma County and the Atascadero and Green Valley Creek Watershed Council.Environmentally “We are all pretty much all on the same page,” said Hirshfield after the forum. With the candidates views sounding remarkably similar, Hirshfield agreed that voters will be assessing traits such as character, personality and style.“People forget most of what they hear” when political candidates talk, said Hirshfield. “People will remember how you make them feel.”People will also be seeing some more candidates. With the first day (Feb. 11) still two weeks off to officially enter the race, the 5th District field has now grown to 10. Candidate Eddie Alvarez of the Roseland area did not attend Saturday's event owing to a death in the family. Two other marginal candidates, Narayan deVera, a world health activist, and Phil Graf a conservative gun advocate, have taken out petitions to circulate in lieu of paying filing fees.And now supporters say there's a viable tenth entrant, Efren Carrillo, who will announce his candidacy within the next few days.
Carrillo, who's active in the Roseland area and serves on the board of directors of the Southwest Community Health Center, was formerly a business and field representative for state Assemblyman Joe Nation.Carrillo works as education and government relations manager for Redwood Credit Union and is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley. He graduated from Roseland School and Santa Rosa High School.An 11th potential candidate, Karrie Singler of Forestville, also took out a petition in lieu of filing fee this week.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Need for consensus with Monte Rio sewer...
Last night there was a meeting of the minds regarding possible solutions to Monte Rio's septic/sewer problems at a home in Villa Grande. I said I felt one of the reasons the design for the Monte Rio sewer failed was a lack of continuing involvement of the original CAC (citizen's advisory committee) to continue to educate those opposed. The County also arrived after a solution was made and "waterboarded" the solution down everybodies throat including threats of condemning a portion of a long time River familie's property. Further our public servants at the PRMD (Permit and Resource Management) and the SCWA (Sonoma County Water Agency) made no secret their lack of concern and outright opposition to doing the job of even getting the project out to bid.
Sun Tzu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu) wrote in "The Art of War" 2500 years ago,
"...the acme of all skill is to avoid the battle and win an ally." Today diplomats work toward a third way between those opposed and those in favor, parties in conflict with each other; a path that tries to resolve and build consensus. We need peace makers, conciliators, leaders experienced in resolving issues without the polarization experienced in Monte Rio with the sewer issue that divided the community.
At the Friday night meeting all parties agreed to work toward consensus with each other to find another solution. Let's hope we can keep moving with an affordable plan that retains grant monies and is not as divisive as the previous solution.
Sun Tzu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Tzu) wrote in "The Art of War" 2500 years ago,
"...the acme of all skill is to avoid the battle and win an ally." Today diplomats work toward a third way between those opposed and those in favor, parties in conflict with each other; a path that tries to resolve and build consensus. We need peace makers, conciliators, leaders experienced in resolving issues without the polarization experienced in Monte Rio with the sewer issue that divided the community.
At the Friday night meeting all parties agreed to work toward consensus with each other to find another solution. Let's hope we can keep moving with an affordable plan that retains grant monies and is not as divisive as the previous solution.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Time for County Spending Freeze?
Hi friends and supporters...
Below is an opinion piece I just submitted to Vesta Copestakes at the West Couny Gazette. More to follow.
L.
Tom
Time for County Spending Freeze?
Thank you Vesta for making space in the Gazette available for Fifth District Supervisorial candidates. Not wanting to impose too much on your hospitality I will keep opinion pieces brief with longer in depth coverage on our website (www.TomLynch4Supervisor.com).
To me the environment includes ecology, economy and government services accounted for in the County budget. I know how arcane and confusing the use of our tax dollars can be, but it is an important issue that needs to be addressed and I promise to keep it simple.
The slogan of our campaign is “Together Toward a Sustainable Future” The measure of all our challenges with respect to the environment, the economy and government services is sustainability. Are we conducting ourselves in such a way that we do not compromise the future for ourselves, our children and other beings we share this planet with?
Regarding our County's government services I have spent hundreds of hours the last six months perusing myriad public records including past and present budgets. I have filed a couple “public records act requests” with Sonoma County Human Resources; the various personnel in those offices have been very helpful and cooperative. County staff knows full well that as public servants the books are open to anyone to review to see what is going on. My last request I received 1542 pages including the total salary and benefits for every single one of our 4279 employees (average salary and benefit is over $100,000). I have met with many department heads and staffers enlightening me through a very difficult learning curve as they explain why our roads and mental health services are deteriorating as the County revenues increase.
Since the year 2000 , the “median household income” in Sonoma County has declined by 2% , while the salary and benefits of county employees have increased by 70%; on average 10% per year. The County has taken a windfall of increased property taxes and given it to themselves; but even these monies have not been enough since during each of the last four years, there have been cuts in programs and services from the level of the previous year. Reviewing proposed “memorandums of understanding” that the County staff are negotiating with some of the unions representing employees it appears that the 10% annual raises in salaries and benefits will continue for many. Consequently the resources to sustain this will come from more reductions in programs and services and higher fees and taxes.
I am a pro-labor progressive environmentalist who believes in fiscal responsibility. We have a moral obligation to take care of the poor, the victimized, to educate our children and try to keep at-risk youth out of the criminal justice system. We rely upon our government to provide all of us with social programs, public safety, to protect the environment, and maintain our infrastructure including roads, sewers and water systems. Creative and innovative reforms are needed in order to avoid the loss of hundreds of County jobs and huge cuts in our essential services.
We are moving into a recession where jobs are being lost, pay cuts are being made, and businesses are reducing hours to avoid layoffs. The boomers, all 76 million of us, are starting to retire in an unprecedented demographic event with no money set aside in Social Security and Medicare except a bunch of phony I.O.U.’s. The era of “peak everything” approaches.
Should we consider a freeze on County spending with monies saved going to non-profits, volunteer and faith based groups, and outsourcing to private businesses if they are competitive?
Is it time we consider a re-allocation of some of our tax money toward other means of solving problems and fixing things that might be less wasteful and more economical?
These are just a couple of questions that must be addressed with respect to challenges with the environment, the economy and government services if we are to work together toward a sustainable future. I look forward to being part of developing a new vision. The change will come from the bottom up not the top down.
Friday, November 16, 2007
It's been a busy week so far. I keep going from one meeting to another while working on more position papers getting ready for the 2008 campaign. I think the strategy for most campaigns has been to kind of get their foot in the door; establish a foundation...prove the merit of their campaign, i.e. are there donations and volunteers enough to go the distance with finances and labor.
I've been fortunate to have had two well attended campaign events so far; my big 50 birthday bash and our Northwood Golf tournament both of which were attended by 200+/- which is pretty darn good. I have tried not to bore too many with long winded speeches; my handlers in the back have thus far not had to pull out the looong hook to pull me off stage...I do tend to go on at times ;0).
I've given everyone some time off too...don't want to burn out my supporters; we will have a full plate ahead toward winning the June primary and going on to the November general election. It's a little confusing for most how the Supervisorial race works. This is a non-partison race meaning there is no primary per se to run in to represent a particular party however all the candidates for 5th district supervisor will be on the June 2008 primary ballot.
There will probably be 7-10 candidates and the top two vote getters in the June primary will then face each other in a run-off in November at the general election. There should be a good turn out as this is a presidential election. Whoever gets the most votes in November will then be sworn in Jan, 2009. We must all pace ourselves for the long run.
Of course for me I think the more the merrier and I've likened the election to a kind of "Survivor's episode" whereby we will all hope to gain the support of those who are not top vote getters after the June primary. It's kind of an enobling process; or can be anyway where we all are running a gauntlet getting blooded to be stronger leaders. There are lessons ahead for all of us. For me I am having to reassess some of the direction of my campaign in light of new information and knowledge about how things are not working.
More to come...thanks for checking us out.
L.
Tom
I've been fortunate to have had two well attended campaign events so far; my big 50 birthday bash and our Northwood Golf tournament both of which were attended by 200+/- which is pretty darn good. I have tried not to bore too many with long winded speeches; my handlers in the back have thus far not had to pull out the looong hook to pull me off stage...I do tend to go on at times ;0).
I've given everyone some time off too...don't want to burn out my supporters; we will have a full plate ahead toward winning the June primary and going on to the November general election. It's a little confusing for most how the Supervisorial race works. This is a non-partison race meaning there is no primary per se to run in to represent a particular party however all the candidates for 5th district supervisor will be on the June 2008 primary ballot.
There will probably be 7-10 candidates and the top two vote getters in the June primary will then face each other in a run-off in November at the general election. There should be a good turn out as this is a presidential election. Whoever gets the most votes in November will then be sworn in Jan, 2009. We must all pace ourselves for the long run.
Of course for me I think the more the merrier and I've likened the election to a kind of "Survivor's episode" whereby we will all hope to gain the support of those who are not top vote getters after the June primary. It's kind of an enobling process; or can be anyway where we all are running a gauntlet getting blooded to be stronger leaders. There are lessons ahead for all of us. For me I am having to reassess some of the direction of my campaign in light of new information and knowledge about how things are not working.
More to come...thanks for checking us out.
L.
Tom
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step. There has been this button on our campaign website for the last few months that says "blog". I know basically a blog is kind of an ongoing commentary that one can share different escapades, exploits, thoughts, epiphanies (...I love that word), etc. with our tribe as well as others afar looking in. I have been encouraged by my web guru; Generation Y'er Tao Klauenburch to make regular blog entries in order to help people get to know me better. In fact I am now on Tao's calender to call me every Tuesday and Friday and remind me to make an entry. I serve and obey ;0)...
Tao is the mastermind behind our campaign web presence. Ultimately as things heat up Tao's work will be viewed by thousands. In October of 1980 Tao was three months old when I arrived in Western Sonoma County from Iowa; albeit after a short stop in LA for 10 months prior to my arrival in paradise. Tao is on a mission to save the world...I love his undimmed idealism and enthusiasm; he is part of the wind in my sails. Thank you Tao for helping us develop and get our message out their through the internet. Our web presence will be a deciding factor in the fifth district supervisorial race.
Basically I share Tao's idealism...since arriving in Sonoma County I have been involved with what Teddy Roosevelt called "the great enthusiasms" of political change. More to follow...I'm off to work. Hi Ho Hi Ho ;0) it's off to work I go.
Tao is the mastermind behind our campaign web presence. Ultimately as things heat up Tao's work will be viewed by thousands. In October of 1980 Tao was three months old when I arrived in Western Sonoma County from Iowa; albeit after a short stop in LA for 10 months prior to my arrival in paradise. Tao is on a mission to save the world...I love his undimmed idealism and enthusiasm; he is part of the wind in my sails. Thank you Tao for helping us develop and get our message out their through the internet. Our web presence will be a deciding factor in the fifth district supervisorial race.
Basically I share Tao's idealism...since arriving in Sonoma County I have been involved with what Teddy Roosevelt called "the great enthusiasms" of political change. More to follow...I'm off to work. Hi Ho Hi Ho ;0) it's off to work I go.
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