June 17, 2024: Editor's Round Up
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”
- Henry Ford
Factory Farming Measure J
Sonoma County has the dubious distinction of being the first county in the nation to place a ballot initiative on the November ballot which would outlaw “factory farms.” The measure would outlaw larger animal farms and those discharging waste directly into surface water in Sonoma County. These operations are officially known as “concentrated animal feeding operations,” or CAFOs.
If the ordinance is passed by the voters, it would necessitate ongoing expenses of $1.6 Million or more to facilitate inspections and reporting. The Human Services Department cited costs of almost $1.5 Million related to job assistance and retraining. Those figures are disputed by the Coalition to End Factory Farming which is the group that wrote the initiative. The group states that industrial facilities harm animals. The group further claims that the facilities exacerbate wildfires and droughts. They also claim that these farms are incubators for disease like the avian flu, pollute air and water and also impact the health of workers and people who live near these farms.
Defining farms as a CAFO would require the office of the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner to verify the measures defining farms as CAFOs. This means that all the dairy and poultry operators in the county would have to be inspected. Andrew Smith, Agricultural Commissioner stated that the county would need as many as five full time inspectors to analyze and implement the measure.
The Coalition generated their list of CAFO’s from data reported to the State Water Resources Control Board for dairies; some local poultry farms data came from the U. S. Department of Agriculture; when information was unavailable, calculations regarding the size of barn space were made from Google Earth images. The Coalition has posted a list of 21 county farms they believe qualify as CAFOs.
Some results of Measure J:
$259 Million loss in locally produced agricultural products.
$121 Million loss on affiliated businesses (veterinarians, animal feed providers.)
600 people lose homes provided by Sonoma County farms.
Saddle county with $3 Million in unfunded mandates for new regulatory responsibilities.
The four Supervisors present at the Supervisor’s Board Meeting all voted against Measure J. The Board also voted to submit a letter of opposition to the ballot measure.
Recommendation: Read ballot measure J on the November ballot very carefully.
Is Santa Rosa ready for its own Central Park?
State transportation officials have approved selling a 2-mile, 49 acre strip of state-owned land off Highway 12 to Santa Rosa which will be the city’s own Central Park. The California Transportation Commission voted in favor of the sale. The price for the 49 acre property is set at just over $1.8 Million which is the appraised market value.
There has been a 15 year effort to transform the property into what’s known as the Southwest Greenway. Sonoma Land Trust along with a coalition of residents known as the Southeast Greenway Campaign spearheaded the effort. This area will be Santa Rosa’s next park. The sale is expected to be completed by the end of July and a celebration is planned once the sale is finalized.
The entire property was acquired by the California Department of Transportation over several decades with the original intention of extending Highway 12 from Farmers Lane through what is now Spring Lake Regional Park. Plans for the Highway were dropped after Caltrans changed plans and resident concerns about the environmental cost.
The entire property is 58 acres. Nine acres will be sold separately and developed into up to 244 housing units.
Mandatory Kindergarten on the agenda.
The California legislature is in the middle of passing legislation that will make Kindergarten in California mandatory. The state Assembly has passed the bill and it is in the Senate for consideration. Children are eligible for kindergarten at age 5 but are not required to attend. Mandatory Kindergarten would create costs that are potentially in the $100 Million range annually for increased per-student funding.
Is it about time for this Legislation?
It appears that there is significant support to place a financial literacy course in the high school curriculum. The effort to place a financial literacy course in high schools has been decades-long. Various lawmakers have tried and failed to make the class required for graduation. Currently, there is one bill in the Assembly. However, the California Personal Finance Act received nearly 700,000 signatures of support making it eligible to be on the ballot this year.
The class would teach students the basics of personal finance, including developing budgeting skills, understanding the tax system and managing loans and lines of credit. If the Assembly bill does not pass, the ballot measure has no formal opposition and polls are in support of the course. Interestingly, there are experts who are concerned that voters would be making decisions about state-mandated graduation requirements and not by education experts. Heather J. Hough, Executive Director of Policy Analysis for California Education is skeptical of taking choices that would be made by experienced policymakers and putting them into the hands of voters. A very interesting point of view.
“Education is teaching our children to desire the right things.”
- Plato
Park Rangers and their responsibilities.
Sonoma County’s Regional Park System has a 57 year history. Currently county officials are debating whether or not to change the job classification of rangers from sworn peace officers in favor of a “public officer” role. This change would strip rangers of their law enforcement authority, including the ability to make arrests and would take away officer equipment including batons. Rangers do not carry firearms.
Ranger duties are not primarily focused around law enforcement. Rangers respond to medical and public safety emergencies, collect fees, interact with park visitors, lead park staff and oversee projects at the park.
Park Rangers do not make arrests. However, the authority and training provided by the peace officer status is vital when Rangers respond to emergencies in the sprawling parks network. That network now includes 50 parks and encompasses nearly 60,000 acres.
Sonoma County Regional Parks Director Bert Whitaker is leading the proposal which would change the designation from Ranger to Public Officer. One of the reasons for the change is the difficulty the department is having filling positions. Whitaker states that the current peace officer status requires law enforcement training and involves a hiring process that includes background checks and psychological evaluations. It can take six months or longer to fill a position. This appears to be the major reason that county officials want to change the designation from Park Ranger to Public Officer.
Supervisor James Gore and leaders from the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association and Services Employees International Union 1021 which both represent park rangers believe that the vote to change the employee designation is premature.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
- Seneca
Deadline for Real ID
The goal of the Real ID Act, which was approved by Congress in 2005, is to improve security and minimize fraud in the aftermath of 9/11. The ID was designed to create a nationwide standard for identification since some state driver’s licenses were not acceptable to board commercial aircraft or cross borders in other states. The current deadline to get the ID is May 7, 2025. This date appears to be a final date with no more extensions.
Starting in 2025, if you are 18 years or older, the Real ID will be accepted as a form of identification to board domestic flights and enter secure federal facilities such as military bases and federal courthouses. Traditional identification will not be accepted for such uses.
In order to get a Real ID a person must apply through their local Department of Motor Vehicles Office. Start the process by visiting the DMV website. dmv.ca.gov
One of the following documents must be provided to prove your identity.
Valid U.S. passport or passport card
Original or certified copy of U.S. birth certificate
Valid permanent resident card
Foreign passport with valid U.S. visa and approved I-94 form
Certificate of naturalization or certificate of U.S. citizenship
Certified copy of birth certificate from a U.S. territory
Valid employment authorization document card or valid/expired EAD card with notice of action
Valid permanent resident card with notice of action or approval notice
U.S. certificate of birth abroad or consular report of birth abroad of U.S. citizen
Valid foreign passport stamped “Processed for I-551”
Documents reflecting Temporary Protected Status benefit eligibility
Provide one of the following to prove your residency.
Home utility bill or phone bill
Records from any institution that has issued a credit card
Documents including medical, dental, vision, life, home, rental or vehicle
Medical documents
Mortgage bill
Employment documents
Tax returns (IRS or CA Franchise Tax Board)
Rental or lease agreement with landlord and tenant signatures
School documents that include applicant’s date of birth
Change of address confirmation by the U.S. Postal Service
Property tax bill or statement
Deed or title to residential real property
Voter registration confirmation letter or postcard issued by state of local elections officer
New Windsor Police Chief
Gregory Piccinini has been named the new Windsor Police Chief. Chief Piccinini succeeds Chief Mike Raasch who has retired due to medical reasons. Chief Piccinini is the second person in his family to lead the Windsor Police Department. Some of the Chief’s goals include tackling commercial theft and increasing police volunteers. His biggest goal is just being available to residents, carrying on a tradition solidified during Chief Raasch’s tenure. Chief Piccinini is one priority will be enforcing traffic laws due to the ever-present issues with speeding and other vehicle-related problems, such as driving under the influence.
