Our endorsements for the March 5 Primary
Sixth Congressional District
Democrat: Lynn Woolsey. The incumbent is smarter, more experienced, and better attuned to North Bay values than her opponent, Santa Rosa mayor Mike Martini, whose lamentable record includes rubber-stamping the outrageous ridge-top development in Santa Rosa that even he now admits was a big mistake.
Governor
Democrat: Gray Davis Republican: Richard Riordan Green: Peter Camejo
Lieutenant Governor
Democrat: Cruz Bustamante Green: Donna Warren
Secretary of State
Democrat: Michela Alioto Green: Larry Shoup
Controller
Democrat: Steve Westly Green: Laura Wells
Treasurer
Democrat: Philip Angelides Green: Jeanne-Marie Rosenmeier
Attorney General
Democrat: Bill Lockyer Green: Glen Mowrer
Insurance Commissioner
Democrat: John Garamendi Green: David Sheidlower
State Assembly (District One)
Democrat: Ed Robey. Everybody else is too inexperienced or too unfriendly to the environment.
Statewide Ballot Measures
Prop. 40: California Clean Water, Clear Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act
What it does: issues $2.6 billion in debt to protect and improve the state’s beaches, parks, farmland, and water quality.
The Bohemian recommends: Yes. Development, pollution, and neglect threaten California’s natural beauty. If we don’t take action now, we’ll regret it later.
Prop. 41: Voting Modernization Bond Act
What it does: issues $200 million in debt to allow counties to buy modern voting equipment.
The Bohemian recommends: Yes. Could a Florida Y2K-style election debacle happen here? Let’s make sure it doesn’t.
Prop. 42: Transportation Congestion Improvement Act
What it does: changes the state constitution to permanently dedicate gasoline sales tax to transportation improvements.
The Bohemian recommends: No. Why bother having a constitution if we’re just going to rewrite it every couple of years?
Prop. 43: Right to Have Vote Counted
What it does: allows county elections officials to petition the Superior Court to extend postelection deadlines so votes can be counted or recounted.
The Bohemian recommends: Yes. Again, let’s not repeat Florida 2000 here.
Prop. 44: Chiropractors Unprofessional Conduct
What it does: creates new restrictions on the way chiropractors procure patients and imposes new penalties for insurance fraud.
The Bohemian recommends: No. Is there fraud in the profession? Some. Is that a problem for the legislature to solve? Yup.
Prop. 45: Legislative Term Limits, Local Voter Petitions
What it does: allows voters to petition to let an incumbent legislator run for re-election. A legislator can use this provision only once.
The Bohemian recommends: Yes. Let’s keep good legislators around a little longer.
Sonoma County
District Attorney
The Bohemian suggests: Stephan Passalacqua. Incumbent Mike Mullins has made some high-profile blunders lately, but the truth is that his entire time in office has been marked by incompetence and dubious priorities. Among other improvements, Passalacqua seems willing to pay serious attention to domestic violence.
County Superintendent of Schools
The Bohemian suggests: Carl Wong.
Board of Supervisors (Second District)
The Bohemian suggests: Ray Peterson.
Board of Supervisors (Fourth District)
The Bohemian suggests: Fred Euphrat.
Measure A: $251 million in bonds for Santa Rosa Junior College
The Bohemian suggests: Yes. In a time of economic uncertainty, education has to remain a top priority.
Measure B: $77 million in bonds for high schools in Santa Rosa
The Bohemian suggests: Yes.
Measure C: $19 million in bonds for the Elementary School District in Santa Rosa
The Bohemian suggests: Yes.
Measure D: $130 million parcel tax for the Sonoma Valley Hospital
The Bohemiansuggests: Yes. This money won’t solve all the problems at this troubled facility, but the alternative is a hospital-free Sonoma.
From the February 28-March 6, 2002 issue of the North Bay Bohemian.
