 Redistricting Train Wreck The redistricting proposal now before the Board of Supervisors to rearrange the boundaries of the 5th District will have extremely negative consequences on the heart and soul of the West County. The proposal is to move about 50,000 people from District 5 to District 3 and to replace this number of people with the entire City of Rohnert Park, which would then be the controlling population of the 5th District. UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WOULD MEAN, AT THE LEAST, THE NEXT 5TH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY CHOSEN BY THE RESIDENTS OF ROHNERT PARK AND URBAN VLAUES WOULD BEGIN TO RULE WEST COUNTY. You may ask yourself “ WHAT DOES ROHNERT PARK HAVE IN COMMON WITH WEST SONOMA COUNTY?’ Well, the Rohnert Park City Council provided the answer a few days ago when it learned of this proposal. Rohnert Park was so surprised and shocked and the idea the City Council issued a Nixel emergency alert warning residents of Rohnert Park of this pending disaster stating “Do you identify Rohnert Park with Bodega Bay, Timber Cove, or Fort Ross?’ The alert linked to a letter from the Mayor of Rohnert Park to the Board of Supes which stated in part “Rohnert Park has no relationship with the coastal, river or forest communities of District 5.’ We have fought hard to prevent the coast from being split between two districts, now we must fight just as hard to prevent the coast from being controlled by a political minority living in Rohnert Park, which boldly and accurately that it has little to do with the coast or rural west county! For many decades the neighborhoods of Roseland, Bellevue, Wright and Moorland have been included in the 5th District. Southwest Santa Rosa is a treasured part of the 5th District. If this area is to be moved to another Supervisorial District, then the replacement population must reflect the ‘community of interest’ concerns and values respectful of and supportive of rural character. Otherwise, our treasured small towns and villages, the river and the coast will get lost in the shuffle and become the local government equivalent of the “Fly over states”. The rural character of towns all over unincorporated West County must be protected. Let the Supervisors know we do not want to be a party to a ‘forced marriage’ with Rohnert Park that also opposes the relationship. Please email the Board of Supervisors susan.gorin@sonoma-county.org david.rabbitt@sonoma-county.org chris.coursey@sonoma-county.org james.gore@sonoma-county.org lynda.hopkins@sonoma-county.org And, cc: the Advisory Redistricting Commission redistricting2021@sonoma-county.org with this simple message: Subject: Redistricting KEEP THE CURRENT DISTRICT MAP AS IT EXISTS! DO NOT PUT THE CITY OF ROHNERT PARK IN DISTRICT 5! LEAVE THE DISTRICTS AS THEY CURRENTLY EXIST AND DON’T FIX WHAT AIN’T BROKE! Thank you! Help us spread the word! Please share this with your mailing list or community!    We are a 100% volunteer organization. Please consider making a donation to help us advance our mission. Donations can be made by sending your tax deductible checks made out to Sonoma County Tomorrow (our fiscal sponsor), c/o PRSC, P. O. Box 983, Sebastopol, Ca. 95473. Or donating online via Paypal Visit our website or like us on Facebook |
Protect and Preserve Sonoma's Rural Character