Marsha's Letter to the PD

The voters understand this election is about growth. Our inability to maintain streets, reduced fire and police response times, and traffic nightmares are directly caused by rapid growth.

I commend you for your strong support of Measure O, the Santa Rosa campaign finance reform measure I helped place on this election’s ballot. In your October 26 editorial, you talk about the influence money has on politicians, stating “The money comes from special interest groups who thrive on friendly decisions from these same politicians.”  Well put, a bold statement confirming your belief that large amounts of money are influencing our current City Council. However, you vilify me for making the same inference.

If you have the support of the developers in this election - you have lots of money. If not - you don’t. As you so bluntly stated, “Friendly decisions” are more likely to go to these large contributors. The voters know this, you know this, and the whole world knows this.

To follow your recommendations, the City Council wouldn’t be close to an “even keel,"  it would be a 6 to 1 lopsided pro-growth majority. On the other hand, a vote for me would provide a pro-environment, pro-neighborhood, pro-diversity viewpoint that the City Council so desperately needs.

If re-elected, I will continue to speak out when I see the Council majority stacking our Planning Commission with growth-oriented appointees, and, in violation of its own rules. I will continue to bring blatant conflicts of interest to the public's attention. I will continue to work for the public’s interest. I am proud to serve this community and hope I may have the privilege of continuing to do so.

Sincerely,

Marsha Vas Dupre

Santa Rosa City Councilwoman

Note:  An edited version of this letter was published in the Press Democrat on November 2, 2002.

home