ELECTION Candidates speak out on North Coast issues Assembly contenders from Sonoma address water, marijuana, goals By Will Houston whouston@times-standard @Will_S_Houston on Twitter Both Sonoma County contenders vying for the open 2nd District state Assembly seat in next week’s general election say they’re ready to bring a strong voice to represent the North Coast at the state capital. On the Democratic ticket is Jim Wood, a Healdsburg dentist who is currently serving his second term as the city’s mayor and has previously worked on its city council and planning commission. For the Republican Party is Matt Heath, a former school district representative and current owner of a Santa Rosa meat distribution business, who is the first Republican candidate in the district race since 2010. Heath entered the political realm when he served on the Gravenstein Union School District board from 2009 to 2010 and was the Northern California campaign coordinator for Ron Paul during the 2012 presidential race. Growing up with a background in education and having a son in the public school system, Heath said he plans to work toward improving the system and push for greater access to higher education as well as deal with the state’s unemployment issues. If elected, Heath said he will bring “local representation” minus the “corrupt out-of-district control” caused by large campaign donors. “You should have a partner, and you should look at your assemblyman and state senator as a partner to take care of the district,” Heath said. As a dentist and having previous experience collaborating on a bill that created statewide standards for forensic identification, Wood said he is familiar with health care and seeks to ensure proper implementation of the Affordable Care Act. “One of the challenges we have in the further north is a very narrow spectrum of providers,” Wood said. “There just aren’t a lot of providers available to meet the need. We have to figure out plans that are fair and equitable to patients and providers.” Other issues Wood said he would like to address if elected include improving the education system as well as broadband and transportation infrastructure, especially in rural areas. As the ongoing statewide drought continues through its third year, the eyes of the state turn northward to the district’s many reservoirs. Both candidates vow to protect the area’s water resources whether or not voters approve the proposed $7.5 billion water bond known as Proposition 1, which is on the November ballot. Heath said he opposes the bond because the state already has put itself in enough “future indebtedness” with nearly $200 billion in statewide retirement pensions, adding that he believes the current version of the bond won’t be enough to ease water concerns should the drought persist. “I believe it has about $2.7 billion for storage,” Heath said. “That’s not even a down payment.” Wood said solutions and improvements to the state’s water issues must be made through collaborative efforts with other counties, U.S. Congress and state officials. “You need to be embracing current technology, using tools that we have available to us,” he said. Both candidates relayed respect for current Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro’s service, with Heath saying he admired Chesbro’s work within the fishing industry, with Native American tribes, as well as his no vote against Proposition 1. Where he felt Chesbro fell short was limiting his success to his final year in the office. “I think he didn’t push enough for the interest in the district,” Heath said. Having known Chesbro for 15 years and receiving an endorsement from him, Wood said the current assemblyman has a knack for working with other legislators to make progress. “I believe that’s what I want to continue doing and leaving the idealogy at the door,” Wood said. With the 2nd District comes the Emerald Triangle and the potential for a statewide cannabis legalization measure on the 2016 presidential election ballot. To ensure the state is steering toward the right type of regulations, Wood said North Coast stakeholders need to have a strong voice. “I think it’s really critical that we’re not just at the table, but at the head of the table when it comes to looking at this issue,” Wood said. Having attended two recent discussions on the topic in Humboldt County, Heath said that it is “ludicrous” for the assembly to remain silent on the issue any longer. “We need to come together with a realistic legislative plan that we are able to tackle these issues with, and make sure we take care of ourselves and make sure we’re not creating a whole new class of criminals,” he said. If elected, Heath said he will start his term by drafting a bill that would repeal what he called the “illegal fire tax” implemented by CalFire that he said is having substantial economic impact on some district residents. Instead of the tax, Heath said he will push for better forest management practices. “If we’re going to pass a tax, it’s supposed to go through the people,” he said. “If the people want the tax, then by golly they can vote for it, but it should go through the people.” Wood said he does not know what his first bill would be if elected, but progress at the capitol building is made by working with many factions. “It’s not a matter of how many bills are we going to get signed, it’s about how many problems we’re going to solve,” Wood said. “They’re not all going to be legislative.” The general election takes place Nov. 4. Will Houston can be reached at 707-441-0504.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:24:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015