From: Jennifer LaPorta
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 244 Colgan Av macro-cell tower
Date: Thursday, February 29, 2024 6:35:51 PM
Dear Santa Rosa City Council,
Did you get my booklets re Wireless technology risks?
I brought them to the City Mgr office a few weeks ago.
One for each of you to educate yourselves prior to voting on our appeal of the Planning Commission's approval for the dangerous cell phone tower at the above location.
Yes it's dangerous due to the EMFs emitted.
Keep in mind the FCC sets EMF emission limits, yet not a single scientist is on the FCC.
FCC is run by industry
insiders and is a captured agency. Their regulatory standards are 25 years old and based on faulty "science" if you can call it that. Their limits are among the highest in the world.
Please READ the booklets. They are short and informative. let me know you received your booklet
please
see you on 3/26
Jennifer LaPorta, BS Environmental Health
Rutgers U
Santa Rosa
From: Sharon Schwartz
To: CityCouncilListPublic
Subject: [EXTERNAL] No to Divisive Israel-Hamas Resolutions Date: Sunday, March 3, 2024 10:33:02 AM
Dear Council Members,
I am a resident urging you to reject outside attempts to adopt divisive resolutions about the Israel-Hamas War.
As antisemitism and Islamophobia continue to escalate in the Bay Area, the introduction of one-sided resolutions about the Israel-Hamas War will only further inflame tensions between already traumatized Muslim and Jewish communities and create a forum for hate.
As the whole country witnessed in Oakland and Richmond, the consideration of these divisive resolutions results in hours of public comment plagued by antisemitic jeering and hateful conspiracy theories, as well as general confusion and lack of decorum.
During this time of rising hate and antisemitism, I’m asking you to lead with empathy and ensure all local residents feel supported and welcomed. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has deeply impacted many members of our community. Many of us are in mourning. Inaccurate and one-sided resolutions will not solve the conflict or bring us any closer to peace. We must bring our community together – not pull ourselves apart.
Thanks for your compassion and understanding.
With gratitude,
Sharon Schwartz
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
From: Raney Brooks
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire Now!
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 10:31:14 AM
Hello City Council,
I am writing to urge the city council to put an Immediate Ceasefire resolution onto the agenda and put it up for a vote. I am a Nurse and local food security worker in Sonoma County. We cannot wait another moment.
Ceasefire Now!
From: Danielle Lemaitre
To: _CityCouncilListPublic
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire resolution
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 11:07:17 AM
Hello,
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good people do nothing”.
Why do you choose to do nothing in the face of the genocide in Palestine? Are you willfully ignorant to the war crimes being committed? Are you ignoring the constant call from your constituents? Do you not understand that the $2,475,504.00 of our taxes revenues that are funding the slaughter of innocent people could be used in our own community? Or are you simply trying to preserve your positions on the council? Silence is consent and your silence speaks volumes.
Passing a ceasefire resolution will not cause divisiveness in our community as some of you claim. Many cities have passed such resolutions without any fallout.
I once again urge you to do the right thing and pass a ceasefire resolution.
Danielle
From: C Sofranko
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire NOW
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 12:21:49 PM
Councilmembers,
It is the BARE MINIMUM to demand a ceasefire. I am disappointed as a Santa Rosa resident that the largest city north of SF has taken so many months to deal with this. Your constituents
are being clear - we, the residents, workers, and tax payers of Santa Rosa, do NOT want our tax dollars going to this genocide. Do not be swayed by the Zionists who travel many miles to pretend they're from here to convince you all Jewish people want Israel to continue their horrors. The majority of the American people want a ceasefire. Please, stand on the right side of history NOW. A ceasefire is the BARE MINIMUM. You will be remembered for your choices here - no other legislation or movement with your involvement will stand out next to this.
Sincerely,
CD Sofranko
SR Resident of 30+ years
From: J M
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support for a Ceasefire Resolution
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 1:03:54 PM
Dear City Council,
My name is Jen Miller. I am a resident of Santa Rosa and I am jewish.
I urge you to put a ceasefire resolution on the agenda and pass it as soon as possible. I urge you to listen to your community who has spoken at council night after night (and emailed) with overwhelming support for a ceasefire resolution.
The humanitarian emergency in Gaza is overwhelming- children are dying from lack of food.
People are eating animal feed to survive. But, I believe you already know about the malnutrition, starvation, war crimes, and death toll statistics.
This is a local issue because our very own tax dollars are sent to the Israeli military who is waging
collective punishment and mass starvation on innocent people.
This is a local issue because palestinian and jewish community members of Santa Rosa are in pain, and look to you, our representatives, to hear our voices and support justice and safety and to stop the killing.
As a jewish person, I feel less safe when my government is aiding in an attempt to kill and remove an entire people - funding a military which murders people when they wait for food.
A ceasefire resolution is something that unites our community, not divides it. I urge everyone to read the proposed resolution to see that it is a call for unity and peace.
When will Santa Rosa act as a leader and join more than 50 municipalities, including Cotati and Fort Bragg to adopt a resolution? When will Santa
Rosa join the Sonoma County
Commission on Human Rights, which passed a ceasefire resolution last month.
Every little action matters. This is not a radical position. As of March 3rd, 2024, at least 74 members of Congress have called for a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities.
Thank you
--
Work is love made visible
-Kahlil Gibran
From: maribi mendoza
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire resolution on the agenda
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 1:07:59 PM
Hello my name is Maribi Mendoza,
I am a resident of Santa Rosa in Eddie Alvarez’s district. I am writing to demand a ceasefire resolution be added to the city council agenda! I and countless other Santa Rosa residents have been calling for this and our calls have been unheard by our city council members who are tasked with listening to their constituents and their constituents’ needs and wants. No Ceasefire on the agenda no votes come November 2024.
Thank you,
From: Stephanie Seibel
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 2:41:30 PM
Hello,
I support the adoption of a ceasefire resolution and would like Santa Rosa City Council to consider adopting this.
Like so many of our local constituents, I am deeply concerned about the Israel-Palestine war and believe an immediate ceasefire is a crucial next step to prevent the loss of countless more innocent lives.
Please consider the ceasefire resolution.
Thank you,
Stephanie
From: si si
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Public Comment from Sierra Kind
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 3:06:17 PM
I am writing as a sonoma county public health community health worker calling for a ceasefire in gaza and ask for my representatives to adopt the call.
i've heard counsel members say it is not a sonoma county issue, but i disagree when my personal and county taxes go towards the genocide of Palestinians as weapons in the hand of the IDF. i will not be voting for those of you who do not adopt a call for a ceasefire and will be convincing my neighbors and community members to not vote for you as well.
thank you,
sierra kind
santa rosa, ca
From: Larry Hendel
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire Resolution on Gaza
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 3:27:07 PM
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
I am writing regarding the issue of the Council agendizing a Gaza ceasefire resolution. I am in favor of such a resolution. I’ve been to a few of your meetings and it’s clear that the issues have been well presented to you, both pro and con. Yet, at this point you continue to refuse to agendize the matter. That is a safe position, allowing you to duck the matter without expressing your opinion on what many, including myself, believe is a genocide happening with US support, dollars and weapons.
One of the arguments for not agendizing the issue is that it is beyond the purview of local government. But in many aspects, this war will have a huge issue on local politics. Besides the impact on our society as a whole, I’m referring to the role that AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its affiliated political action committees United Democracy Project (UDP) and Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) are playing in our congressional elections.
It’s complicated, but please stick with me here.
AIPAC, as I’m sure you know, is dedicated to support for Israel and Zionism. In 2022 they endorsed 365 candidates, Democrats and Republicans, and contributed over $50 million through direct contributions and independent expenditure accounts. Their sole litmus test was whether the candidate supported Israel. They ended up endorsing candidates who were anti- choice, candidates who said the 2020 presidential election was stolen, and candidates who supported the January 6 insurrection. AIPAC didn’t care about their stance on these issues; they only cared about their views on Israel. Their efforts played a major role in the Republican victory in the House and moving the country to right on a host of issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVIze8BR4vQ
https://www.aipacpac.org/
This year they intend to spend $100 million.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/03/aipac-israel-spending-democratic-primaries- 00144552
Their initial salvo for this year is in Katie Porter’s congressional district, CA 47, where AIPAC, UDP and DMFI have spent over $600,000, and when it’s all done, are projected to spend a million dollars to defeat Dave Min. And Min isn’t even a big critic of Israel. He’s just not as rah-rah as his opponent, Joanna Weiss.
AIPAC and the leaders of the Israeli government are joined at the hip. As Israel moves further to the right, and focuses even more on crushing Palestinians, AIPAC will promote more pro- Israel candidates in the US, and our country will also be pushed to the right.
MAGA type
politics will get stronger in both countries. That is part of the goal.
And when people such as yourselves decide to run for higher office, AIPAC will be in your face, threatening you with dumping big dollars on behalf of your opponent, unless you toe the line in support of Israel. I suspect that many, if not most of you, will not welcome this involvement in California politics. But it is here.
In order to defeat MAGA politics in this country, we have to move the powers-that-be in Washington away from their blind loyalty to Israel. The two phenomena are connected. A just peace in Israel will help us create a more just society in the US. The first step in creating that just peace is to help build the movement for a ceasefire.
Please act now.
Larry Hendel
Bodega Bay, CA 94923
From: Cass Stewart
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Public Comment in Support of Ceasefire Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 4:16:53 PM
Dear Santa Rosa City Council,
My name is Gillan Stewart, and I am a Santa Rosa resident living in District 5. I am writing today to urge the council to pass a ceasefire resolution for the people living in Occupied Palestine. The citizens of Gaza are facing a humanitarian crisis, and while some members of the council may believe a ceasefire resolution on the local level is not an appropriate or necessary step to take, I can assure you that local voters will be considering this issue when it comes time to honor our values at the voting booth. Months of bombardment at the hands of Israeli Occupation Forces have displaced millions and murdered thousands, forcing many Palestinians into the southernmost point of Rafah, where they now face the threat of a ground invasion and mass starvation. Palestinians are being denied their basic rights to food, water, and to not being collectively punished for a war they did not start. I attended last week's city council meeting, and while those opposed to a ceasefire may wish to believe those in favor of such a resolution are in the minority, 33 of the 36 people who spoke during
public comment were IN FAVOR of passing a ceasefire resolution.
The inaction of the city council has gone on long enough, but it is not too late to make the right choice and put a ceasefire resolution on the agenda. Bringing it to a vote, even if it does not pass, will at least honestly let your constituents know where their elected representative stands on the decades long war against the Palestinian people.
I thank you for your time and consideration.
Gillian Stewart
From: Jordan Byrd
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ceasefire Resolution
Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 4:22:00 PM
Dear City Council,
I am one of many Jewish constituents urging you again to please agendize a ceasefire resolution.
I have gone through the City Council meeting archives to tally up what the community response has been to this request since Dec 12, 2023, when the
community started its request for this action.
I went through the videos and the emails that were attached to the agendas. Here is what I found:
In all, the average response for in-person
comments is 91.2% in favor
of the Council adopting a ceasefire resolution.
For email responses, the average is 83% in favor of the demand for the resolution.
One piece of data I couldn't collect is how many of your constituents that are speaking up in favor of the resolution are Jewish. I know from organizing in the community that many of the people are, and in watching the council archives and reading the emails, I know some of these people personally who are Jewish & who aren't mentioning it in their comments (I think they are simply forgetting to). So I want to add that, anecdotally, I would average about 1/3 of the people advocating for the resolution are Jewish.
As the atrocities worsen each passing day, I ask you all- how much more horrific does this situation need to get? How much more broad do we need to be in our coalition for this to matter to you? We already are a coalition of Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, educators, parents, students, White, Black, Asian, Latin@, working class,
business
owners, retirees, elders, youth, etc. How much more broad do we have to be? If the synagogues are not on board, I fear they never will be. We can't wait for their approval- our resolution includes condemning all forms of violence & hatred and advocating for the release of all hostages, which has
been voiced as being necessary for some folks in the opposition in order for them to support it. Many of the opponents haven't even read the resolution. It is clear to all the world that what is happening in Gaza & the West Bank are the gravest of human rights violations.
If the synagogues are still not on board then I’m afraid that’s their problem and that is a major reason why many of us Jews are not congregants of the synagogues. Many of us have not felt at home in these synagogues long before Oct 7 because of their blind fealty to Israel, despite its long history of documented human rights violations.
We cannot wait any longer. Gaza is starving to death.
Jordan B.
Data:
From: Conley, Michelle
To: CityCouncilListPublic
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Santa Rosa City Council Meeting 3/5 Date: Monday, March 4, 2024 4:58:06 PM
Attachments: Outlook-duuv204u.png
Outlook-41yzpslq.png
Dear city council members,
As a voting resident of Santa Rosa, I am writing, again, to implore you to listen and act upon the issues your constituents bring to our city council meetings.
Since the last meeting, when our council members elected not to take any action to stand against genocide, another war crime from Israeli's playbook has been widely document.
In case anyone needs a refresher:
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court provides that intentionally starving civilians by “depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies” is a war crime.
Rule 53 of the International Humanitarian Law:
Starvation as a Method of Warfare
The use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is prohibited.
This blood is now on your hands if we continue to look the other way and not take action.
Please vote to end genocide and side with humanity.
Thank you,
Michelle Conley
Michelle Conley
Professor of Economics
Social Science Department
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Advisor
https://ptk.santarosa.edu
From: Conley, Michelle <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2024 12:03 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Santa Rosa City Council Meeting 2/27
Dear city council members,
As a longtime voting resident of Santa Rosa, I am writing to implore you to adopt a ceasefire resolution.
All of the council members are hopefully aware that Sonoma County Human Rights Council passed a ceasefire resolution last week.
The city of Santa Rosa needs to do so
as well.
Given the events of the last two weeks in Gaza and how awful the situation is, it is important to publicly stand against genocide and war crimes.
With $14.3 billion of US taxpayer money, the Israel military certainly has the funds to fight a war where civilians are not being targeted.
The brutal war crimes need to stop. Hospitals and schools are both protected civilian places under international humanitarian law. Humanitarian aid needs to get to the starving and injured people of Gaza, instead of sitting in trucks at the border of Gaza.
This blood is now on our hands if we continue to look the other way and not take action.
Please vote to end genocide and side with humanity.
Thank you,
Michelle Conley
Michelle Conley
Professor of Economics
Social Science Department
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
https://ptk.santarosa.edu