From:
To: City Council
Subject: Concerns about press policy
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025 10:10:07 AM
Hello - after reading February 28th’s article in the Sebastopol Times (Why is the city of Sebastopol making it harder for reporters to cover city government?), I am writing to express my deep concerns.
As citizens, taxpayers, and voters, we deserve the utmost transparency around city issues and topics. Any attempt to prevent, stymie, or otherwise infringe on that transparency is wrong.
Local journalism, like the Sebastopol Times, is a bedrock of our democracy. At a time when outright authoritarians and fascists are working to dismantle the democratic state at the federal level, this new policy feels particularly appalling.
I fail to see how this policy in any way benefits the citizens of this town and I strongly urge you to consider steps to make journalistic access easier - not harder. I will be monitoring this topic closely and will be letting my vote and the votes of my family and friends who live here speak for us.
Thank you,
Ben Shore
Sebastopol