Press Democrat July 21, 2008 Letter to the Editor BY Stephanie Sanchez

EDITOR: Councilman Mike O'Brien, who asked "Does Macy's tell Gimbels?," and Councilman David Rabbitt proved stalwart defenders of corporate interests and the status quo at the Petaluma City Council meeting on July 7.

With the meeting packed with under-40 citizen activists, his comment is a dead giveaway as to whom he is actually speaking for: those over 60 who would remember the classic capitalist struggle for market dominance played out in the 1950s between corporate giants. Apparently O'Brien feels the right of corporations to do business without accountability to the community is a sacred right. Why change a good thing?

As a Santa Rosa Junior College professor of age 60, I remind these two that new ways of thinking are good. Sadly, the majority of council members in Petaluma are abusing the future by their indifference to controls on big-box development.

Clearly Mayor Pamela Torliatt and Councilwoman Teresa Barrett are responsive to the community. Should Tiffany Renee be elected, progress toward a majority vote on the City Council would be made. Currently there are not enough votes to support the will of the people, 1,600 of whom signed a petition to support oversight of future development.

STEPHANIE SANCHEZ

Petaluma

(Published in the Press Democrat July 21, 2008)