I have worked with District 1 Marin supervisor candidate Mary Sackett on numerous occasions during the past five years. Sackett, who is the top adviser to Damon Connolly (our current Marin County supervisor for District 1), and I worked on environment and climate issues.
I have observed Sackett working effectively at all levels of government. She is strategic, in command of policy, a good listener, writer and communicator. Her ability to work with others and support others’ ideas enables her to achieve consensus and facilitate solutions.
Sackett will be a great supervisor. As an attorney with sharp reasoning skills and compassion, she asks the right questions. As a senior aide for Connolly, she has gained a working knowledge of the numerous critical issues facing Marin County. Issues of climate change, homelessness, fire hazards, traffic and housing are some of the major topics included in her daily activity. With this experience, Sackett is ready to step into the role of supervisor without having the additional burden of learning about the intricacies of these challenging topics.
Not only is Sackett knowledgeable on these critical issues facing the Board of Supervisors, but she also knows her way around the halls of the Civic Center and the Marin community. She is known as the go-to person in the Civic Center because of her knowledge of the numerous departments and her willingness to collaborate. For the past five years, Sackett has been working with Marin’s community leaders assisting them in resolving county issues.
I have found that Sackett has the intuition for working with others and for supporting their ideas. She does this in ways that make others feel empowered while she finds solutions and leads. These are characteristics that are critical for success as a supervisor. My vote is for Mary Sackett. She is the right candidate for supervisor representing District 1. I encourage you to vote for her also.
— Belle Cole, San Rafael
Sea level rise brings changes. How do we plan changes that have an upside? As Caltrans is contemplating raising Highway 101 through Marin City, can we make concomitant positive change?
Marin City needs a town center. The sea of parking at the Marin City Gateway shopping center is ugly and unneeded. I think we should let the water from Richardson Bay turn the lot into a lagoon and edge it with a broad promenade of small shops run by local residents. The community would gain a vibrant economy, while its bayside location contributes to mitigating our climate crisis.
Tam Valley also needs a town center. I recall that the agency that became Caltrans once considered a proposal to straighten Highway 1 through Tam Valley, relocating it on the marsh. Environmental concerns stopped that plan. But if we raise the road onto a causeway that just hovers over the marshland, the marsh would be saved and possibly increased. Then, freed of traffic, Tam Valley would have space for a village center. Not only that, but Mill Valley would benefit by having a smoother entrance to town, separating it from the beach-bound traffic.
In these ways, our climate crisis can force us to consider planning changes, long set aside for lack of political will. As they say, in peril comes opportunity.
— Dart Cherk, Mill Valley
As I was watching the morning news, I saw my first campaign ad of the political season. It was paid for by the Marc Levine for Insurance Commissioner 2022 campaign. It was a negative ad leveling accusations at Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.
For that reason alone, I will not vote for Levine in the June 7 election. Rather than base his platform on facts and figures, Levine seemed ready to engage in a negative campaign. Yes, I know that negative ads work, but as far as I am concerned, it also “dirties up” the campaign process.
I think that speaking ill of a fellow Democrat serves no purpose. And it serves to hand Republicans material of their own, proving once again that Democrats are in disarray.
I do not know if I will vote for Lara, but I do know that Levine will not get my vote.
— Eric W. Overholt, Marin City
