S
onoma County's proposal to buy three office buildings near the airport is back on track, but questions remain about conflicts of interest and potential votes. The county's largest employee union, Service Employees International Union Local 1021, has filed a complaint with the state's campaign finance watchdog, claiming Supervisor David Rabbitt should be disqualified from voting due to a $1,000 contribution from a real estate broker involved in one of the purchases.

    Rabbitt returned the contribution after being notified by the union and insists he will be able to vote. The Fair Political Practices Commission is expected to determine whether the complaint merits investigation before the Board of Supervisors meets on March 25 to discuss the purchase. County officials are also seeking an "advice letter" from the commission to ensure supervisors can move forward with the deal.

    The proposed purchases, which include a $56.1 million buy for one building and $32 million for two others, have been criticized by Supervisor Chris Coursey, who plans to vote against the deal due to concerns about the negotiated prices and lack of discussion about relocating county employees five miles north of central Santa Rosa.

    Rabbitt's return of the contribution has not satisfied the union, which claims he participated in closed-session discussions about the deal around the time of the donation. The complaint also names Family Farmers Alliance and Airport Business Center as potential conflicts of interest, citing a $5,500 donation to Supervisor James Gore's 2026 state Senate campaign.

    The county is seeking to replace deteriorating office buildings on its main campus with new facilities that could hold up to 925 employees. County officials argue the deal would save taxpayers money by avoiding the cost of constructing new office space. However, the union claims the purchase prices are inflated and would shortchange taxpayers.