On Tuesday the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to revise the health care benefits of retirees — and you can bet that the benefits didn’t get any better. As tomorrow’s lead editorial notes, county employees are right to be angry — but the supervisors shouldn’t be the target of their ire. In a world where health insurance premiums are increasing at double digit rates annually, the board had no choice but to ask retirees to pay more. Despite the fact that Tuesday’s vote was unanimous, it had to be a painful one for supervisors who will one day be retirees themselves, and who can count many friends among those who retired from county service.

Unfortunately, these won’t be the only changes. Coming next: A battle between the supervisors and union employees, who are being ask to renegotiate contracts.

— Ann DuBay