Candidate for
Council Member; City of Arcata; 4 Year Term

NEWSPAPER  Freedom of the press is in the First Amendment of the Constitution for a reason. Without a free press, we cannot have a democracy, much less a community. In Arcata, we have no press.

There are news outlets who include Arcata in their coverage, but miss a lot of stories that are vital to residents of Arcata.

At Humboldt State I served as editor-in-chief of The Lumberjack newspaper and have written a handful of articles for the North Coast Journal.

I am not a politician,I am an independent journalist + a facilitator who observes, analyzes and researches vast amounts of data to inform the community of pressing issues. That's why I am running for City Council.

We are a city without a community voice, without a citizen watchdog. One of my goals will be to raise funds through private and public donations in order to have an informed citizenry who can participate in their community.

At Humboldt State I worked tirelessly as a watchdog for students by holding administrators and others accountable and if elected, I want to do the same for the citizens of Arcata, because we need to talk about serious issues facing the city. For example...

WATER RATES

Halt and reverse the 49 percent water rate increase. In June, the base water rates(sewer and maintenance)were raised 49 percent - they were also raised in 2010 and 2011. That means that "the average water user in Arcata" whose water bill is $63.40 a month, will pay $101.14 in 2018. That's an increase of over $450 a year.

In addition to the hikes being a regressive tax that hurts people on fixed income, as well as bad for small businesses, this is an issue that should be put on the ballot. People are too busy with their lives to be properly informed of City Council actions in order to form meaningful protest, especially in a city without a newspaper.

As a trained journalist, my goal is to raise the public's awareness of this issue and find other ways to pay for Arcata's infrastructure.

In fact, this election will feature a state-wide proposition calling for $7.12 billion "for state water supply infrastructure projects, such as public water system improvements, surface and groundwater storage, drinking water protection, water recycling and advanced water treatment technology, water supply management and conveyance, wastewater treatment, drought relief, emergency water supplies, and ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration."

TRANSPORTATION

I walk and use the bus whenever possible. I also enjoy bicycling on the Hammond Trail and am very excited to hear about the $3.1 million grant for bicycle and pedestrian trails to the Bracut and the Highway 101 intersection. If elected, I will continue to promote environmentally friendly and economical solutions to our dependence on oil, such as carpooling, bike share programs, better bus service and senior-specific transportation. Of course, the challenge in all city improvements is funding. Without a plan to create jobs and generate revenue to pay for improvements, even filling potholes becomes a challenge.

Please read my solution below.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Arcata is a special town that is still steeped in agriculture, but also looking for manufacturing opportunities. As a finalist of The Economic Fuel in 2013, I sought to bring both agriculture and manufacturing together.  

By creating a business based on the notion that household items should not harm our families, we sought to pay local farmers to grow our supplies for local manufacturing. We are currently selling our products and getting a great response. I support current efforts to revamp a form of The Economic Fuel to all citizens of Arcata.

We also need to determine how to maximize the benefits of the regulation of cannabis and hemp. Before wine, Napa County was economically depressed, but now it's a world famous $13 billion industry. As part of the world famous Humboldt County, we need to turn our local million dollar underground economy into a billion dollar industry.

By regulating cannabis and hemp sales Arcata we can expect a surge in revenue and a drop in crime much in the same way that the states of Washington and Colorado are experiencing. We would need less taxes to pay for infrastructure as well as give us an opportunity to use some of Humboldt County's "extra water". The added benefits would also include a way to treat cannabis like alcohol and give smokers a safe space, while helping to eliminate smokers on the plaza and other locations where children are present.

I'm all for business park revitalization projects like the Happy Valley Industrial Park project, but who will fill that space? With a city plan in place, we can begin on zoning these new facilities for hemp and cannabis processing. The amount of capital that would begin to flow into our community would be used to build new facilities which would mean new construction jobs and new manufacturing.

On the agricultural side, hemp is not only great for manufacturing hundreds of products, but is also a great feed for cows and humans. "Hemp contains all twenty-one amino acids including 9 essential amino acids (EAAs), which our bodies cannot produce and must be introduced to our system in the food we eat daily to maintain one's health. Hemp oil is the only edible oil on earth that is perfectly balanced with the 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 EFA's as recommended by the World Health Organization to maintain optimum health."

THE PLAZA

It's time to stop paying officers to stand around The Plaza (and Redwood Park) just to guard the grass and shrubs. Instead of losing money, the city should have festivals that would generate income and provide a place for people + who would otherwise be wandering the streets of Arcata or partying it up in quiet neighborhoods + to celebrate.

We also need a daily presence in The Plaza and need more foot patrols in order to provide a safe space for all. For example, we can have Arcata Police Department's Citizen Volunteer Patrol Program (CVPP) serve as caretakers of The Plaza and Redwood Park. By walking and sitting in and around these areas and engaging people in conversation we can build a stronger community and reduce tensions brought on by the presence of police officers. In addition, by engaging with people who may need assistance with food and shelter, the Citizen Volunteer Patrol Program participants can direct people to available resources, as well as explain city ordinances to people who are new to town.

EDUCATION

Being a Humboldt State University graduate, I know the importance of an education and will continue to strengthen the relationship between the city and Humboldt State University.

There are over 8,000 students at HSU who are mostly viewed as a commodity. This needs to end. The community must work closer with students rather than administrators in order to solve dire issues such as homelessness, assault and hunger among college students.

However, we also need to focus on the needs of students in high school and junior high school. There are very few places where students can gather in a safe and comfortable environment. The Raven Project in Eureka is an excellent example of how a community can offer peer-based services.

And let's not overlook the importance of mentorships. The Arcata community is a vast wealth of knowledge and resources that can be help our younger people acquire valuable skills and work with positive role models.

DIVERSITY

I am the son of immigrants who showed me what hard work and values mean. I am the first one in my family to go to college and graduated with honors from Humboldt State University, where I earned two bachelor's degrees: one in journalism, the other in political science.

In October 2013, Humboldt State's enrollment of Latino and Latina undergraduate full-time students will be at least 25 percent of their population. As a Latino student who graduated from Humboldt State with two degrees (Journalism, Political Sciences), I know the type of challenges all students face.

Besides ethnic associations, diversity should also apply to the City Council. We need people of all income levels, living situations, interests and perspectives. How can a council be representative and insightful without the diversity of ideas?

PROPOSTION P: GMO initiative

I support a GMO Free Humboldt. But I also want to go beyond that, I want to see an organic Humboldt, not only is it healthier for our soils and water, but it also makes economic sense. Marin county went organic in 2001 and has seen a ten fold increase in their agricultural profits.

Non-GMO and organic is more than profitable, it also employs more people and exposes our children to less toxins in the environment.

If elected, I will push for an organic and non-GMO food program for our local schools and public service sectors.

THE ENVIRONMENT

I support Arcata's goals to develop non-motorized transportation routes, support open space and ecosystem functions and improve water resource management.

I also support using techniques I learned during my time at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology to build sustainable and environmentally friendly structures. Such as the Arcata Courtyard Circle Apartments, "the first solar-powered apartment complex" in Humboldt County.

One of the biggest impacts to our local environment is illegal cannabis growing. The soil and animals are poisoned, water is diverted and polluted, and bagfuls of trash are left behind.

The only way to get illegal cannabis grows out of our forests and neighborhoods is through regulation.

We must be able to designate agricultural land to growing both cannabis and hemp in an organic and sustainable way. Two states already have legalized the growing and selling of cannabis and hemp, Oregon is poised to be the third and in July the NY Times ran a series in favor of regulation over the continued persecution of cannabis and hemp. We cannot keep denying the inevitable, we need to start planning now.

As the former president of Humboldt State N.O.R.M.L. (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) I am well poised to lead the community into what could be a huge wind fall for local agricultural and manufacturing business.

HOUSING

Humboldt State University has a shortage of dorm room space and Arcata has a shortage of rental units. The result is homeless college students living in the woods and their cars. The situation also raises prices, which makes affordable housing for seniors and low-income people virtually non-existent. In five years the demand will be even greater.

As a community, we will not only need to work with Humboldt State to decide where and how to build housing for the future, but also how to incorporate local, sustainable and eco-friendly materials that will help Arcata meet its zero waste and energy independence goals.

I would also like to promote the idea of Victory Gardens or Food Not Lawns. California is in its fourth year of severe drought and Arcata is not immune. Rather than waste water on lawns, I would use zoning laws and education to turn our lawns into bastions of self-reliance and local independence.