tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81816583394876029872024-03-13T07:47:13.690-07:00richardslistArticles and editorials regarding Humboldt County community interests and activities.Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-28790224640566415812022-05-10T17:05:00.005-07:002022-05-10T18:05:35.822-07:00Vote Ben McLaughlin, Superior Court Judge, June 7, 2022<p><span style="color: #453ccc; font-family: georgia; font-size: 18px;">Dear Editor,</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">Right now the historic confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson are underway--historical as she is the first Black woman ever nominated to sit on The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS).</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">What strikes me is that there is currently an African American, Justice Clarence Thomas, and there is the female Justice, Amy Coney Barrett, seated on the highest court in the land. Yet I don’t find that either of those attributes have engendered any sense of comfort that either of those two will look out for my rights, or those of many of my fellow Americans.</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">I celebrate Ms. Jackson being the first Black woman on The SCOTUS and, I stand with Cory Booker and second his sentiments on this matter (see 10 minute video at: <span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0b36c6;"><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?518343-101/jackson-confirmation-hearing-day-3-part-1&fbclid=IwAR3gydIRPPmTREaOWS09dP5K20_FY9Om0T9eWVNMFGTuWkPBwatqHAtW-Po" target="_blank">tinyurl.com</a></span>). However, what I find even more intriguing in regards to social justice, is that Ketanji Brown Jackson is also the first nominee in the history of The SCOTUS to have once served as a public defender!</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">That brings me to Ben McLaughlin, candidate for Superior Court Judge here in Humboldt County</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none; font-size: 18px;">Most Judges are former prosecutors, as is Ben. He served seven years as a Deputy District Attorney and during that time he had a 90% conviction rate. Impressive numbers, and one reason why he has earned the endorsement of so many in law enforcement, including </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Del Norte County District Attorney Katherine Micks, the retired police chief of Arcata Tom Chapman, and the retired chief of police of Eureka Steve Watson, Fortuna City Councilman and former Fortuna police officer, Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff and District Attorney Investigator Mike Losey, as well as the endorsement of former District Attorney Paul Gallegos. But, Ben has also been endorsed by the current Humboldt County Public Defender Luke Brownfield. </span></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">You see, Ben McLaughlin has also served five years as a Public Defender. This is a significant distinction from his opponent in this race. As I reference when speaking of the current Supreme Court nominee, we want judges who understand both side of the courtroom. We want judges who understand the court room not just from the perspective of the most privileged, but also from the least empowered in our society. This experience has added to Ben's respect for all parties involved in the legal process. Including his time in private practice, Ben McLaughlin has 23 years of experience in the court room.</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">To me, this makes Ben McLaughlin the more qualified candidate for judge. </span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">Ben has the proven experience that creates respect for the process and for all parties. This is why we should elect Ben Mclaughlin Superior Court Judge on June 7th. </span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">You can visit his website: <a href="http://ben4judge.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: #0b36c6;">Ben4Judge.com</span></a> to learn more, and he seems to respond to all email directly, which I think is pretty cool!</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">Richard Salzman</span></p>
<p style="color: #453ccc; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: georgia; font-kerning: none;">Arcata CA</span></p>Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-83217598699346535042017-01-23T21:01:00.001-08:002017-01-23T21:02:34.970-08:00LAST CHANCE By Richard Salzman for The Northcoast Journal ( Highway safety should be top priority)B<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13px;">ack in November a dear friend and I took our annual trip to Ashland, Oregon, to enjoy the fall leaves in Lithia Park. I love most of the drive, first up the coast along U.S. Highway 101 and then following the Smith River Valley on U.S. Route 199.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
But that short distance when you're on Interstate 5 in the Medford area is a shocking wake-up call. This tranquil drive suddenly becomes jarringly unpleasant as giant trucks and tractor trailers are right alongside you at 65 miles an hour. I drive a full-size sedan but no one in an automobile could survive a collision with these monster trucks. Now imagine these same giant trucks, but when you're on the steepest windy parts of 101 in Southern Humboldt or 199 in the Smith River Canyon. Now imagine it's at night, in a pouring rain. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Why? Why? Why would you put your citizens in such danger? With the completion of Buckhorn Summit on State Route 299, STAA trucks can now access Humboldt County, benefitting those few businesses whose profit margins will increase with access to STAA trucks. We do <i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">not</i> need to be putting more large trucks on 199 perched above the Smith River, nor on Highway 101 between southern Mendocino and northern Humboldt County, where 101 has long stretches with curves that strain the suspension of most vehicles driving at 65 mph, never mind if a deer or a loose tire suddenly crosses your path. In such a situation, the one thing you do <i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">not</i> want, is to be alongside of, or head-on with, an oversized truck. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Maybe you think I'm being a bit hysterical and just frighten easily. Well if you doubt me, please take a moment to visit <a href="http://www.trucksafety.org/" style="color: #d61100; outline: none 0px; text-decoration: none; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;" target="_blank">www.trucksafety.org</a> or read these statements from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: <i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">One in 10 highway deaths occurs in a crash involving a large truck. Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. Truck braking capability is often a factor in truck crashes. Loaded tractor-trailers take 20 to 40 percent farther than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater on wet and slippery roads.</i>(Rain much on the North Coast?)</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Bigger, longer, heavier trucks are deadlier. But then nothing could be more obvious. Yet there are forces that want to subject us to exactly that: bigger, longer, heavier trucks on our windy roads, traveling at high speeds, more and more with drivers who are chronically fatigued. Once you let the STAA truck through, drivers may well have traveled thousands of miles before they end up next to you on a dark and rainy night. Tell me again, why do we want to make our lives so much more dangerous? </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Now back to my trip to Ashland. In both directions we had the now routine one-way controlled traffic as we passed the chronically failing road at Last Chance Grade south of Crescent City on 101. You may have read recently that a final determination has been made that, in spite of the more than $35 million CalTrans has spent over the last three decades to try to shore up that section of road, physics and geology make it impossible. The road will have to be moved. It is no longer an option, it is now a necessity. The Last Chance Grade Economic Study concluded that a project cost of as much as $1.6 billion was justified based upon the local economic impacts when the current road fails, and fail it will. Oh and don't forget, the post office is still intent on moving our distribution center from Eureka to Medford, so when the road is out, the mail will take even longer to arrive. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Depending on which alternative route around Last Chance Grade is selected (the most likely of which will include tunnels), the preliminary geotechnical recommendations alone will take up to four years, with the final recommendations likely to be 12 years away. Point being: We can not afford to waste time with other unnecessary local highway projects.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
So, here we have a billion-dollar project that will take years to complete, but is required if we wish to keep the coast highway, our sole artery to Del Norte County, open. Yet for some reason someone has CalTrans convinced that we should spend millions more of our tax dollars to widen 101 through Richardson Grove State Park and 199 through the Smith River Canyon so that longer, bigger, heavier trucks can be put onto more of our local highways. The number of people who died in large truck crashes was 16 percent higher in 2014 than in 2009. Why? Simple. Because more bigger trucks are on our roads. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
But if saving lives doesn't compel you alone, you might also consider the significant increase in wear and tear to our own roads. Also, why are we considering widening a highway through a state park? In October, 101 was closed for an entire day when a diesel tanker crashed spilling 5,000 gallons of petroleum product near Dora Creek — a local swimming hole on the South Fork of the Eel River. Richardson Grove and the Smith River Canyon help protect the North Coast from crashes like these that can have tragic consequences. Let's not destroy that.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
There is a local group that has been rationally addressing these issues with science and common sense. You can find out more and support their efforts at <a href="http://transportationpriorities.org/" style="color: #d61100; outline: none 0px; text-decoration: none; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;" target="_blank">transportationpriorities.org</a>.</div>
<div class="bodySignature" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: -10px; padding: 0px; text-align: right; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Richard Salzman is an <a href="http://www.salzmanart.com/" target="_blank">agent representing illustrators </a>and visual artists. He lives in Arcata.</i></div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-81568951568031958492015-09-10T15:43:00.003-07:002015-09-10T15:44:13.898-07:00Support Rent Stabilization for Humboldt County Mobil Home Parks<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<h1 class="headline headline-3217007" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; margin: 3px 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Evict 'em </h1>
<h1 class="headline headline-3202043" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; margin: 3px 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<div class="SpanningFeature ContentDefault " id="StoryLayout" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<div class="page1" id="storyBody" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;">Editor:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Hilary Mosher explained in her views piece "<a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/disquiet-on-the-mobile-home-front/Content?oid=3202043">Disquiet on the Mobile Home Front</a>" (Aug. 13) that the board of supervisors won't even put the issue of rent stabilization at mobile home parks on the agenda and expressed that Ryan Sundberg, Virginia Bass and Rex Bohn are subverting the public process.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
I hope that neither Ms. Mosher nor anyone else who's been paying attention is surprised that the these three supervisors are more concerned with the profit margins of the owners of the mobile home parks than with the plight of Humboldt County's seniors and other low-income citizens.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
All one need do is look at the public records of the donations to their campaigns to see that Sundberg, Bass and Bohn are funded and backed by the largest landowners and the related development industry business owners. The reason these well-heeled folks back these three supervisors is that they know they can count on them to always vote for industry's interests over those of the average citizen. And you have to give all three of them credit for being unabashed in their public display of contempt for the rest of us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
As to the McKinleyville Advisory Committee (MAC), Hilary is wrong to refer to them as in any way representing the citizens of McKinleyville. The MAC is a sham, created by the board of supervisors, which appoints all its members, as a way of further subverting the will of the voters and to provide cover for Sundberg's actions on behalf of the land developers' cabal.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
It is long past time to vote these supervisors out of office.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Richard Salzman</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Arcata</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<i style="text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/evict-em/Content?oid=3217007</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</h1>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-71568600807032517622015-09-10T15:42:00.000-07:002015-09-10T20:21:23.435-07:00Building a better economy for Humboldt County<div style="font-size: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/20150907/lets-take-county-into-the-future-not-the-past</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 18px;">
<div class="hnews hentry item" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; position: relative;">
<br />
<br />
<header id="article-top" style="position: relative;"><h1 class="title entry-title cleanprint-title" style="color: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 33px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 11.326px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
Let’s take county into the future, not the past</h1>
</header></div>
<br />
<br />
<section id="body-text" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.652000427246094px; position: relative; vertical-align: top;"><div class="byline-bar" style="position: relative;">
<div class="meta" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 22.652px; padding: 2px 0px; position: relative;">
<div style="color: grey; float: left; font-size: 10px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; white-space: nowrap;">
<time datetime="" style="line-height: 16.989px;">09/07/15,</time></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="body-copy" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; position: relative;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
Dave Spreen’s “My Word” (“<a href="http://www.times-standard.com/opinion/20150828/building-on-our-rural-creative-class-economy-a-better-bet">Building on our rural creative class economy a better bet</a>,” Times-Standard, Aug. 29, Page A4) was the most intelligent commentary yet on the folly of CalTrans priorities on the Northcoast. Those arguing for this mid-20th Century infrastructure expansion will leave us with a obsolete economic structure while eroding our quality of life as well endangering our citizens. Let’s build for the future not for the past. The fact is that Humboldt’s potential is far greater then extraction industries or bulk shipping. There’s a reason we were recently voted the second most livable city, and widening roads for oversized truck traffic is the antithesis of what gives us the quality of life that’s capable of attracting the best and brightest from artisans to 21st Century entrepreneurs. I know this sustainable business development model has not materialized as fast as we’d all like, but if you think we should instead rebuild the whaling station in Trinidad, or a port for deep draft container ships, or large scale gravel mining, or continue to invest in the pipe dream of rebuilding a freight rail line, then I bet you could get hired as an advisor at CalTrans!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 11.326px;">
<em>Richard Salzman, Arcata</em></div>
</div>
</section></div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-91323430694316559112014-10-14T19:36:00.000-07:002014-10-14T20:11:27.000-07:00PROFIT MOTIVE<br />
<div style="font: 35.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 22.0px 0.0px;">
<b>Raising The Minimum Wage</b></div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 30.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 35.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
Chris Rock said it best with this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtjTRTKHDjg"><span style="color: #068068;">comment</span></a> that if you’re being paid minimum wage: “your employer is basically saying HEY, if I could pay you less, I would, …but the law won’t let me!”</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>The point is that businesses pay low wages in order to maintain higher profits. </div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>As the founding father of free market economics <a href="http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Smith.html'"><span style="color: #068068;">Adam Smith</span></a> explained back in the eighteenth century, the ‘Butcher, the Brewer, and the Baker’ set up shop not out of some benevolent desire to put food on our table [or to create jobs], but in order to make a <a href="http://adamsmithslostlegacy.blogspot.com/2009/03/adam-smith-and-greed.html"><span style="color: #068068;">profit</span></a>. </div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>So the short-term impact of raising the minimum wage (for companies with over 25 employees) will be a slight reduction in the profit margin of business owners and corporate shareholders.<br />
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
</span>As to the myth that this modest raise in the wages of our lowest paid workers will lead to a significant loss of jobs, it’s simply not true: <a href="http://www.dol.gov/minwage/mythbuster.htm"><span style="color: #068068;">A review</span></a> of 64 studies on minimum wage increases found no discernible effect on employment. Additionally, more than 600 economists, seven of them Nobel Prize winners in economics, have signed onto a <a href="http://www.dol.gov/minwage/mythbuster.htm"><span style="color: #068068;">letter</span></a> in support of raising the minimum wage.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>As to the myth that it will lead to a significant increase in the cost of goods or services to the consumer, I would remind you what most of us were taught in the elementary school, that prices are based on <a href="http://www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics3.asp"><span style="color: #068068;">supply and demand</span></a>, the most fundamental concept of economics and the backbone of our market economy. If business owners could charge more, they’d be doing it now.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>In Eureka, the largest number of employees earning minimum wage work for multi-national corporations including McDonald’s, <a href="http://fortune.com/2013/11/12/why-wal-mart-can-afford-to-give-its-workers-a-50-raise/"><span style="color: #068068;">Walmart</span></a> and Target. The prices at these large chain stores are generally set at corporate headquarters and not store to store and their profits are considerable and they can in fact afford to <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=cache:ea53_f5L-PoJ:http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2014/02/11/raising-the-minimum-wage-would-be-good-for-wal-mart-and-america/+walmart+50%25+raise&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&&ct=clnk"><span style="color: #068068;">raise their wages</span></a> without raising prices or laying off workers. </div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>McD’s for examples makes over $5 billion in profit from revenue of over $27 billion per year and their CEO was paid $13 million dollars (that works out to over $9,000 an hour) last year.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>And before you help these liars dry any more of their crocodile tears over their threatened “cost” to us the consumer of raising the minimum wage, you might want to consider the cost to us, the taxpayer, of NOT raising the minimum wage.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>You see us taxpayers <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/03/mcdonalds-ceo-pay_n_4372972.html"><span style="color: #068068;">subsidize</span></a> these corporations in the form of public assistance.In fact McDonald’s used to run what they called “The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's"><span style="color: #068068;">McResource</span></a> phone line” where they advised their employees on how to apply for food stamps. Workers with increased earnings would pay more in taxes and receive less in <a href="http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44995"><span style="color: #068068;">government benefits</span></a>, that you and I pay for, so we would no longer be subsidizing their employers.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>And as the City of Eureka relies on sales tax and not income tax for the bulk of its revenue, when you raise the pay of low income workers, 100% of that money gets spent, versus when you give it to shareholders and well-off business owners, who even if they live in town are not likely to increase their spending. </div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>As an example, last year McDonald’s spent the equivalent of $14,286 per restaurant worker employed by the company on “<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-12/mcdonald-s-8-25-man-and-8-75-million-ceo-shows-pay-gap.html"><span style="color: #053bee; text-decoration: underline;">share repurchases</span></a>” and dividends. That was $6 billion in one year spent to profit shareholders, while employees are paid minimum wage, which at its current level has a purchasing power of 20 percent less than it did in 1968!<br />
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span>
</span>Look, whenever profits are threatened, business always scream “JOBS.” If you’re old enough, you may remember that requiring seat belts in cars were going to cost us jobs! Any increase in the cost of doing business is always fought with the myth that it will cost jobs, but myths are just that, and the truth is employers will hire as many workers as they need to meet the demand of the marketplace. No more and no fewer.</div>
<div style="color: #232323; font: 24.0px Georgia; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: 24.0px 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span>Then of course there is the moral argument, that if a man or woman does an honest day’s work, they deserve an honest day’s pay, and that would be a wage one could live on.</div>
<div style="font: 26.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 32.0px;">
<br /></div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-51014548215717425672014-06-05T19:26:00.000-07:002014-06-05T21:44:56.714-07:00Sunny Brae Park clean up June 28th 11:am - 6:pm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Please come out to Virginia Way between Beverly Dr and Charles Ave to pitch in!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
June 28th 11:am to 6:pm BBQ at 4:pm</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZWrR5YylYOhc4g9Sr1WPwcPS7D6RokU0jJXxHoeudBhp7zSclzlDaASExBcAW5rAl5saX2_Y-3-hPPSZhjzTp3BAPixJ7_yqMCc80hClBaqwXPE0jggHWe-2h2rJNSX8sYwb9qCGgA/s1600/Sunny+Brae+Park+Cleanup-2.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZWrR5YylYOhc4g9Sr1WPwcPS7D6RokU0jJXxHoeudBhp7zSclzlDaASExBcAW5rAl5saX2_Y-3-hPPSZhjzTp3BAPixJ7_yqMCc80hClBaqwXPE0jggHWe-2h2rJNSX8sYwb9qCGgA/s1600/Sunny+Brae+Park+Cleanup-2.0.jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Contact Susan Ornelas for more info or to RSVP: sornelas@cityofarcata.org</div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-73028418658607343062014-06-02T14:17:00.002-07:002014-06-02T14:17:34.755-07:00Rob Arkley's victory in Humboldt CountyHow Arkley Came to Run Humboldt County<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For over a decade Rob Arkley had tried to win control of Humboldt County politics. He has funded candidates and of course his <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/103102/pub1031.html">wife</a> ran for office. He formed lobbying groups like Humboldt Sunshine and most notably, <a href="http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2011/apr/13/fuller-picture/">HELP</a> (Humboldt Economic & Land Plan), which intended to steer the future of land planning and of course that starts with the General Plan.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Well apparently the voters of Humboldt County didn't want the local billionaire deciding the future of the community for them and they pretty much voted against all the candidates <a href="http://redwoodreality.blogspot.com/2006/10/lavallees-october-surprise.html">Mr. Arkley</a> put forward, including his wife Cherie, ...though she only lost her bid for mayor by 42 votes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What happen next was this group that ostensibly had no connections to Rob Arkley and was run by a guy with a pony tail and a beard (Lee Ulansey), called <a href="http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2014/apr/1/richard-salzmans-point-view-self-interest/%0D">HumCPR</a> sprang up on the heels of the code enforcement <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/codes-damned-codes/Content?oid=2126751">debacle</a> and with their financial backing the "<a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/leadership-seriously-lacking/Content?oid=2282650">gang of four</a>" was swept into office.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/vote-this-way/Content?oid=2548423">Supervisors</a> then proceeded to appoint commissioners to the Planning Commission. Well low and behold but we find out in the Northcoast Journal <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/the-gpu/Content?oid=2510873">article</a> that the majority of these newly appointed commissioners list <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/the-gpu/Content?oid=2510873">membership</a> in <a href="http://www.ourhumboldt.org/tag/richard-salzman/">HELP</a> on their resumes!? Is it possible that if Rob had just grown a beard and a pony tail, that he could have done this his own? That's unlikely, but in the end and through the unholy alliance that HumCPR has cast between developers and so called "back-to-the-landers", they were able to do what Rob Arkley was never able to do on his own, and was to put his lobbyist in control of Humboldt County.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The voters of Humboldt will get one more chance to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz8mLF3ln4s">change</a> that dynamic on Tuesday. We'll see what they do.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
Let me remind you that past elections in Humboldt County have been decided by just a <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/110906/news1109.html">handful of votes</a>. Peter LaValle beat Cherie Arkely for mayor by 42 votes and lost four years later to Virginia Bass by just <a href="https://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/missing-ballots-cast-doubt-on-past-elections/">65 votes</a> , Jeff Leonard won an election with just <a href="https://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/missing-ballots-cast-doubt-on-past-elections/">28 votes</a>. Sundberg beat Cleary by <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/ci_16728002">154</a> votes. So know that in Humboldt County, your vote does count!</div>
</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
Also, in Humboldt County, they'll confirm that count is accurate: <a href="http://www.wired.com/2008/12/unique-transpar/">www.wired.com/2008/12/unique-transpar/</a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<div>
--</div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-81518301049501319742014-06-02T14:13:00.001-07:002014-06-02T14:13:46.989-07:00Time For A Change <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;">
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
TWO NICE PEOPLE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
Richard Marks was right when he said that even Virginia's critics agree that she's a nice person. I know that I've always found her to be very nice. I think Chris Kerrigan is pretty nice himself, and I'd wager that Richard Marks thinks the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25835003/Letter:-This-is-no-personality">same</a>.<br /><br />What I and many others have been critical of Virginia Bass for is her votes, and her <a href="http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2014/apr/1/richard-salzmans-point-view-self-interest/%0D">appointments</a>. I disagree with her position on key issues and that's what I've criticized her for, never for not being nice nor would I ever question her character as a person. What I take issue with is her <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25845156/letter-kerrigan-cares-real-people-concerns">politics</a>.<br /><br />Interestingly many of Bass' supporters seem to want to <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25809563/Letter:-Commercial-dares-to-call">attack</a> Chris' character and I can only assume that's because they don't feel they'll get much traction attacking his positions, which are mostly popular in Humboldt County over all, and particularly in the 4th District.<br /><br />This past week I've read <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/05/27/the-flood-continues-as-letters-pour-in/">letters</a> to the <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/last-minute-endorsements/Content?oid=2576886">editor</a> about Kerrigan's <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25866926/letter-kerrigan-will-stand-against-special-interests" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">vision</a> for the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25866923/letter-some-candidates-have-vision-others-dont" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">future</a> of Humboldt County. About his commitment to 21st Century jobs, about maintaining our open space and parks and about creating <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/gpu-fumin/Content?oid=2500143" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">trails</a>. His <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/05/27/the-flood-continues-as-letters-pour-in/">belief </a>that when you have safe streets and neighborhoods <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25845027/letter-kerrigans-integrity-wins-my-vote" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">talented</a> people are <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25866943/letter-kerrigan-can-provide-humboldt-visionary-leadership" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">drawn</a> to an area, which leads to <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/quality-of-life/Content?oid=2521649" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">investment</a> and <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/04/17/job-growth-and-better-wages/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">job growth</a>. About how Kerrigan has supported responsible development in areas that have infrastructure. His commitment to providing affordable housing as the first step in addressing homelessness. Kerrigan supports <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/judys-right/Content?oid=2576880" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">development</a> in the town centers rather than <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/04/17/economic-development-for-the-people/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">conversion of our resource lands</a>, which creates sprawl and a higher tax burden on the rest of us. He supports the <a href="http://eurekafairwageact.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/chris-kerrigan-interviewed-on-fair-wages-by-zach-thiesen/">Fair Wage Act</a> to give <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/05/29/kerrigan-endorsed-by-the-california-united-homecare-workers/">Eureka's lowest paid</a> workers a <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25737694/Letter:-Kerrigan-an-easy-choice">living wage</a> and he will support a county-wide version of this common sense law. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />I've also read <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25866880/letter-chris-kerrigan-4th-district-supervisor" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">letters</a> outlining Chris Kerrigan's many accomplishments, actions and efforts during his eight years on the Eureka City Council. From the street calming program that led to the planting of trees throughout Eureka. Chris also <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/2014/04/17/a-record-of-working-for-you/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">brought</a> forward a marriage equality resolution and an ordinance to extend the library’s hours, a big box ordinance that would have required a conditional use permit before any store over 10,000 square feet was opened in Eureka (this would have applied to the WalMart that just went in at the mall), about fighting to protect funding for seniors, about protecting the rights of minorities and about his efforts at <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25793985/Letter:-Kerrigan-will-fight-for">historic preservation</a> such as with the Annie B. Ryan house (that developers intended to demolish). A major focus of his tenure was city beautification which he continues today as a Keep Eureka Beautiful board member.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
You <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25838417/Letter:-Kerrigan-one-of-Humboldts">hear</a> a lot about the fact that Chris Kerrigan was only <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25823487/Letter:-Kerrigan-would-be-perfect">20</a> years old when he <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25845030/letter-kerrigan-will-support-people-not-special-interests" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">first</a> ran for City Council. He spent the next eight years of his life working on behalf of this community. The fact is that <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/last-minute-endorsements/Content?oid=2576886">community</a> is what Chris is all about. After his two terms on the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25823476/Letter:-Atkins:-Chris-Kerrigan-can">council</a> were up, he went back to university to complete his education. Now he's chosen to stay here in Humboldt and is offering to stay in public service rather than pursue a more lucrative career out of town. I hear a lot of talk about wanting to keep our young people here in Humboldt and here's a great example of a young person who wants to stay! His <a href="http://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/last-minute-endorsements/Content?oid=2576886" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">youthful</a> energy will bring a lot of what's needed to the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25859067/letter-kerrigan-positive-change" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">Board of Supervisor</a>; most of all it will bring change from the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_25866934/letter-current-board-majority-developers-pocket" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">status quo</a>. When Kerrigan <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25838416/Letter:-Kerrigan-will-work-for">served</a> on the city council he was often in the minority yet he was never afraid to stand up, even when he stood alone, to fight for what was right and in the end he actually won a lot of those battles. Even when he didn't get the more conservative members to reverse their votes he did often get them to find a <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25838419/Letter:-Kerrigan-will-restore-balance">compromise</a> position, one that more accurately reflected the diverse interests of our community. We could use that voice on the Board of Supervisors. We could use some <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/Opinion/ci_25731351/Letter:-Kerrigan-will-help-restore">balance</a> and we could use some new ideas. We've tried it this way, now let's try something different. Let's try <a href="http://www.votechriskerrigan.com/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;">Chris Kerrigan</a> for Supervisor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
It's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz8mLF3ln4s">time</a> for a change. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-17386141081948057252014-06-02T14:11:00.002-07:002014-06-02T14:11:59.587-07:00June 3, 2014 Voter GuideJUNE 3RD 2014 VOTER GUIDE by Richard Salzman<br /><br />Governor: Jerry Brown (or Peace and Freedom party candidate Cindy Sheehan)<br />Lt Governor: Gavin Newsom<br />Sec of State: Alex Padilla<br />Controller: John Perez<br />Insur. Commissioner: Dave Jones<br />Treasurer: John Chiang<br />Attorney Gen: Kamala Harris<br />Board of Eq: Fiona Ma<br />Congress: Andy Caffrey (Huffman is great and will win by a landslide so I'm voting for Andy who lives here in Humboldt County)<br />State Senate: Mike McGuire<br />Assembly: Jim Wood<br />Sup of Pub Instr: Tom Torlarkson<br />District Attorney: Elan Firpo<br />Prop 41: YES<br />Prop 42: YES<br /><br />4th Dist Supervisor (Eureka area): Chris Kerrigan<br />5th Dist Supervisor (Mckinleyville north): Sharon Latour<br />Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-91388732502334990122014-02-05T01:53:00.005-08:002014-02-05T09:18:10.145-08:00Least We Forget, ...the defeated recall attempt of '04<h2>
Voters Reject Attempt to Recall North Coast D.A.</h2>
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">A timber company bankrolled the effort to remove the Humboldt County official.</span></h2>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">March 03, 2004 . Kenneth R. Weiss . <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2004/mar/03/local/me-humboldt3" target="_blank">L.A. Times</a></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">
Humboldt County voters rallied behind their district attorney Tuesday, rejecting a campaign bankrolled by Pacific Lumber Co. to recall the prosecutor who had accused the powerful timber company of fraud.<br /><br />With all precincts reporting, voters decided to retain Dist. Atty. Paul Gallegos, 61% to 39%, despite an intensive campaign of radio, television and direct mail advertisements that portrayed Gallegos as soft on crime and a friend of illegal tree-sitters, rapists and pot growers.<br /><br /><object alt="" apple-height="yes" apple-width="yes" data="cid:FB7D2647-2D9E-4F9A-A82B-869E0870EFD5" height="1" id="2b67b687-70b7-438d-9775-98daa3f1b627" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inherit !important; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" type="application/x-apple-msg-attachment" width="1"></object><br />"It's a triumph of the people over the influence of money and lies in politics," said a jubilant Gallegos, 41, a former Southern Californian who moved to Eureka a decade ago. "This recall election wasn't about me, it's about a corporation trying to control politics here in Humboldt County."<br /><br />"This is about a defendant getting rid of the prosecutor," he said. "If this was the will of the people, they [Pacific Lumber] wouldn't have had to spend a quarter of a million dollars to get this on the ballot and convince people I was no good."<br /><br />The recall election, the most expensive race of any kind in Humboldt County history, generated an unusually high turnout on a day when voters elsewhere in the state largely stayed home.<br /><br />The race emerged as a test of the century-old political dominance of timber interests in a county of 130,000 people that has seen a sharp drop in logging jobs and a surge in environmentally concerned newcomers who work in the tourism and service industries.<br /><br />The debate over Gallegos cleaved the county along familiar battle lines in the North Coast timber wars: Whether redwoods should be considered a draw for tourists and a subject of poetry or a source of lucrative lumber and abundant jobs. Passions flared to the bitter end, with allegations of improper electioneering.<br /><br />Richard Salzman, Gallegos' campaign manager, joined volunteers on a busy intersection to wave "No Recall" signs for the early morning commuters -- most of them in pickup trucks.<br /><br />"We got many more thumbs up than we got middle fingers," he said. "For these guys who gave us the finger, it's not the way Paul [Gallegos] handled a particular case, it's that they fear that their job's at stake."<br /><br />Last year, Pacific Lumber and its corporate parent, Maxxam Inc., based in Houston, paid $8 a signature to help fill out petitions needed to qualify the recall for the ballot.<br /><br />Then the timber company and its contractors donated more than 80% of the money -- $266,000 disclosed so far -- to the campaign to persuade voters that Gallegos should be bounced from the job as the county's top prosecutor.<br /><br />Pacific Lumber denied that its contributions had anything to do with the civil fraud case that Gallegos and his top assistant, Timothy O. Stoen, filed in March 2003, accusing the company of lying to state regulators during the 1999 Headwaters Forest deal. The deal capped a decade-long battle to save the state's remaining stands of giant redwoods not already protected in parks or preserves.<br /><br /><object alt="" apple-height="yes" apple-width="yes" data="cid:FB7D2647-2D9E-4F9A-A82B-869E0870EFD5" height="1" id="c0cca556-da8f-45ed-a9db-49dfd98276b7" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inherit !important; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" type="application/x-apple-msg-attachment" width="1"></object><br />Prosecutors contend that the fraud has allowed Pacific Lumber to harvest about $40 million worth of trees each year on 211,000 acres that were supposed to be protected under logging restrictions as part of the deal, which cost taxpayers $480 million.<br /><br />Company spokeswoman Erin Dunn said the firm joined the recall out of a duty to help protect public safety from a prosecutor with a "miserable" record.<br /><br />Supporters of Gallegos raised $180,000 and put together teams of volunteers to counteract the ad campaign against him. They phoned thousands of supporters in places such as Arcata, a liberal college town, to urge them to the polls.<br /><br />"We're doing a booming business," said Lindsey McWilliams, Humboldt County's election manager, who predicted a turnout of about 65%. The county issued about 18,000 absentee ballots, about 6,000 more than usual, and he fears it will take weeks to sort through the final 1,500 to 2,000 or so ballots which were smudged, adorned with write-in candidates, or turned in at polling places.<br /><br />Although these ballots will not change the outcome of the recall election, McWilliams said, "It's going to take us a lot of time to clean this up."</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2003/aug/03/local/me-humboldt3" target="_blank">L.A. Times on start of recall effort</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 22px/normal Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em; position: relative;">
<a href="http://www.richardslist.org/2011/03/framing-democracy-how-we-defeated.html" target="_blank">How We Defeated a Corporate Recall in Humboldt County</a></h3>
<h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
</h3>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-48929123047131233512013-06-13T09:49:00.002-07:002013-06-13T10:00:32.147-07:00Invitation to Pamplin Grove July 5 - 6 - 7 , 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8knDLAQ_L6UxaVoZtEcs6INXPhMDYJVJygM5UYLIiS8EDGsUwrvfY5_GlfJ-bqND0lD-NeXd6yDqW9Jzb6FaunJvI_mGDGTc8F7dCuYZLgedNnnv3IGZ_11rdP5MkieUv7T37_YPuzA/s1600/Pamplin+art+2013+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8knDLAQ_L6UxaVoZtEcs6INXPhMDYJVJygM5UYLIiS8EDGsUwrvfY5_GlfJ-bqND0lD-NeXd6yDqW9Jzb6FaunJvI_mGDGTc8F7dCuYZLgedNnnv3IGZ_11rdP5MkieUv7T37_YPuzA/s640/Pamplin+art+2013+final.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 428px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" valign="bottom"><span style="color: #336674;"><b>Richard Salzman invites you to the<br />10th annual Community Gathering at Pamplin Grove<br />July, 5, 6 and 7th.</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" valign="bottom"><img alt="" border="0" height="33" src="http://salzint.com/cookout/13/shim.gif" width="9" /></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" valign="bottom"><div align="left">
Remember the day democracy won in Humboldt? It was a special time here. A hardy coalition of fresh students, old-school conservatives, tree-huggers, patriots, and progressives worked together to take back our county from one corporation and their half million.<br /><br />What better way to observe our nation’s independence than to celebrate the tenth anniversary of that famous 'crash and burn' for Maxxam’s attempted <a href="http://www.richardslist.org/2011/03/framing-democracy-how-we-defeated.html" target="_blank">recall of our Humboldt County D.A.</a><br /><br />Richard’s planning another great bash at Pamplin Grove July, 5, 6 and 7th. Stay the weekend, or just cruise in to see the old gang at Saturday’s potluck. Bask in the old growth, skinny dip in the Van Duzen, maybe stay for the dinner. But the whole park is ours Friday afternoon through Monday morning.<br /><br />Ask any have-been, Richard’s party in the sunny grove is always cool.<br /><br />Friends, family and well behaved dogs are all welcome. Individual campsites sleep 1 to 15 people. Eat what you want up at the cookhouse, don't need much more then a tent, bag, pad and an instrument.<br /><br />Celebrate democracy with interesting people, music, song, sunshine, swimming, volleyball, horseshoes, and bonfires.<br /><br />Gates open at noon Friday the 5th. The big potluck dinner is late Saturday afternoon the 6th. A breakfast will be served at the cookhouse Saturday and Sunday mornings and a supper late in the day on Friday and Sunday.<br /><br />Car pools from the airport and loaner camping gear can be arranged for out of town guests, and if you don't want to camp, there are motels in nearby Fortuna (be sure to mention the recall).<br /><br /><br />RSVP please for details and combo to the locked gate:<br /><br />707.822.5500<br />or <a href="mailto:rs@richardsalzman.com">rs@richardsalzman.com</a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" valign="bottom"><div align="left">
<img alt="" border="0" height="70" src="http://salzint.com/cookout/13/shim.gif" width="6" /></div>
<div align="left">
illustration by <a href="http://www.oliwinward.salzint.com/" target="_blank">Oli Winward</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-72345371713859140792013-06-13T09:46:00.001-07:002013-06-13T09:46:13.190-07:00Original email invite to the first Community Gathering at Pamplin Grove, to celebrate our victory in Humboldt County 2004<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzjB_K00UNucNGz4I8VsHdIaqhhtgj2CCfwcEHek2lv_OQM3c1aJb8QgoI7sBu4YC5ZaN-vaqh42aWF7frjLmFBXhfCSb67EFLUGJfVfhvC0vvo8nJHwS-T-naAq4IuW76Wf0sz067A/s1600/Org+email+to+Pamplin+Grove+2004.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzjB_K00UNucNGz4I8VsHdIaqhhtgj2CCfwcEHek2lv_OQM3c1aJb8QgoI7sBu4YC5ZaN-vaqh42aWF7frjLmFBXhfCSb67EFLUGJfVfhvC0vvo8nJHwS-T-naAq4IuW76Wf0sz067A/s640/Org+email+to+Pamplin+Grove+2004.tiff" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-91703501094123033162013-04-07T18:16:00.000-07:002013-04-07T18:16:45.255-07:00Times Standard: ACLU honors Salzman<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7Komd8SoNazLMqmJjVozlGs1liPy9FN1SuRCHtBZFicVCOu9pogz9afHtjNNYEt7rD6Gu9KVscS7Tb3XBgaN4SMbP07DyUZsJVyDjmniadaTVdwUoKn1QTnExwO4qbKBRfNky5SiuA/s1600/ACLU+Patriot+of+Year+award+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7Komd8SoNazLMqmJjVozlGs1liPy9FN1SuRCHtBZFicVCOu9pogz9afHtjNNYEt7rD6Gu9KVscS7Tb3XBgaN4SMbP07DyUZsJVyDjmniadaTVdwUoKn1QTnExwO4qbKBRfNky5SiuA/s320/ACLU+Patriot+of+Year+award+2012.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<b><a href="http://www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_22973584/aclu-honor-salzman"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Times Standard</span></a></b></h2>
<h2>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">04/07/2013 </span></h2>
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />ARCATA -- Richard Salzman of Arcata was honored as the 2012 “Patriot of the Year” on Monday by the Redwood Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. </span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <br />Salzman was recognized for a range of political and civil causes, especially his successful lawsuit against the city of Arcata for its restrictions on free speech as contained in the city's panhandling ordinance.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />It was his belief in the civil rights accorded everyone by the Constitution that impelled Salzman to file suit against his hometown. He accepted the award in memory of his recently departed father Paul Salzman, who he said was “a proud lifelong member of the ACLU.”</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />”I believe in this American experiment in democracy, and was pleased that in this situation the system worked the way the founders intended -- with the court correcting the overreach of the legislative body, when a law they wrote violated the citizens' constitutional protections,” Salzman said in his acceptance speech.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />The event, held at the Unitarian Fellowship Hall in Bayside, was attended by dozens of members of the public and the ACLU chapter. For more information on the local chapter of the ACLU, visit <a href="http://redwoodaclu.blogspot.com/">redwoodaclu.blogspot.com</a>.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_22973584/aclu-honor-salzman">www.times-standard.com/lifestyle/ci_22973584/aclu-honor-salzman </a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-33033489825375702002012-07-21T03:22:00.000-07:002012-09-27T11:24:37.599-07:00County is stiffing in-home workers<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" class="regionParent" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 1000px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="regionParent" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-color: white; border-collapse: separate; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 1000px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="region2" colspan="3" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: top; width: 634px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="articleBox" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 626px;"><div class="hnews hentry item" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="articleByline" id="articleByline" style="color: #555555; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="author vcard" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="fn" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Richard W. Salzman/For the <a href="http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_21118246/county-is-stiffing-home-workers">Times-Standard</a></span></span></div>
<div class="articleDate" id="articleDate" style="color: #848080; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
07/20/2012 </div>
<span fd-id="default" fd-type="start" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span><br />
<div class="articlePositionHeader" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span fd-id="default" fd-type="end" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span><br />
<div class="entry-content" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="articleBody" id="articleBody" style="color: black; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="articleViewerGroup" id="articleViewerGroup" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;">
<span class="articleEmbeddedViewerBox" style="background-color: #cdced2; float: left; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; right: 4px; text-align: left; top: 4px;"></span><span fd-id="default" fd-type="start" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span><span fd-id="default" fd-type="end" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span fd-id="default" fd-type="start" style="font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Back in 1999, Humboldt County's In-home Supportive Services workers, who do in-home care for the elderly or impaired on Medicaid, were being paid minimum wage. At the same time, each member of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors was being paid $46,563 a year.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Today, IHSS workers are still being paid minimum wage ($8 an hour) BUT the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors -- who last week voted against raising the IHSS worker's minimum wage -- have since raised their own salaries more than $35,000, and now earn a whopping $81,584 a year.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The ONLY requirement for a supervisor's job is to attend one weekly board meeting. Absolutely nothing else is legally required of them.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Even if they did put in a full 40 hours a week, they would earn almost $40 an hour. And they get health benefits and pensions! IHSS workers get no such benefits, and work for $8 an hour.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
No one else working for the county is being paid anywhere close to this low of a wage. In fact, the other entry-level county jobs that require no special training or education are paid between 45 percent and 75 percent more per hour. For example, custodians get $11.49, stock clerks $12.01, airport groundskeepers $14.59 and roads maintenance workers $14.96. Even an animal shelter attendant gets $12.44 -- over 50 percent more for taking care of a stray pet than for taking care of a human.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
None of these people is being overpaid; that's not the point. But IHSS workers ARE being grossly UNDERPAID</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;">-- and the irony is that they save us</span></span> taxpayers money by keeping Medicaid recipients out of nursing homes, which would cost the government much, much more.<br />
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Call the Board of Supervisors right now at 707-476-2396 and let them know their actions are shameful.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Richard W. Salzman resides in Arcata.</div>
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_21118246/county-is-stiffing-home-workers">www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_21118246/county-is-stiffing-home-workers </a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-63566225046969109852012-05-24T22:28:00.001-07:002012-05-24T22:40:05.352-07:00Unusual Lawsuit: Can City Silence An Already Silent Request?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDrz8wpfyw5owZqsST2N8vQzzn0p9KaiOWZDFsiOuV2x2-i8-DO_kedVCPt11R0W8cysiV6ml9Qeuv38bM2TcHUHz79k344JgnLowaUHWPRgLkPDE6V2-RILydFfJFZr3oaGm8JlL7w/s1600/buy+me+a+pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDrz8wpfyw5owZqsST2N8vQzzn0p9KaiOWZDFsiOuV2x2-i8-DO_kedVCPt11R0W8cysiV6ml9Qeuv38bM2TcHUHz79k344JgnLowaUHWPRgLkPDE6V2-RILydFfJFZr3oaGm8JlL7w/s400/buy+me+a+pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Arcata, California--Is it illegal to merely hold up a sign asking for<br />
money?<br />
<br />
The City of Arcata thinks it is, but a citizen lawsuit contends the city<br />
overstepped its bounds and its <a href="http://www.cityofarcata.org/sites/default/files/files/document_center/Government/Ordinances/Ord%201399%20Prohibiting%20Panhandling.pdf">panhandling ordinance</a> is unconstitutional.<br />
<br />
Arcata taxpayer Richard Salzman, who <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vTqjQOZuL-UJ:www.arcataeye.com/2011/02/salzman-challenging-arcatas-panhandling-law-%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93-february-24-2011/+%22has+warned+the+Arcata+City+Council+that+he+intends+to+file+a+lawsuit+challenging+the+constitutionality+of+the+City%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+panhandling+ordinance%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari&source=www.google.com">filed a lawsuit</a> in Humboldt County<br />
Superior Court against the normally ultra-liberal city, said: “If<br />
first they silence the poor and the homeless, and we say nothing, who<br />
will speak up when they try to silence rest of us?”<br />
<br />
He noted that the section of the ordinance against “aggressive<br />
panhandling,” including blocking one’s path, any physical contact or even<br />
yelling, would be left unchallenged by his legal action.<br />
<br />
But to achieve the city’s goal of criminalizing the 'speech'--or even a<br />
mute appeal--of a few beggars, Arcata has criminalized all charitable<br />
solicitations for money.<br />
<br />
Salzman said, "The ironical aspect is that Arcata so far has<br />
spent around $10,000 of the taxpayers' money defending a law so one<br />
would not have to to read a sign asking, 'Buddy, can you spare a<br />
dime?' How insane is that?"<br />
<br />
The judge overruled an objection by the city's attorney and allowed the photo above<br />
to be entered into evidence, illustrating the absurdity of the law during<br />
the trial on May 23rd 2012.<br />
<br />
The court has 90 days to rule on the case. The losing party will then<br />
have the opportunity to appeal.<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
NBC affiliate KIEM News Ch3 <a href="http://kiem-tv.com/node/3372">lead story </a>: /kiem-tv.com/node/3372 &<a href="http://kiem-tv.com/node/3396"> kiem-tv.com/node/3396</a>Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-38567185613952981332012-03-03T13:48:00.000-08:002012-05-24T22:28:56.291-07:00Framing Democracy: How We Defeated a Corporate Recall in Humboldt CountyFraming Democracy: How We Defeated a Corporate Recall in Humboldt County<br />
<br />
by Michael Shellenberger, Breakthrough Institute<br />
<br />
<br />
You’ve heard of corporations sponsoring political candidates, athletes, stadiums, and even schools. But did you hear about the corporation that paid for a special election to recall a District Attorney who had sued it for fraud?<br />
<br />
That’s exactly what happened in Humboldt County, California, home to giant redwoods, endangered salmon, and a timber company called Pacific Lumber (PL).<br />
<br />
Fortunately, on March 2, 2004 we beat back the Houston-owned company’s attempt to recall Paul Gallegos, the county’s new DA. The margin of our victory—61 to 39—gave Humboldt County activists new hope that they could create an economic future free of control by big corporations. This is their story.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Headwaters Forest Deal<br />
<br />
In 1996 I was hired by activists in Humboldt County (population: 130,000) to help increase environmental protections for the Headwaters redwood forest. That work resulted in the Headwaters deal, finalized in 1999, in which the US and California governments paid an astounding $480 million for about 7,500 acres of PL’s old-growth redwood forest. In addition to the money, the Headwaters deal granted PL a “Habitat Conservation Plan” (HCP)—a provision in the Endangered Species Act that allows private landowners to destroy habitat critical for endangered species (in this case, other old-growth redwoods).<br />
<br />
One person who understood the complexities of the Headwaters deal inside and out was my friend, Dr. Ken Miller, a retired emergency room doctor who moved to Humboldt from the Bay Area in 1997. He and several other north coast activists founded the Humboldt Watershed Council to organize property owners whose homes had flooded due to PL’s logging.<br />
<br />
Along with the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), the Humboldt Watershed Council filed lawsuit after lawsuit against PL. In 2003 a judge ruled in EPIC’s favor against the timber giant, invalidating a major component of the Headwaters Deal—the “Sustained Yield Plan” —but rather mysteriously refused to penalize the company or slow the logging.<br />
<br />
Just when local environmentalists were beginning to despair, Paul Gallegos was elected District Attorney in March, 2002, in an upset victory over a 20-year incumbent. Gallegos took office in January, 2003. Within weeks he had discovered evidence that PL committed fraud as part of the Headwaters deal. Miller paid the 41 year-old DA a visit and became a key expert for the case.<br />
<br />
The DA’s lawsuit alleges that PL lied about the science so it could cut far more trees than is possible before Humboldt’s steep hillsides collapse—setting off mudslides and destroying watersheds that are critical habitat for endangered salmon and other animals.<br />
<br />
Gallegos’ deputies warned him that crossing PL would end his career. An avid surfer of Humboldt’s big waves, Gallegos told a local reporter about the time he realized a shark was circling him in the ocean, “Sometimes when you get afraid and you try to paddle out of danger, you paddle into worse danger. So you can’t let fear dictate your conduct.”<br />
<br />
Two months into office, Gallegos sued the company for fraud and deceptive concealment, seeking $250 million in damages.<br />
<br />
<br />
Recall Reaction<br />
<br />
Gallegos’ lawsuit hit like a tidal wave in provincial Humboldt County. Overnight Gallegos became a hero to some and a villain to others. A week after filing the suit a self-appointed representative of the “good old boy network” announced he would pay to gather signatures for a recall.<br />
<br />
Paul responded with an op-ed for the local paper titled, “Nobody is above the law.”<br />
<br />
Richard Salzman, a recent Bay Area transplant to Humboldt who had helped Gallegos raise money and run TV ads for his 2002 campaign, rushed to Gallegos’ defense. Salzman hired me to help start the Alliance for Ethical Business and defend Gallegos. We did a poll and discovered that while most people opposed the idea of a recall, the community was evenly divided about PL—about 40 percent were pro-PL and 40 percent were anti-PL. (Gallegos, who has a portrait of his hero Abe Lincoln hanging in his office, often referred to Humboldt as “a house divided.”)<br />
<br />
To avoid the traditional fault lines we focused our attention on the fraud—not the company’s environmental track record—and put forward a former PL logger to drive home the point that you can be pro-timber and anti-PL. We created special bumper stickers and ended each TV, radio and print ad with our new slogan: “Timber Yes, Fraud No.” (TV ads are extraordinarily cheap in Humboldt—$40 buys you a 30-second spot on Wheel of Fortune; $150 gets you on the local news).<br />
<br />
After a three month quiet period—just as people were wondering whether the recall would happen at all—Salzman discovered aggressive signature gatherers in front of the local supermarkets. He found out they were being paid a record-breaking $8 per signature to get the signatures in on time.<br />
<br />
Richard called the media and the local press played the story big. Not only was the recall election on, it was being financed almost entirely by Pacific Lumber.<br />
<br />
<br />
Competing Frames: “F is for Fraud” vs. “Soft on Crime”<br />
<br />
In late November Salzman become campaign manager for the anti-recall committee. We held a strategy retreat and invited a large group of supporters.<br />
<br />
Inspired by the documentary, “The War Room”, I encouraged Salzman to emulate Clinton campaign manager James Carville’s relatively open meetings to get everyone on message. During that campaign, Carville held strategy sessions in large rooms and invited literally dozens of campaign volunteers to attend, trusting that the benefit of energizing campaign volunteers outweighed the risks of secrets leaking out.<br />
<br />
During the final three weeks of the campaign, Salzman held daily 6:15 PM war room meetings and conference calls so that activists from across the sprawling, rural county could participate. After the 15-minute meeting, volunteers would start phone banking. Tied to the volunteer effort, these War Room meetings dramatically expanded the number of people who felt like they were part of a movement.<br />
<br />
Realizing that PL would pull out all the stops, my wife and son and I moved up to Humboldt—about five hours from the Bay Area by car—for the final three weeks of the campaign. Shortly after we arrived, PL struck with a barrage of attacks: glossy, three-page direct mail pieces; full-page newspaper ads; wall-to-wall radio and TV ads; and calls from paid, out-of-state phone bankers to voters.<br />
<br />
The most disturbing aspect of the campaign was the way the local police unions jumped on board the recall bandwagon. They persuaded a veteran deputy DA to run against his boss. And they attacked Gallegos for having liberalized medical marijuana enforcement guidelines and for emphasizing the need for crime prevention. Gallegos was, they said, “soft on crime.”<br />
<br />
The label troubled me. I had seen how such a tag could hurt progressive politicians, from San Francisco District Attorney Terrence Hallinan to Michael Dukakis.<br />
<br />
The opportunity for our opponents was that plea bargains—which are a routine part of the DA’s work—sound like ways to let criminals off the hook. The truth is that every DA, however “tough” makes plea bargains based on the strength of the evidence and the circumstances of the crime. It’s easy sport for political consultants to dig up a plea bargain and blow it up into a major scandal.<br />
<br />
Our strategy was to frame the recall as PL vs. the DA whereas PL’s strategy was to frame it as Cops vs. the DA<br />
<br />
Aiming to get PL into the news as much as possible, our campaign filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission saying that because PL was funding more than 90 percent of the recall they had to change the name of the committee from “Safety Yes” to “The Pacific Lumber Committee to Recall Paul Gallegos.” We got no action out of the commission but the complaint generated headlines and reminded voters that this recall was all about PL.<br />
<br />
As expected, Pacific Lumber brought in top political professionals to create its TV ads. Its first ad was beautifully shot in a sun-lit warehouse.<br />
<br />
The ad started with a couple saying that “drive-by shooters” (teenagers who hadn’t injured a soul) had fired at their house and that “Paul” (they always referred to him by his first name) “did nothing.” The camera then cut to a mayor from a local timber town saying that cops arrested marijuana dealers in a safe-school zone and “Paul didn’t even file charges.” The next shot was of the head of the Eureka Police Officers Association saying that Gallegos had let a child rapist off the hook. In its closing seconds the ad had the spokespersons repeat, mantra-like, “We can’t wait. We can’t wait. We can’t wait.”<br />
<br />
The ad sent chills up my spine. As the father of a four-year old boy, if I had no other information than the ad, I would have voted to “recall Paul” right then and there. (Always good for a metaphor, Gallegos said this part of the campaign was “like a knife fight in a phone booth.”)<br />
<br />
Their ads got more and more gruesome. Towards the end they unleashed a series of rough attacks that focused on a Mexican immigrant father who had molested his daughter. The TV, newspaper, ads and direct mail pieces put the Latino man’s face underneath headlines that read, “This man raped a little girl 1,900 times and Paul let him off with one count.”<br />
<br />
The truth was that Gallegos prosecuted the particular individual with “one continuous count” so that, if the case went to trial, the eight year old girl in question wouldn’t have to be ripped apart by a defense attorney seeking verification of each count.<br />
<br />
Because the family members were Mexican immigrants in the country illegally, the DA’s office considered the victim child and her witness mother a flight risk. If the mother and daughter fled (fearing deportation) before trial, Gallegos would have had no case––and the molester would have gone free for lack of evidence. Gallegos actually got the toughest sentence possible for the man––16 years in prison.<br />
<br />
The challenge for us was, how do you answer such charges without allowing the frame to shift to whether or not Gallegos is “soft on child rapists”?<br />
<br />
For the year before the campaign I had been studying “strategic framing” with George Lakoff, a University of California linguistics professor introduced to me by Peter Teague of the Nathan Cummings Foundation. One of Lakoff’s axioms is that “negating a frame elevates the frame.” By going into the media to deny that Gallegos was soft on child rapists we would be elevating the frame “soft on child rapists” ––and thus perpetuate a discussion we simply could not win.<br />
<br />
We did two things. First, we emphasized that Gallegos has three young children and has their protection at the top of his mind at all times. We emphasized the Gallegos children at every opportunity.<br />
<br />
Second, we bracketed our defense of Gallegos by starting and ending our ads with, “This recall is a fraud” and “PL is lying about the DA.” It helped that the recall was listed as “Measure F.” In all of our ads we said, “F is a Fraud” and “Vote No On Fraud.” Within the ad we had a local judge say that PL was lying about the child molester case.<br />
<br />
Amazingly, the more we were attacked, the more the grassroots responded. The campaign was flooded with volunteers asking to help phone bank and walk precincts. The money flooded in. Copying MoveOn.org’s email style, we raised about $28,000 on-line––over $3,000 per day toward the end of the campaign. We raised $240,000 in total––an unprecedented sum of money for a county with only 130,000 residents.<br />
<br />
There were a few scary moments. In the final two weeks of the campaign the Gallegos home was broken into twice. Nothing was stolen either time, but in the first instance the perpetrators raised the thermostat to 90 degrees––literally “turning up the heat” on the DA. PL was also sending private investigators to dig up dirt on all of our campaign spokespersons.<br />
<br />
A poll taken a week and half before election day showed we had lost 15 points since June and were in a statistical dead heat. The soft-on-crime attacks appeared to be working.<br />
<br />
<br />
Victory and Beyond<br />
<br />
On Election Day my stomach was tied in knots. If we lost I would share much of the blame with Salzman and Miller (all three of us had become public figures). But I was scared less of the finger-pointing and more of the possibility that Maxxam-PL would get away with it—and set a precedent. That afternoon I went for a long run along the Mad River and practiced what to say if we lost.<br />
<br />
The results were expected to come in between 8 and 9 PM. Hungry but unable to eat, we joined about three hundred other Gallegos supporters at the Eureka’s Lost Coast Brewery starting at 7 PM.<br />
<br />
At 8:15 PM I called the Elections office. Only the absentee ballots had been counted so far – and we were losing. I was upset, but I kept in mind that conservatives vote absentee in higher numbers than progressives.<br />
<br />
At 8:30 PM I called back. We were up—but just slightly.<br />
<br />
By 8:45 PM we were up by 60 percent. Other people were calling too, and a cautious whoop went through the crowd.<br />
<br />
Finally, at 9 PM, all the votes were counted and a supporter shouted from the balcony, “The recall has been defeated, 61-39!”<br />
<br />
The Brewery erupted. People jumped up and down, and literally started pounding the rafters. The building shook. The floor wobbled. People were screaming, laughing and crying—in some cases all at the same time. Flashbulbs were everywhere and people mobbed those of us in the campaign leadership. For about 15 minutes we felt like rock stars.<br />
<br />
It was time for Paul to make a victory speech. The whole brewery quieted down. From the balcony Gallegos thanked the crowd and said he was going to read a quote from Gandhi:<br />
<br />
“There are seven sins in the world: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality”…<br />
<br />
—at this last sin the crowd interrupted with applause and hoots before Gallegos finished—<br />
<br />
— “science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, and politics without principle."<br />
<br />
It may have been the first time any American politician had ever quoted Gandhi in a victory speech.<br />
<br />
<br />
Maintaining the Momentum<br />
<br />
We took almost no time to savor our win. The next day the campaign leadership met to figure out what to do with the grassroots energy the attempted recall had generated. (One astounding fact was that, thanks to the intensity of the campaign, over 60 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in Humboldt—twice the percentage that voted in the Bay Area).<br />
<br />
At the top of everyone’s list was stopping energy giant Calpine’s liquid natural gas plant—proposed to be built right on Humboldt Bay—which would have had a devastating impact on the marine environment. Rather than attack it on environmental grounds we decided to frame the proposed facility as unsafe and as a job-killer because of its expected impact on the fishing economy.<br />
<br />
Again our team came together. Five days before the Council meeting, Richard emailed his 2,000 person list asking them to call and fax Council members and show up at the March 16 meeting. Salzman’s email read: “Stop the Dangerous, Job-Killing LNG Plant.” And we released to the media a copy of a poll that found that six out of ten Eureka residents opposed the plant.<br />
<br />
Still high from our victory against the recall, over 1,500 Humboldt citizens turned out to the city council meeting to oppose the plant. The front page of the next day’s Eureka Times-Standard showed a picture of a man holding up a sign reading, “Cal-Pine’s LNG Plant = Job Killer.” Within hours of the paper hitting the newsstands, Calpine sent a letter saying it was dropping the project because of the public opposition.<br />
<br />
In the end, defeating PL and Calpine were small steps for corporate responsibility but giant leaps for Humboldt County. What we learned in Humboldt went beyond technical campaign skills. We learned that building a movement and framing a political debate require a moral imperative. By making a moral argument around justice, democracy and freedom, we both mobilized our base and appealed to swing voters.<br />
<br />
As Humboldt’s progressive community looks ahead, Salzman and other campaign leaders are fleshing out a Humboldt-specific strategy for sustainable economic development and crime prevention—the intellectual ground on which Gallegos and other politicians can stand to articulate a new politics grounded in old values.<br />
<br />
<br />
Michael Shellenberger is the president of Lumina Strategies (www.luminastrategies.com) and is executive eirector of the nonprofit Breakthrough Institute (www.thebreakthrough.org). He can be contacted at Michael@thebreakthrough.org. <br />
http://www.ega.org/resources/newsletters/sum2004/humboldt.html<br />
<br />
---<br />
<br />
Also read Paul V. Gallegos: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Paul%20V.%20Gallegos:%20Courage%20Under%20Pressure">Courage Under Pressure</a>:<br />
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education/Profile-in-Courage-Essay-Contest/~/media/73615DE38F8E41C190E9E602849DE134.docRichard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-52648793649672068162011-10-19T11:55:00.000-07:002011-10-19T12:30:10.479-07:00Time to consider a municipal bankTime to consider a municipal bank<br />The Eureka Times-Standard <br /><a href="http://richardsalzman.blogspot.com/">Richard Salzman</a><br />10/19/2011 <br /><br />Ten days into the Occupy Wall Street protests, I wrote a letter to the editor complaining about the lack of mainstream media coverage. By the time that letter was printed, they finally got to the story, to their credit.<br /><br />There are now “Occupy” actions taking place in 1,482 cities across the country (as tracked at <a href="http://occupytogether.org/">OccupyTogether.org</a>), including in my own town of Arcata in Humboldt County, California.<br /><br />Surprisingly, even as the media has covered the story, many in the mainstream press seem mystified by the motives and/or lack of cohesive message. Does “people's needs, not corporate greed” explain it?<br /><br />San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos, a mayoral candidate, wants his City Hall to pull its money out of corporate financial institutions and start a municipal bank “so we can control how we are investing in local businesses.” I hope Humboldt County will also consider that option.<br /><br />Long ago, I pulled my money from a big bank and put it into a local credit union. Then, it was recently publicized that the CEO of my small “nonprofit” credit union was taking home just shy of $1 million a year in compensation (making the $160K that our county administrative officer earns seem pretty reasonable). I'm sure people would love to put their money in a county-owned bank whose CEO doesn't get $1 million (see <a href="http://publicbankinginstitute.org/">publicbankinginstitute.org</a> for more on this subject).<br /><br />Here are six more excellent ideas taken from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Matt Taibbi, writing in Rolling Stone magazine:<br /><br />1. Break'em up. If a financial institution is too big to fail, it's too big to exist. Start with repeal of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and mandate the separation of insurance, investment and commercial banks.<br /><br />2. Pay for bailouts. A Wall Street speculation fee on credit default swaps, derivatives, stock options and futures would both pay for the bailouts and do plenty to fight the deficits.<br /><br />3. Cap credit card interest rates, end usury. Citigroup, Bank of America, and JP Chase should not be permitted to charge 25 to 30 percent interest when they received over $4 trillion in loans from us.<br /><br />4. Tax hedge-fund gamblers. Repeal the carried-interest tax break, which taxes hedge-fund titans only 15 percent on their income.<br /><br />5. The Federal Reserve needs to provide small businesses in America with the same low-interest loans it gave to foreign banks.<br /><br />6. Stop Wall Street oil speculators from artificially increasing gasoline and heating oil prices.<br />--<br /><a href="http://richardsalzman.com/">Richard Salzman</a>, who lives in Arcata, works as an illustrators' rep and political consultant.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_19145550">http://www.times-standard.com/guest_opinion/ci_19145550</a>Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-58839985855845710312011-10-10T17:26:00.001-07:002011-10-10T17:31:30.618-07:00Occupy Wall Street deserves our supportSUPPORT THE PROTESTERS<br /><br />Letter to the Editor<br />Posted: 09/29/2011<br />Times Standard<br /><br />If you've not seen coverage of the protests happening on Wall St. for the last two weeks (since Sept. 17th), and you likely have not if your only news comes from mainstream media sources, then you should take a moment to read about (and offer support to) them at the organizers' website <a href="http://occupywallst.org/">OccupyWallSt .org.</a> It's been thousands of people holding rallies day after day to protest the class war that's been waged by Wall Street and the banking industry and corporations against working Americans for the last 30-plus years and finally, people are starting to fight back. I support these protesters and I hope you will too.<br />Richard Salzman<br />Sunny Brae<br /><br />http://www.times-standard.com/letters/ci_19002371Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-84410526032160037002011-05-26T09:32:00.000-07:002011-05-26T09:50:27.401-07:00Lawsuit Targets Arcata Panhandling Law<br />Wednesday, May 25, 2011<br />by Daniel Mintz - Eye Correspondent<br /><br />ARCATA – Having declined to strike aspects of its panhandling ordinance, the City of Arcata will have to defend itself against a <a href="http://lostcoastoutpost.com/media/uploads/post/146/Salzman%2BComplaint.pdf">lawsuit </a>from a well-known political consultant.<br /><br />Arcata resident <a href="http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/salzman-sues-arcata/">Richard Salzman</a>, who has helped coordinate the campaigns of District Attorney Paul Gallegos and several other liberal candidates, announced his filing of the lawsuit on May 19. It attacks the <a href="http://www.cityofarcata.org/sites/default/files/files/document_center/Government/Ordinances/Ord%201399%20Prohibiting%20Panhandling.pdf">ordinance’s</a> prohibitions against spoken and written requests for handouts, arguing that they’re unconstitutional.<br /><br />The <a href="http://lostcoastoutpost.com/media/uploads/post/146/Salzman%2BComplaint.pdf">complaint</a>, filed by Salzman’s attorney, Peter Martin, states that the ordinance’s ban on panhandling signage and comments “places an impermissible burden on the free speech rights of citizens in a public forum” and “presents an unacceptable risk of chilling and/or suppressing protected speech.”<br /><br />Salzman is asking the court for an injunction on enforcing the ordinance, a declaration that it’s unconstitutional and recovery of costs involved with filing the lawsuit.<br /><br />The ordinance’s prohibition of aggressive panhandling isn’t being challenged in the lawsuit.<br /><br />In a <a href="http://richardsalzman.blogspot.com/2011/05/salzman-files-lawsuit-against-city-of.html">press release</a>, Salzman alleged that the City is violating basic civil rights and targeting the poor. “If first they silence the poor and the homeless, and I say nothing, who will speak up when they try to silence me?” he asked.<br /><br />The City Council approved the ordinance last year but Arcata Mayor Susan Ornelas and Councilmember Shane Brinton voted against it. The council recently voted not to amend the ordinance, with Brinton casting a lone dissent vote.<br /><br />In addition to banning aggressive panhandling and solicitations, the ordinance prohibits begging within 20 feet of businesses, parking lots, banks with automatic teller machines, bus stops, foot bridges and intersections.<br /><br />Its findings section states that other city laws have failed to have an effect on a situation that has “generated an enhanced sense of fear, intimidation and disorder, and has caused many retail customers to avoid shopping or dining within the City.”<br /><br />In an interview last February, when Salzman <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vTqjQOZuL-UJ:www.arcataeye.com/2011/02/salzman-challenging-arcatas-panhandling-law-%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93-february-24-2011/+%22has+warned+the+Arcata+City+Council+that+he+intends+to+file+a+lawsuit+challenging+the+constitutionality+of+the+City%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+panhandling+ordinance%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari&source=www.google.com">notified the City</a> of his intent to sue, City Attorney Nancy Diamond said the ordinance is modeled after what’s been done elsewhere in the state and country, and what’s been tested in court.<br /><br />“We are not the first community to look at panhandling ordinances,” she said. “This is very widespread and there is a fair amount of judicial law we were able to look at … we weren’t acting in a vacuum.”<br /><br />http://www.arcataeye.com/2011/05/lawsuit-targets-arcata-panhandling-law-–-may-25-2011/comment-page-1/#comment-31373Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-25816330310182984952011-05-20T21:36:00.000-07:002011-07-11T14:21:53.581-07:00Arcata Panhandling Ordinance lawsuit filed 5.19.11<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4HYzsE0-on-x9Am_PyP96ouEUxfTRo7zKXvt7O4To47Q9q8n0ISgw4rOR3DqsB7-zkAHqMR5DukhqlRwFbq_znRH5JSMmpSJkooscZW3kWmsbCH2qFpTWUM4QpdvIJMdB_SXW6PTkw/s1600/Before+I%2527m+arreste+photo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz4HYzsE0-on-x9Am_PyP96ouEUxfTRo7zKXvt7O4To47Q9q8n0ISgw4rOR3DqsB7-zkAHqMR5DukhqlRwFbq_znRH5JSMmpSJkooscZW3kWmsbCH2qFpTWUM4QpdvIJMdB_SXW6PTkw/s320/Before+I%2527m+arreste+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611804883913510034" border="0" /></a><br />Arcata, CA – On Thursday May 19th Richard Salzman filed a <a href="http://humboldtherald.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/salzman-complaint.pdf">lawsuit </a>in Superior Court of California against the City of Arcata claiming that their <a href="http://www.cityofarcata.org/sites/default/files/files/document_center/Government/Ordinances/Ord%201399%20Prohibiting%20Panhandling.pdf">Panhandling Ordinance</a> is unconstitutional.<br /><br />In March the City of Arcata declined Salzman’s <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vTqjQOZuL-UJ:www.arcataeye.com/2011/02/salzman-challenging-arcatas-panhandling-law-%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93-february-24-2011/+%22salzman+challenging+arcata%27s+panhandling+law%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari&source=www.google.com">request</a><a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vTqjQOZuL-UJ:www.arcataeye.com/2011/02/salzman-challenging-arcatas-panhandling-law-%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93-february-24-2011/+salzman+panhandling+lawsuit&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari&source=www.google.com"> </a>to amend its panhandling ordinance. ”I requested that they amend their ordinance so as to comply with our guaranteed protection of free speech as outlined in the United States Constitution. Since they declined to do so I felt compelled to file a complaint yesterday in the Superior Court of California against the city” said Salzman.<br /><br />Salzman has stated that he is a proud lifelong member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and staunch defender of the Constitution of the United States and the First Amendment right to free speech.<br /><br />As written, the ordinance makes it a crime to merely hold up a sign asking for a hand out. By denying citizens constitutional right of free speech, Salzman contends the City Council overstepped its authority.<br /><br />“If first they silence the poor and the homeless, and I say nothing, who will speak up when they try to silence me?” Salzman asked. He notes that the section of the ordinance against “aggressive panhandling,” including blocking one’s path, any physical contact or shouting, was left unchallenged by this legal action.<br /><br />read lawsuit here: http://humboldtherald.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/salzman-complaint.pdf<div><br /></div><div>Read article in: <a href="http://www.arcataeye.com/2011/05/lawsuit-targets-arcata-panhandling-law-–-may-25-2011/comment-page-1/#comment-31373">The Arcata Eye</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Read article in:<a href="http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_18126963"> The Times Standard</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-84769157019966828452009-05-15T13:09:00.000-07:002011-03-28T13:13:39.064-07:00Protect the Humboldt brand (TS My Word)Protect the Humboldt brand<br /><br />Richard Salzman/For the Times-Standard<br />05/15/2009<br /><br /><br />Governor Schwarzenegger said he is open to hearing the debate on legalizing marijuana for adults, and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has a bill (AB 390) pending before the California Legislature to do just that.<br /><br />There will certainly be much debate here in Humboldt around this issue, particularly on its effects on our local economy. If and when legalization comes, the best-case economic scenario for local growers and our local economy may be a model similar to that of the wine industry, where there is a market for small-scale operations to compete with larger commercial growers, based on vintage and variety.<br /><br />Knowing that such a market is even a possibility should motivate our elected officials to act now to protect the Humboldt name or brand, in the way that the name Champagne is protected, and not to let the name fall into the public domain or to take on a generic meaning. In Europe and elsewhere, for a product to be called Champagne, the wine must come from that region of France -- and this distinction is protected by international laws and treaties going back as far the 1891. There is also the “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO), as defined in European Union law and recognized in other countries, to protect the names of regional foods. That law from 1992 ensures that only products genuinely originating in a region are allowed in commerce as such.<br /><br />A more recent example, but without the legal teeth, is Napa's “Declaration on Place,” which<br />is essentially an agreement among winegrowers internationally, similar in scope to the PDO.<br /><br />I hope our county supervisors and state and federal representatives will explore our options to protect the Humboldt name -- as others are already planning to profit, by having trademarked variation on the name Humboldt, and we should limit its use to products actually produced in Humboldt County.<br /><br />Richard Salzman<br />Arcata, CA.<br /><br />http://www.times-standard.com/othervoices/ci_12376676Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-21668783896314284282006-04-13T13:46:00.000-07:002011-03-22T13:47:37.480-07:00HELP is of no help to Humboldt [TS My Word]HELP is of no help to Humboldt<br /><br />4/13/2006<br /><br /> My Word by Richard Salzman<br /><br />Eureka Times Standard<br /><br /> In response to Kay Backer's My Word of March 22, Getting Humboldt leaders to lead: Kay Backer is a paid professional spin doctor from Sacramento. Hired by local developers, she is paid to badger county government and bamboozle the public. She feigns concern for our families by shedding crocodile tears about so-called affordable housing here in Humboldt County.<br /><br /> It's ridiculous that Kay Backer is even treated as a legitimate voice in our local affairs just because Rob Arkley and HELP summon her to town for a meeting, or to send off an e-mail full of accusations and threats to the media. She represents nothing other than a handful of developers. Are there even five people who will admit to being a member of HELP?<br /><br /> It's absurd that those who pay her (they call themselves HELP but really should be called HELP-Yourself) are implying that the reason they want to build more houses is because they want to see home values drop. When has any developer ever wanted to see any housing prices drop? Do you want to see the value of your home decline?<br /><br /> In the Sacramento area, where Ms. Backer lives, homes are being built at an astounding rate. Strangely enough, housing prices there are still shooting up and now routinely cost about half a million dollars. Is that what Ms. Backer's backers have in mind as affordable housing?<br /><br /> Now Rob Arkley is threatening to use his money to sue the county unless planning officials buy into HELP's fabricated projections of housing needs. Isn't that called blackmail?<br /><br /> I have no objection to developers making money off constructing houses. But it's an outrage to be told that the reason they want permission to build more -- and forever change the essentially rural character of Humboldt County -- has anything to do with stopping people from moving out of town, lowering home prices or anything other than their search for higher profits.<br /><br /> Where will Kay Backer's concern for our community be the day after her paychecks stop coming in? Will she still be shouting HELP or just go on to her next lucrative public relations campaign?Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-50378758174103824432006-01-19T13:43:00.000-08:002011-03-22T13:46:14.581-07:00The big box vs. local entrepreneurs [TS My Word]The big box vs. local entrepreneurs<br /><br />My Word by Richard Salzman<br />Eureka Times Standard<br /><br />I want to thank my friend Cletus Isbell for furthering the discussion on big-box stores in his My Word of Dec. 23. I do, however, want to respectfully disagree with three points he makes.<br /><br />First, I disagree that those consumers now comfortably buying items off the Internet (and getting them home-delivered) will switch to the big boxes. Instead, the big box's customers will mainly be those of us who now frequent locally owned and operated brick-and-mortar stores.<br /><br />The second and third reasons have to do with the intertwined subjects of jobs and taxes, and can perhaps be best illustrated with the example of Home Depot, a timely subject coming before the Eureka City Council in the form of a zoning change request for the Balloon Track. A Home Depot would have a devastating effect on everyone who sells everything from appliances to flooring, hardware to cabinets, lumber to home heating. The list goes on and on (and a Best Buy -- another possibility -- would include everyone in music and home electronics). Since Home Depot now also does installation, work would be snatched from all sorts of contractors and tradespeople, too.<br /><br />Yes, some driven out of business will be able to get jobs at the Home Depot, but the ripple effect on our community will be devastating. The key difference is that Home Depot spends most of its money with out-of-the-area suppliers -- and sends all of its profits back to corporate headquarters.<br /><br />Whatever short-term gains there may be in the tax base would pale in comparison to the money drained from our local community. Because whenever a dollar is spent at a locally owned company, it recirculates several times through the local economy. The county has already acknowledged this economic fact of life in a comprehensive study called Prosperity -- The North Coast Strategy? (available at www.northcoastprosperity.com), which the city of Eureka signed onto.<br /><br />I urge readers to just do a Google search on big box impact? and read any of the myriad studies detailing the disastrous effect these stores can have on the economy of areas with a limited population like ours. Our locally owned and operated small businesses are the lifeblood of what has proved to be a vibrant and resilient local economy, but there are limits to how much more impact we can sustain.<br /><br />The loss of extraction-industry jobs already has been hard on us, and small businesses are the best hope for living-wage jobs. Yet even those businesses which might survive the initial impact and aren't forced to close down will have to cut back: Cut back on their workforce and downsize their American dream. There is simply not enough business in such a small community to support both the big box and the local entrepreneur.<br /><br />I don't know that the government could or should stop a big box from coming to town, but business owners, tradespeople and all their customers and neighbors alike ought to tell their elected officials, starting with the Eureka City Council, not to facilitate the process through zoning changes or the rejection of study grants.Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-65662406420950412762004-11-07T13:32:00.000-08:002011-03-22T13:33:13.336-07:00Statements Reflect Number Of People Supporting Gallegos [Eureka Reporter]Statements Reflect Number Of People Supporting Gallegos [Eureka Reporter]<br /><br />by Christine Bensen, The Eureka Reporter<br /><br />January 27, 2004<br /><br />On Friday, Friends of Paul Gallegos turned in its Jan. 1-17 campaign disclosure statements to the County Elections Office. The Committee to Recall Paul Gallegos missed the deadline, but turned in its information in by Monday afternoon.<br /><br />In the past 17 days, the recall committee has received no donations; between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, the committee received $30,973 in monetary contributions and $43,347 in nonmonetary contributions.<br /><br />Of the $30,973 in monetary contributions, $3,000 came from Steve Wills Truck & Logging and $26,000 from The Pacific Lumber Co. The nonmonetary contributions came entirely from PALCO, with $40,770 going to pay petition signature-gatherers.<br /><br />Recall committee member Rick Brazeau said he did not know why no donations had been made between Jan. 1-17.<br /><br />“I just went and picked it up from the account", he said.<br /><br />Brazeau said the committee is not concerned about the lack of donations during that time.<br /><br />In the past 17 days, FOPG has received $22,727 monetary contributions and $3,230 in nonmonetary contributions. Of the monetary donations, 40 have been $100 or more and 255 from people donating less than $100.<br /><br />Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, FOPG received $44,617 in monetary contributions and $19,179 in nonmonetary contributions.<br /><br />“We're just so pleased at people's incredible generosity", said Richard Salzman FOPG campaign manager.<br /><br />He said people are giving donations ranging from $5 to thousands of dollars and many contributors have contributed at least twice.<br /><br />Salzman said “it really speaks volumes about how people in the community feel about this attack on democracy."<br /><br />Although many contributors are Gallegos supporters, he said others are not sure if they support Gallegos, but “sure as hell don't support the recall."<br /><br />Salzman said he hopes to raise $50,000 in the next week to pay for advertising. He said so far $10,000 has been raised.<br /><br />He said although comparisons have been made between the amount of contributions FOPG and the recall committee have received, it is difficult to compare the two.<br /><br />Salzman said all the recall committee has to do is make a call and they can get a check for thousands that day. He said running a "grass-roots campaign" such as FOPG comes with a lot of overhead cost such as installing phone lines and paying utilities at the headquarters.Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181658339487602987.post-4160915003886585922004-08-31T13:41:00.000-07:002011-03-22T13:43:25.583-07:00Affordable Housing, or Starter Castles [TS My Word]Affordable Housing, or Starter Castles<br /><br />Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - Eureka Times-Standard<br />My Word<br />by Richard Salzman<br /><br />As the county updates its General Plan, a small vocal group of developers (HELP) say their Plan H would make housing more affordable in Humboldt. While all proposals deserve careful consideration, the Alliance for Ethical Business finds HELP's claim overly optimistic at best -- and perhaps outright dishonest.<br /><br />These developers and Realtors want the county to assume a 2 percent annual population growth as an antidote to rising housing costs. Plan H calls this a "conservative" rate of growth -- even though it would quadruple the current county target. What's more, it neglects to mention that all of California has a projected growth rate of only 1.19 percent.<br /><br />When we look at what 2 percent annual growth would really mean to Humboldt County, can we imagine another 80,000 new residents, stuffed mostly between Rio Dell and Trinidad?<br /><br />In fact, only 18 of California's 58 counties aim for a growth rate of 2 percent or greater. According to HELP's friends at the California Association of Realtors ( www.car.org these high-growth counties, such as Fresno, Kern and Riverside, also have the fastest-rising housing prices, from 24 to 30 percent in the last year. Meanwhile, slow-growing Marin's home prices increased only 9.4 percent.<br /><br />Developers in once-rural Sonoma have actively encouraged growth and urban sprawl. The results, aside from notorious traffic congestion? Average home prices now exceed $514,000, up $70,000 in the last year. Greater growth does not automatically lead to affordable housing.<br /><br />Most authorities agree the California housing market is due to cool off. Mortgage rates are bound to rise as the Fed bumps up the prime-lending rate. Northern California foreclosure rates jumped as much as 26 percent in some counties. And that same California Association of Realtors reports that the statewide Housing Affordability Index dropped to 19 percent in May, its lowest level since 1989. So, depending on your point of view, Humboldt County has reached the top (or bottom) of the housing market crisis.<br /><br />To grow Humboldt County at anything approaching the rate urged in Plan H, developers would have to keep stoking outside investment -- creating an overheated local housing market. This would cost taxpayers like you and me millions in subsidized infrastructure, while primarily benefiting developers.<br /><br />Although claiming to be "anti-sprawl," HELP also is demanding that the county set aside more than 40 square miles of what is now prime agricultural or timber production land for housing in the next 20 years. That's an average of almost a full acre per unit for over 18,000 units. What HELP means by affordable housing isn't what the average Humboldter means by affordable -- HELP is more interested in "starter castles" costing a million or more.<br /><br />Besides, no amount of regulatory reshuffling can alter Humboldt County's geographic isolation or flatten our rugged, earthquake-prone topography to accommodate uncontrolled growth that HELP advocates.<br /><br />AEB (Alliance for Ethical Business) finds it self-serving, unethical -- and perhaps dishonest -- for HELP to seek an unrealistic, unacceptable level of population growth based on the false claim that it will alleviate Humboldt's current housing crisis. Do we need higher housing costs, increased taxpayer obligations and unwelcome urban sprawl just to fatten the wallets of developers? That's not HELP, that's "help yourself."Richard Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03708539920525194695noreply@blogger.com