Arcata Must Be There For HSU Students
The City of Arcata and the students at HSU have interests in common and should work together to promote their shared goals.
Proposition 215
If a person, and that includes a student, has a medical marijuana recommendation, then the state of California permits that person to possess marijuana for medical treatment. But the HSU administration does not recognize the state's medical marijuana law and punishes students who possess marijuana for any reason. As a state university, HSU should follow state law. The university administration claims that by following the state law it will jeopardize its federal funding. You know what? I don't believe it, and I won't believe it until the highest court in our country says so. HSU President Roland Richmond should not give in to the federal government without putting up a fight, a fight all the way to the US Supreme Court, if necessary. If elected I will sit down with the administration and urge them to follow California law as it applies to California universities and permit medical marijuana on campus. Perhaps the administration should be reminded that more than 70% of California voters supported medical marijuna use.
Energy Independence
Arcata is working on energy independence and so are the students of HSU. The students voted overwhelmingly to impose a $10 per student fee on them that would fund an energy independence program. Unfortunately, the HSU administration vetoed the fee. I propose to lobby the school and let them know how important energy independence is to the city of Arcata and give the students the support they need.
Local, Healthy Food
Arcata has some of the best fresh produce, fish and meat in the country yet you won't find much of it in the university cafeterias. Instead, the school contracts out food service to Houston-based Sysco. I would like our local businesses to supply food to HSU. Arcata and the students can work together toward that end.
City Car Share Library
Arcata should do everything possible to reduce the number of automobiles and in particular gas-powered autos in the city. I propose the establishment of a city-run car share program similar to the city's bicycle lending library. Any person living or working in the city, or students at HSU, could join the program for a low but sliding scale cost. The fee would entitle them to check out a zero or near-zero emission vehicle. If you need to go to go to Target you can take a small all electric vehicle. If you plan to travel to LA with friends for the holidays, you check out a larger plug-in hybrid. If you need to move or pick up furniture you check out a light truck. It's time for Arcata and HSU students to act progressively not just think progressively.
Environmental Innovation Local Implementation
There is so much to say about this and I do a lot of it in other postings. But the common link with my economic development program is always linking with HSU. If we develop the school develops. Arcata does not want just any industry or business in its city limits. We want socially responsible businesses. I will concentrate on our niche, which has been ignored way too long. The niche is the environment every which way. We have HSU with its brain trust of environmental, forestry, oceanography and fuel cell programs at our doorstep. We need to turn Arcata into the hub of all forward thinking ideas on the environment. Like Stanford is to Silicon Valley, why not HSU to environmental innovations. The conferences will be here, the think tanks will be here, the environmental entrepreneurs will be here.
Innovation then implementation. Imagine: people from around the world will come here to learn about environmental innovations and see first hand how entrepreneurs make those innovations work. Vegas is known for gambling, San Francisco for tourism, and LA for celluloid. Arcata will be known worldwide for cutting edge environmental innovation. That would be a proud, socially responsible and prosperous time.
Proposition 215
If a person, and that includes a student, has a medical marijuana recommendation, then the state of California permits that person to possess marijuana for medical treatment. But the HSU administration does not recognize the state's medical marijuana law and punishes students who possess marijuana for any reason. As a state university, HSU should follow state law. The university administration claims that by following the state law it will jeopardize its federal funding. You know what? I don't believe it, and I won't believe it until the highest court in our country says so. HSU President Roland Richmond should not give in to the federal government without putting up a fight, a fight all the way to the US Supreme Court, if necessary. If elected I will sit down with the administration and urge them to follow California law as it applies to California universities and permit medical marijuana on campus. Perhaps the administration should be reminded that more than 70% of California voters supported medical marijuna use.
Energy Independence
Arcata is working on energy independence and so are the students of HSU. The students voted overwhelmingly to impose a $10 per student fee on them that would fund an energy independence program. Unfortunately, the HSU administration vetoed the fee. I propose to lobby the school and let them know how important energy independence is to the city of Arcata and give the students the support they need.
Local, Healthy Food
Arcata has some of the best fresh produce, fish and meat in the country yet you won't find much of it in the university cafeterias. Instead, the school contracts out food service to Houston-based Sysco. I would like our local businesses to supply food to HSU. Arcata and the students can work together toward that end.
City Car Share Library
Arcata should do everything possible to reduce the number of automobiles and in particular gas-powered autos in the city. I propose the establishment of a city-run car share program similar to the city's bicycle lending library. Any person living or working in the city, or students at HSU, could join the program for a low but sliding scale cost. The fee would entitle them to check out a zero or near-zero emission vehicle. If you need to go to go to Target you can take a small all electric vehicle. If you plan to travel to LA with friends for the holidays, you check out a larger plug-in hybrid. If you need to move or pick up furniture you check out a light truck. It's time for Arcata and HSU students to act progressively not just think progressively.
Environmental Innovation Local Implementation
There is so much to say about this and I do a lot of it in other postings. But the common link with my economic development program is always linking with HSU. If we develop the school develops. Arcata does not want just any industry or business in its city limits. We want socially responsible businesses. I will concentrate on our niche, which has been ignored way too long. The niche is the environment every which way. We have HSU with its brain trust of environmental, forestry, oceanography and fuel cell programs at our doorstep. We need to turn Arcata into the hub of all forward thinking ideas on the environment. Like Stanford is to Silicon Valley, why not HSU to environmental innovations. The conferences will be here, the think tanks will be here, the environmental entrepreneurs will be here.
Innovation then implementation. Imagine: people from around the world will come here to learn about environmental innovations and see first hand how entrepreneurs make those innovations work. Vegas is known for gambling, San Francisco for tourism, and LA for celluloid. Arcata will be known worldwide for cutting edge environmental innovation. That would be a proud, socially responsible and prosperous time.
posted by Jeffrey Schwartz, Arcata at 8:37 AM
2 Comments:
What is the UC policy re 215?
I do not know the UC policy but I bet it is the same as the state colleges. The bottom line is the state schools prohibit medical marijuana because they could lose their federal funding.
It's like the traffic laws awhile back when states refused to lower the speed limit to the federal 55 mph. The feds threatened to cut off funding and all states got in line.
The same thing with medical marijuana. It is a tough fight but it won't be won if no one fights the fight.
The Republicans historically strong states' rights stance seems to falter over medical marijuana and other issues such as assisted suicide for medical purposes.
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