Jeffrey Dean Schwartz For Arcata City Council

I'm Leaving the Race But Not the Cause

2006-11-03T11:33:00.000-08:00

Many of you already know that I have withdrawn my candidacy for Arcata City Council. It was a sudden but not an easy decision to make. I consulted with many close friends and allies about it, and, in the end it was the right decision in order to best champion my ideas such as Round Up for Arcata, the car lending library and the economic revitalization of Arcata through environmental technology, which should have started years ago.

Those candidates who have a better chance of winning know my position and know that I have a growing enthusiastic group of supporters who want to see Arcata enter the 21st century of environmental innovation and take advantage of all of the economic prospects of alternate energy. Just today in the SF Chronicle there is an article ("Alternative Energy Lighting Up") about venture capital companies funding alternate fuel starts ups. Those start ups should be here in Arcata near HSU and the Schatz Energy Research Center. I am convinced some of those startups, even though sponsored by Bay Area money people, would have set up shop here had they known about our little secret, HSU and the Schatz Energy Center. We must not let go of this opportunity.

My only regret about leaving the race is that people will believe the two polls that placed me at the top of the second tier of candidates at around 5% of the votes. That number is very deceiving. I strongly believe had I stayed in the race I'd hit double digits, albeit, low double digits. Clearly there was last minute momentum gathering, particularly among the younger voters of Arcata. Had there been a month to go before the election and had I chosen to raise money to get the message out I would have stayed in the race.

But this was my first run at it and I learned a lot about how to campaign. These lessons will apply should I run again in two years. I promise you all I will run in two years if it looks like the Arcata City Council makes no progress toward the vital economy of conservation and alternate energy. The next time I will run as a more experienced candidate and will energize the majority of the voters who care about the future of Arcata, and wrestle from the old time voters who want to preserve their comfortable way of life at the expense of the younger generation.

I have an 18-month old daughter to think about and want to leave her a vibrant, progressive and environmentally forward acting city. There are other older voters who think that way as well, including Dave Meserve, which is why I ask you to support him. Vote for Dave Meserve.

The jury is still out on Alex and how forward thinking she is. I lend my support to her because I think she is open minded and willing to listen. She also has grandchildren she cares about who'll inherit our city. If she does come around, she'll have the ability to work with Dave to get it done. She keeps saying she is a "doer and a networker" I'm starting to believe her.

My job now is to keep on top of the new city council and let them know I'll be back if things don't move forward.

Thank you all so much for your kind words, criticism and support.

Jeffrey Schwartz

The New Economy

2006-10-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

A New York Times editorial last week said more concisely what I've been saying since I declared my candidacy for Arcata City Council: "...there is a vital new economy to be found in conservation, and that is where the future lies."Arcata along with HSU has a small window of opportunity to seize this new economy and become a leading center of environmental innovation and implementation. But we must start now, we cannot wait any longer. If we do wait, then some other city/university town will snatch it from us.

Arcata is uniquely qualified to take the prize on this one if we form a new wholly different partnership with HSU. The school is already up and running with a perfect environmental mindset and academic programs to accommodate the new economy. HSU already has all of the departments necessary to nurture and train and educate the students who will become the entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers and perhaps the next Noble Prize winners in the new economy-- conservation and alternate energy. HSU will train the students and Arcata will make sure the students stay in our community because we will help them start their businesses, incubate their ideas for alternative energy and provide them a supportive environment to work on the next environmental breakthrough.

This is how I see Arcata in the near future if we seize the moment. Look what is happening in other industries in other college towns. Many of you heard me use the analogy, "what Silicon Valley is to microchips, Arcata can be to environmental technology." Let me give you some real examples of what other cities have done because of their direct involvement with their academic institutions.

We know about Stanford and Silicon Valley.

The University of California at San Francisco nurtured biomedical technology. Not only is the 3 billion-dollar funded stem cell research center headquartered in San Francisco, but there are dozens, if not more, start-up companies run by former students and researchers who are trying to cure cancer. They all have offices and staff and a lot of research money brought in from the outside that stays in San Francisco.

Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo is the closest example of what Arcata and HSU can do. The school focuses on engineering and agriculture. Cal Poly researchers literally turned the jug wine grape industry into dozens of first-class wine appellations with their research on growing a better grape. That happened in less than ten years. There are dozens of former students who started small companies throughout the city and surrounding areas based on finding even better ways to grow grapes.

Then there is the business of bio-pest control. The Ag students and their professors and researchers have been working on finding bugs that eat bugs that eat crops. Like the startups trying to find the cure for cancer, there are again many start up companies trying to find the perfect bug that will eat the bugs that eat the crops. Most will not find the cure-all for substituting toxic poisons with bug eating bugs, but with everyone working and sharing their findings, they will someday. Again, money stays in the city and comes to the city from research grants and established companies with a stake in protecting crops naturally.

And, in a more mundane observation, the school of engineering pumps out hundreds of students who stay in San Luis Obispo to start up architecture and engineering firms.

By the way, did you know Cal Poly, a state univeristy, is a go to school for agriculture and engineering? Students want to go to Cal Poly because of its reputation in those disciplines. We need to get students to want to go to HSU for environmental technology and environmental business. HSU needs to build its reputation.

There is no reason whatsoever why Arcata and HSU can't do the same thing with the new economy of environmental innovation. It would take a little tweaking of the curriculum at the school and a whole lot of public relations to let students know that HSU will train you in a curriculum that is the true future where there will always be a good and lucrative job in a socially responsible field.

It's time that HSU stop looking in the nooks and crannies all around the country trying to lure only die hard environmentalists to come to HSU, (which is their current recruitment strategy). That strategy was fine 20 years ago when the only people who cared about the environment were environmentalists. Now everyone cares about the environment whether they like it or not. Brilliant innovative students, even if they don't yet care much about the environment, will care when they realize they can make a career out of it. When they see which way the wind is blowing they will come to HSU.

We promote this, and "we" means Arcata and HSU, with a theme such as, "Do you want to become the next CEO of an oil company or the next CEO of an alternative energy company? Where do you think the future lies?" Then we say something like you go to school here and come up with some good ideas or promising research on alternative energy and conservation and we'll set you up so you can continue your research right here in Arcata.

Now back to tweaking HSU curriculum. The environmental professors and departments are already here. That is a huge advantage over any other university town. But, we must insist that HSU modify the classes in the various departments to reflect the new economy. And this does not just apply to the environmental departments; it should apply immediately to the business school.

Why would someone go to HSU business school and take basic business courses that he or she can take at another school close by? What's the lure? But, if the business school focused on the new economy, the environment, that is the hook that will cause students around the country and world to want to go to the HSU business school. They will be trained and educated in the new economy. Like it or not the most socially responsible product in the entire world won't get off the ground without business acumen.

The same goes with other departments, one comes to mind, journalism. The journalism department should start developing environmental journalism classes of all kinds to lure students to the school. One of the biggest events the journalism department has ever had was the presentation by two National Geographic environmental journalists showing their slides from a trip across Africa.

We have niche and we must not lose this opportunity. If we start narrow mindedly thinking, "back to basics" and limit ourselves to fixing pot holes (fixing pot holes is easy by the way, think “Round Up for Arcata”) and continue to reminisce about the 1980s, we'll miss the boat and ten years from now everyone will be ten years older with a lot more grey, and all of the students and children will be someplace else.

We can't wait any longer. In order to do this it takes a city council with a fresh perspective and an understanding and respect for the vital new economy that is our future.

Round Up for Arcata Fund

2006-09-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Under Round Up For Arcata every Arcatan as well as visitors to our town will have the opportunity to round up their bills, fees, and any purchases they make in Arcata to the next dollar. The money would go into a special city fund to be used for specific Arcata projects such as the City Car Share Lending library, zero-emission shuttle service, affordable housing, and the funding of environmental startups incubated at HSU. It could go to a new Arcata child care center, fixing a pothole or bikelane or a police substation at Valley West. The idea is to build a flexible fund for things that in the end benefit all residents of our town by making it a better place to live. Think of Round Up for Arcata as your rich uncle. You don't expect him to give you regular handouts but when you need him, he is there.

Here is how it would work. Every business and city department will be expected to ask their customers if they want to "Round Up for Arcata." For example, if you have a $23. 53 bill, the merchant will ask you if you want to "Round Up for Arcata" and pay $24.00. All the money collected would be put into a special fund. The farmer's markets and artisans will be asked to provide a fund jar that will be collected at the end of the event. Even contractors to the city will be asked to round down their bills, but pay the difference into the Round Up fund.

It's voluntary but I believe most Arcatans will participate and many others will as well. On the individual level it means just pennies per purchase, but together it would add up to perhaps the biggest single revenue source for Arcata.

Arcata Must Be There For HSU Students

2006-09-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

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.

Environmental Innovation Local Implementation

2006-09-10T06:44:00.002-07:00

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 entrepeneurs 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 entrepeneurs 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 and prosperous time.

Arcata City Car Share

2006-09-10T06:44:00.000-07:00

I am learning a lot as I go through this campaign. The one criticism I get is that I am fairly new to Arcata and "what do I know." What I know is that being new to the community allows me to bring a fresh perspective to Arcata and to bring creative and innovative ideas to Arcata that have already been in practice elsewhere. San Francisco, Santa Monica and Berkeley, and elsewhere, have many programs we should be looking at.

In San Francisco, residents and workers can check out cars from city garages to use when they need a car.This program has drastically reduced the amount of cars and pollution in the city. Arcata is perfect to do the same but better. Arcata's program would include residents, workers and students and an inventory of zero or near-zero emission cars and light trucks. With this program we would remove thousands of vehicles from our streets because people will ditch their cars as unnecessary and save on insurance, maintenance and car payments.

You need to go to Target in Eureka or a weekend trip home? You check out a car. You need to pick up furniture or a bed? You check out a light truck. People will get rid of their cars if they can rely on the City to provide them with one when they need it. Good for the environment every which way. This will become even more attractive to even more people in Arcata when we start over with public transportation and replace it with a free zero or near-emission public shuttle service running every five to ten minutes and accessible by text messaging, cell phones, computers or just simply flagging it down.

National Global National Issues

2006-09-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

What's my position on national and global issues? If a national or global issue comes before me and I believe in it, I'll vote for it. National and global issues are important and affect us all, we can't ignore them. What I don't want to do is spend a lot of Arcata City Council time on these issues if that time takes away from homelessness on the Plaza, fixing our roads, affordable housing, transportation, the environment, child care, art and technology and all of the other issues affecting the daily lives of Arcatans. There are other groups out there who are dealing with the national issues. I think we Arcatans can do more by supporting these other groups.

My favorite is "Truemajority.org" This is Ben Cohen's group, Ben of Ben and Jerry's. Go to the site. You'll see by joining that group, which is 300,000 plus strong, you have a voice in all of the progressive national and global issues we spend too much time on at Arcata City Council meetings. The premise of the group is to redistribute a portion of the defense budget to health, education and welfare, and the environment. We do that and many of our local problems will be solved because we'll have the money and resources to solve them.

I encourage Arcatans to join "truemajority.org". During this campaign and after I'll encourage all progressive Arcatans to join truemajority.org and then I'll get back to Arcata's local issues.

1 800 WE FIXIT

2006-08-28T23:08:00.000-07:00

Okay. That number is taken but you get the idea. Arcata needs one centralized phone number for anyone to call when something needs fixing. Pot holes, broken down sidewalks, graffiti, smoking cars, garbage, and un-mowed lawns. You name it and the problem will go away fast either by our existing departments or by the Round Up For Arcata fund.Remember the Round Up For Arcata fund is your rich uncle. When you have to turn to him he'll be there.

Sidewalks, Cut Curbs and Disability Compliant Streets

2006-08-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

One basic responsibility of a city council member is fixing the roads. Roads include sidewalks. I've never seen such a sorry state of sidewalks in my entire life. I never expected Arcata to have sidewalks, when there are any, in such a pathetic condition.I am a big believer in a neighborhood that chooses not to have sidewalks if it comports with the character of the neighborhood. But when a neighborhood wants sidewalks or has sidewalks, such as my neighborhood in Sunny Brae, then a neighborhood should have sidewalks. Not some sorry sidewalks left in disrepair for years and years. The sidewalks in Sunny Brae start then stop and you are left going into the street. Imagine walking with a baby carriage, how about a wheelchair. They are cracked and bulging and pocked, with very few cuts in the curbs.

The sidewalks are not ADA compliant by any means. A city like Arcata that conscientiously cares about the elderly and disabled, not to mention the Americans With Disabilities Act requirements, should be ashamed of itself. One of the first things I'll do is get this city ADA compliant. I'll get us new sidewalks everywhere there should be sidewalks. Sidewalks that are compliant with the ADA, with cut curbs for wheelchairs and strollers.

Gas Has Got To Go

2006-08-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

Imagine roads with shuttle stops and shelters telling you when the next zero emission vehicle will stop and pick you up and, it will never be more than ten minutes away. The buses we now have running are gas guzzling polluters and way too big. We need to improve our mass transportation so that it is convenient and affordable if not free for people to use. The more people use the system the cleaner our air will be. The shuttle system I propose would replace the current Mad River system, which is ridiculously outdated.

There would be as many routes as it takes with shuttles running all of the time to pick up people within five to ten minutes, for real. People can get online to find out when the shuttle will be at their location. Or, you can call the shuttle by email, text messaging, telephone or simply flag it down taxi style when it comes by. At the designated stops you'll be able view a screen telling you where the shuttle is and how long it will be until it arrives.

No one living in the city who needs to get to another part of the city will prefer to use a car over the new shuttle system. There are times of course when people will need a car. During those times Arcatans can take advantage of the City Car Share program and borrow a zero emission car or truck. (See separate post)

We also need a biking and walking path to Eureka. I will support the work in progress to get the bike path completed. It is crazy to see people riding their bikes on 101. We have the space to put in a bike and walk path from the Plaza to Old Town. What are we waiting for?

We also need to reestablish the railway line, at least between Arcata and Eureka. The right-of-ways are already established.

Economic Development: HSU Go Local!

2006-08-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

The city should work with HSU to have the school give priority to local Arcata businesses with its service contracts. Imagine how much work (and dollars) is contracted out by HSU. Now imagine how much of that work and dollars go elsewhere. For instance the primary food service contractor is SYSCO Food Services, a national company from Texas. Why not a food business or businesses from Arcata? HSU must prioritize their contracting and work with our local businesses to bring them the services they need whether it be food services, construction, or other suppliers of all of the needs of the university.

Why can't the campus provide organic foods? We know Arcata businesses can supply them and the students want them. Why can't the school buy its bread from Brio? Why can't the cheese come local. The possibilities are endless. There are many millions of annual dollars that can be generated right here from HSU alone that would go right back into our businesses and our city. The revenue the city would receive can go toward our infrastructure and housing, issues that directly benefit all of us and HSU students as well.

Roland Richmond recently said he wants to work more closely with Arcata. Here is his chance.

Habitat for Arcata

2006-08-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

A friend who works in Arcata and makes what many consider a fair salary is frustrated that she cannot afford a house in Arcata. I don't see any reason why Arcata can't provide housing for its working people.

I would like to encourage the building of multifamily homes close to the Plaza that could be sold as tenants-in-common units -- two to three flats per house, built on small lots -- for an affordable price to working people.

Each building would have a private garden in the back. In some cases a block of houses would be built with a shared, semiprivate garden. To discourage cars, and to be able to build more of these houses and keep the prices down, they would not come with garages or parking spots for cars. Ideally, you would not need parking because you could walk, bike or shuttle to the Plaza and university. If you need a car or truck you could borrow a vehicle from my proposed City Car Share program. (See separate post)

Throughout Arcata there are vacant lots and abandoned industrial property perfect for housing. We need to provide housing for our working folks.

It can be done. Arcata will find the money from redevelopment funds, to county funds, to private funds. I know that with creative thinking and decisive action we can implement this program and help people to be able to both own a place here and work in this town.

Marijuna, Marijuana and Marijuana

2006-08-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

Marijuana should be legal. Plain and simple. The war on drugs started 50 years ago and no progress whatsoever has been made. We are doing better in the war in Iraq than we are on the war on drugs, and you know how that is going. There are a lot of battles to fight with limited resources and fighting marijuana is a huge waste of money. What can Arcata do? Not much. Some say it is a state issue; Humboldt County has made it a county issue. Arcata can support medical marijuana laws, which affect our HSU students everyday. We need to encourage the university to stop punishing students who lawfully possess marijuana for medical purposes.

Arcata should not prioritize the criminalization of marijuana. We should encourage law enforcement here and other places in the County and State to direct its resources toward dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine. Every penny spent in arresting a person on marijuana charges, whether it be for possession or cultivation, is a penny that could have been spent on persons dealing methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin. Or more so, it is money that could have been spent on drug counseling for harder drugs.

Every marijuana arrest takes a police officer off the street and away from dealing with violent crimes. When an arrest is made the officer is off the street for at least an hour and often much more. Then he or she will spend many hours and days waiting around a courtroom while the case meanders its way to a conclusion.

Let's use our law enforcement resources more wisely.

Homelessness and Our Plaza

2006-08-16T21:28:00.002-07:00

I go to the Plaza often with my wife and baby girl. It's a beautiful place, but sometimes we don't feel comfortable there because of the activity of some of the people who hang out there.

If people are not doing anything illegal, even if they are unkempt, they should be left alone. I don't want to live in a society where police can tell people to leave a public square just because other people don't like the way they dress, or don't like the way they wear their hair. I don't want a Stepford Plaza.

We need to have a police officer assigned specifically to the Plaza who can get to know the people out there and work with them. Getting to know the people will help the officer make sure that criminals on the Plaza don't stay on the Plaza. Also we need to give the officer more choices when he or she confronts a person violating the Plaza rules. If someone is smoking or drinking, the officer does not have to immediately ticket them or arrest them but talk with them -- like the old time beat cop. He or she can give them a chance to follow the rules or help them get to my proposed Integrated Shelter for Integrated Services (ISIS) -- a one-stop service center where all of the services necessary to help the homeless person will be at one location. (See below)

Tolerance is important for people who have many other more serious problems. The ISIS Center would take care of most of those problems. But at some point if repeated Plaza violations continue the officer will have to resort to more stringent alternatives. We have to be tolerant, but I don't think people should flaunt laws we set up in order to protect public spaces that we make comfortable for everbody to be able to enjoy. At some point a repeat offender cannot continue to smoke cigarettes or marijuana in a public place where smoking is not permitted, drink alcohol in a public place where alcohol is not permitted, or buy and sell drugs, undress or urinate in a park where families gather and children play.

Direct action with the Plaza is only one part of our homeless problem in Arcata. We also need long term solutions that help people get shelter and the services they need.

Let's first acknowledge that most homeless people are not homeless by choice. Studies show that many are addicted to alcohol and/or other drugs and many are mentally ill. Many lack any job skills and this county lacks entry level jobs that pay a decent wage.

A civilized society takes care of its downtrodden. But here, our federal government is not doing that, our state government is not doing that and our county isn't doing that. That means that if we want something done Arcata has to find its own solutions.

We need a multifaceted facility that will integrate the services that in part are being offered by non-profit organizations, the city and the county. I envision a place that offers transitional housing, mental health counseling, twelve-step programs, and vocational and job placement programs, a respite for those without a home, a place to congregate. We might call it ISIS--Interagency Shelter for Integrated Services.

We want to help people who are ill get the treatment they need and if possible reconnect them to their families.

San Francisco has a program called "Care Not Cash" that was very controversial in the beginning, but which most residents of that city would acknowledge as highly successful. There the city eliminated the $355.00 a month general asssitance payment to the poor, and gave them instead $51 a month along with housing and other suport services.

The program reduced homelessness in the city in half almost overnight because many of the people left to look for a city that would pay the money instead of the services.

Arcata can't control what Humboldt County does but we can try to shape policy. I suggest that the City Council urge the county to look to a care not cash program as well.

We need to get our homeless people the shelter and treatment they need, and we can find the money to do that. We need to take away any incentives that encourage criminal elements to come to our city and linger here and to take advantage of programs intended to help the disadvantaged and needy. We want to help the people who want to be helped. We want to leave alone the people who cause no trouble. And we want to deal with the people who refuse help when its offered and who break laws intended to keep the city a safe and enjoyable place in which to live.

We need to think creatively and act decisively.

Energy Independence. Goodbye PG&E

2006-08-16T21:26:00.000-07:00

We must be energy self sufficient now! We can't wait around while relying on the federal, state and county governments to supply our high polluting energy. With solar, water, wind and wave power we can become fully independent from outside energy sources and clean our air and set an example for other cities. All new construction will be required to develop a self-sustaining energy source and made out of green products. If it is impossible or impractical for a builder to do it because of lack of sun or space, then the builder will have to pay a fee to the city's green energy department who will then supply the supplemental clean power the building needs.
No paying your way to pollute but paying your way to clean power.

All existing buildings will have to become self-sufficient as well. If an existing or new residential owner, or small business startup cannot afford the conversion to green energy the city will help.

We will say goodbye to PG&E.

Art and Technology --Arcata's Poet Laureate and Wi-Fi

2006-08-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Two matters come to mind that should be pursued. The first relates to my art and cultural agenda. Arcata's own poet laureate. Does this better Arcata? Absolutely. Is it the most important issue we face? No. But Arcata is more than a town that just survives from day to day. Art is the soul of any good town. The search for and then the admiration of our own poet laureate are good things.

Now to technology. I was just reading about Google Wi-Fi-ing its hometown Mountain View, California. Arcata needs to move forward with free Wi-Fi within the city limits. Take your laptop around just about anywhere in the city and it seems that you already can get a wireless signal. City sponsored, it would be reliable, available everywhere and free.

Local Local Local

2006-08-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

As a resident of Sunny Brae I know that the people of Arcata want their local government to concentrate on local issues. Arcata residents deserve first-rate city services; we need to make sure our roads are repaired and maintained and we need to expand bike lanes in this town.

There are so many local issues that need to be addressed.

There is a shortage of quality daycare in this city and we need to do what we can to provide daycare to our working families. More people would recycle if we had free curbside pickups of mixed recyclables.

But I know that if we want to improve the quality of life for Arcata residents we need to find ways to increase city revenues. How can we do that? One way would be to encourage ecotourism. I don't understand why we sat back while the city of Eureka debated whether to approve a cheap motel or an eco-tourism environmental center. We should have gone to the backers of the environmental technology center with open arms and found them a place in our town, perhaps near the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary or the Community Forest.

We could also do more to promote cultural tourism. When we hold events like Shakespeare in the Park people come to Arcata, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores. By supporting our local businesses we help generate sales tax revenues. And we can also take more advantage of the state-funded university right here in our town to elevate culture and entertainment.

As an attorney, I believe Arcata needs to fight for all the funds we are entitled to. We have to make sure that outside government agencies and private companies pay their fair share and obey the law. We shouldn't allow the county, the state, the federal government or corporations to tap our resources without a beneficial return. If we're entitled to county, state or federal monies, I'm determined to fight for it. If contractors are overcharging us, I want to make sure they won't work here again and that they’ll pay back any overcharges. If corporations are polluting our air I'll fight them on our own turf and our own terms to stop them. I don't think we should rely on some ineffective, federal or state bureaucrat to tell us that “they are in compliance.”

We hear too often that things can't be done because there isn't enough money. But I think many Arcatans would be willing to contribute more towards improving the city if given the chance and if they knew their money would be used efficiently. Why can't we follow the example of socially responsible companies like Working Assets, which lets its customers round up their bills and gives the spare change to worthy causes. In Arcata, local businesses could give customers a similar opportunity to round up their bills, so that the spare change goes into a fund devoted to beautifying the city and improving the quality of life in Arcata.

You pay your $23.92 cent phone bill and you round up to $24.00. Those pennies add up.

We need to think creatively and act decisively.