Endorsement Letters For The June Ballot Vol. 1 – May 30, 2012

In my mail this week I received an extreme and exaggerated hit piece by Karen Brooks against Mark Lovelace. The first things I noticed were two pictures of the Plaza Point affordable senior housing project in Arcata. Karen prominently features this project as a very negative example of what she terms, “social engineering,” which Mark would supposedly impose on all of us if he is re-elected as county supervisor.

In addition to being mayor of Arcata, I have donated hundreds of unpaid hours of my time as the energy analyst on this fine project. Apparently Karen prefers that the site of Plaza Point be left as a gravel parking lot rather than be high-quality, solar-powered affordable housing for seniors in easy walking distance of downtown Arcata with close to zero energy bills for residents.

Karen’s target is even stranger because Plaza Point is a Danco project in Arcata, a project in which Mark and Humboldt County have no involvement.

I support Mark for supervisor because he works for policies that offer a wide variety of housing for people of all incomes. Mark supports more compact development which protects our farms and forests and reduces costs for Humboldt County to provide services. Before he became supervisor Mark led the successful effort to both save the Sunnybrae Forest and keep it as a working forest.

I reject the myths and fantasies offered by Karen Brooks and support real, affordable and sustainable choices that Mark Lovelace works for every day.

 Michael Winkler

Arcata

 

Lovelace a SmartSupe

I would like to set the record straight regarding an accusation made by Karen Brooks against Mark Lovelace recently in a local newspaper. For several years, I have been the point person in Humboldt County educating and organizing around the dangerously unhealthy levels of microwave radiation emitted by PGandE’s Smart Meters. Ms. Brooks reportedly stated that “when PGandE installed Smart Meters he [Mark] didn’t do anything about it, even though people in the district didn’t want them.”

In reality, Mark was one of the few local officials that seriously considered this issue and took action on it. He took the time to meet in person with me and others to listen and discuss our concerns. He sought out information on the issue and spoke to supervisors in other counties to learn what other communities were doing. Mark spearheaded the drafting of letters expressing customers’ concerns. These letters were later approved by the Board and sent to PGandE and the CPUC on behalf of our community.

The Smart Meter issue is not yet completely resolved. However, thanks to Mark and other responsive officials and activists, PGandE customers can now help protect their health and privacy by opting out of a Smart Meter. Mark Lovelace deserves our thanks and our votes for Third District Supervisor for the work he has done on this and many other important issues.

Beverly Filip

Eureka

 

Creepy birthday to you

How sweet. Last week I got a birthday card from Karen Brooks, whom I don’t know. In it, she promises to advocate for the protection of my privacy. So, stalking down the date of my birth must be Step One in privacy protection?

Mary Ann Madej

Arcata

 

Shane & Sofia for HCDCC

As a longtime member of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee (HCDCC) representing the Third District who has decided to no longer continue on this important political committee, I am asking voters in the Third Supervisorial District to vote for Shane Brinton and Sofia Pereira in this upcoming election.

Both Shane and Sofia are young members of our community who are active in local politics who will bring much needed progressive and open-minded representation to HCDCC.

Shane, who has actively worked on local campaigns, is running the Norman Solomon congressional campaign here in Humboldt County. In addition to this, he is currently on the Arcata City Council and has been elected and served on the Northern Humboldt High School District.

Sofia is currently running the Stacey Lawson congressional campaign in Humboldt County. While attending HSU, she was the president of the HSU student body. Recently she has organized and is chair of the North Coast Young Democrats, representing Democratic voters age 35 and under.

Both will bring to the HCDCC the needed prospective of a youthful outlook with a community-oriented vision and social and personal responsibility. As an individual who was worked locally on political activities for many years, I find their youthful exuberance to be refreshing.

Let’s give Shane and Sofia the support they deserve and show other potentially politically active young people that they too have the support of other community members. Vote for Shane Brinton and Sofia Pereira on Tuesday, June 5.

Chris Jenican Beresford

Bayside

 

Solomon’s smart direction

There is a Democratic president in the White House, but sometimes you wouldn’t know it. Barack Obama often seems only too willing to give in to the more Republican ways without much of a fight.

Instead of standing up for the 99 percent, we now have an administration that continues to maintain the defense budget at lofty levels just as his Republican predecessor did.

To make matters worse, the administration has also compromised with the Republicans and allowed the Bush’s tax cuts for upper income earners that would have otherwise already expired to continue on. As a result, there are both misallocated and reduced revenues which together put a substantial squeeze on programs that would otherwise benefit the 99 percent.

What is required is funding for programs to support needed infrastructure which would promote job creation, education which would underpin the future of America, and health care reform which could free us from being pawns of the medical insurance industry.

Norman Solomon is the candidate for our new congressional district who best understands the need for changes such as these, and if elected, would work to reverse the current trends. He is a well-respected progressive who has fought for decades to get the progressive voice heard over the seemingly louder and more pervasive right-wing view presented by Fox News and others. If elected, he would support a Democratic administration, but he would also let them know when he disagrees with them.

For example, he would be an advocate for reductions in the defense budget and a transformation of the current private health care system to a more efficient universal single payer health care system analogous to Medicare for all.

He would also oppose the privatization of Social Security, a failed concept put forth by the preceding Bush administration that seems to be rearing its ugly head again. Solomon is best able to do this because he is running his campaign by individual donations without the use of corporate moneys. This means his efforts won’t be limited after he is elected because of favors owed to others such as members of the defense, medical, or insurance industries.

Some people are supporting other candidates because they say that their candidate is better able to hit the road running. I would say, first look and see what direction the candidate is actually going. In my opinion, Norman Solomon is going in the right direction and has earned my support. His goal is to make America a better place for all of us, and I would hope that that’s the same direction you too would like us to go.

Sherman Schapiro

Blue Lake

Adams for the future

Susan Adams just had a very successful, standing room only, fundraising dinner at the Wharfinger. I want to thank the people who attended for their overwhelming support. Special thanks to the co-hosts for this event; Virginia Bass and Mark Lovelace, Julie Fulkerson, Felicia Oldfather, Dr. Ken Miller, Pam Ford Cavanaugh, Javan and Alex Reid, Bob and Ginny Felter, Anita and Carl Fullbright, Jane Wood Ward, Paul Salzman, Lee and Chris House, Sara Turner and Thea Gast, Marianne Pennekamp and Barbara Kennedy, Midge Brown and Bob Lawton.

Susan Adams, a County Supervisor, nurse, educator, mother and grandmother was welcomed enthusiastically. She talked about her vision of creating green jobs throughout this District as she has done in Marin County.

Susan also talked about her deep roots in our community, where she’s long spent time with her brother and his family in Carlotta and if elected will maintain a residence here. She emphasized her work as a champion for the consumer by winning battles with corporations such as PG&E and Sutter Health to protect families and seniors.

Having worked over 30 years in health care and women’s health, she would work to enact Medicare for all and preserve Social Security for future generations.

Susan Adams’ agenda for an America that Works is to create jobs by ending tax cuts for millionaires and reinvest that money into infrastructure, schools and the economy. It was agreed that a vote for Susan Adams is a vote for a Congress that works.

I would also like to thank my committee, Barbara Carolan, Jane Woodward, Susan Penn, Nancy Starck, Irma Watts, Donald Forrest Sharon Ferrett, Sarah Peninsi and Jennifer Coriell.

Pam Cahill

Bayside

Hard working Brooks

When I choose to vote for a candidate the party they are affiliated with is hardly a factor. I choose a candidate by how hard I think they will work on the issues that affect me and my loved ones. It’s that simple.

It is that same belief that leads me to vote for Karen Brooks. She is an intelligent, energetic, feisty woman who does not claim to be a politician but a citizen candidate. She simply could not stand to see Lovelace serve another term knowing she could do a better job than him.

I know Karen from the Redwood Empire Endurance Riders, a local long distance horse organization. I have great respect for Karen’s skill with horses, her toughness, and her work ethic. She does what she says she will do, keeps appointments, and will be there until the end. I have no doubt that Karen Brooks will bring those same attributes with her business savvy to the County Supervisors where she will work hard on those issues that affect the future prosperity of the North Coast.

Please join me in voting for intelligence, hard work and endurance. Vote Karen Brooks for Third District Supervisor.

Casey Allen

Bayside

Mark, the forest’s friend

There are many complex issues facing Humboldt County; how to manage our forestlands is one of the most complicated. Time, patience, and expertise are needed to develop local solutions for forest management. We need leaders in Humboldt County who understand this complexity, and the options available to us.

We are fortunate to have an individual running for the Third Supervisorial District who has the background, insight and integrity needed to face this issue directly. That person is Mark Lovelace.

Mark has worked with many of us foresters over the last decade to improve forestry practices in Humboldt County, especially in terms of our non-industrial timberlands, (which make up over half of the forestland base in the county). He understands that we can have productive forests that provide good jobs, clean water and healthy wildlife habitat.

Mark does his homework and asks the tough questions needed to help our forest resources prosper.

For these and other reasons, we as Humboldt County Registered Professional Foresters are proud to support Mark Lovelace for Supervisor. We encourage you to vote for Mark on June 3rd.

Sincerely,

Greg Blomstrom, Registered

Professional Forester (RPF) #1877

Mark Andre, RPF #2391

Tracy Katelman, RPF #2483

Timothy Metz, RPF #2601

Paul Harper, RPF #2672

Jared Gerstein, RPF #2826

Bill Wilkinson, RPF 2463

 

Brooks’ bold vision

As election time closes in it seems important to recognize the effects that partisan politics have on our local communities. When I look at how the Democratic Central Committee is melting down and how Republicans are still trying to figure out their place here my head starts to itch.

First of all, Cty Council and county supervisor positions are meant to be non partisan. This is our opportunity to choose to step out of the dung that the D’s versus the R’s have made. I must say it worries me when I see the upper level politicians like senators and assemblymen or even fellow supervisors or councilmembers endorsing each other.

I would rather see those candidates take all that time and effort and seek the support of the community, the people they represent. The people that create and hold down jobs. The people that are so sick and tired of red against blue. The people that are beginning to see through the charades.

The upper level candidates are probably still in need, or so they believe, of the machines that make up the political parties. That will likely be slower to change as that portion of government is stuck quite a bit deeper in the mire. Those candidates however need the example of independent public representatives from the lower levels. The levels closer to the people and more in tune with public needs.

I respect Rex Bohn and Karen Brooks for their independent candidacy. It is too bad I can only vote for one of them. They will have challenges like anyone else but they have the best chance of not being beholden to a particular political party.

We can’t expect them to solve all our problems or agree with us all the time, but they are the ones most likely to recognize that real solutions come from a variety of directions and perspectives.

Uri Driscoll

Arcata

Lovelace’s solid service

I support Mark Lovelace for re-election as our Third District County Supervisor. During his first term Mark has supported jobs and resources in forestry, fishing and agriculture while protecting the environment. He achieves this balance by a thorough understanding of the issues and the needs of the community as a whole as well as the needs of individual constituents.

Mark works long, hard hours for the good of our community and I am honored to have him as my Supervisor.

We need this kind of evenhanded approach for Humboldt County and will be well served by giving him a second term on the Board of Supervisors. On June 5th I’ll be voting for Mark Lovelace and I urge you to also.

David Glen

Blue Lake resident

Adams a true progressive

12 candidates are seeking to represent our newly created 2nd congressional district running the length of the Northcoast from Del Norte to Marin County.

Why would anyone seek a job that 90 percent of the people disapprove of?

Washington is gridlocked. I’m looking for a new approach, someone who holds strong democratic ideals but will talk to the opposition and PLEASE get things done! I don’t see promoting budget failure in Sacramento as a solution. I want an alternative to the status quo.

I met and spoke to each of the front runner candidates. Susan Adams stood head and shoulders above the pack.

Adams is a fiscal conservative who walks the walk. She balanced her district’s budgets for 10 years, created jobs in clean energy and in a non-profit public health system. She declines her county’s pension and car allowance and has promised to do the same if she’s elected to Congress.

She’s also a true progressive who supports Medicare For All, protecting Social Security and ending these senseless wars.

Susan is a lifelong Democrat, but she is not part of the “party machine.” She’s earned diverse support the old fashioned way: she listens. Susan leads by example, helping people on both sides to listen. She understands that solutions come from considering the concerns of all. This is a skilled mediator, just the tonic for what ails Washington.

Why would Susan Adams contend for an unpopular job? Because she can do the job better than anyone else, better than anyone before. She’ll fight for a better future for all of us.

After endorsing Susan Adams, I proudly accepted a staff position with her campaign and it’s been a honor to work with so many of her enthusiastic supporters.

Donate, endorse or volunteer at: SusanAdamsForCongress.com or call the campaign at (707) 376.VOTE to get involved.

Please join me in voting for Susan Adams on June 5th.

 Richard Salzman

Arcata

Huffman’s got mad skills

I am pleased to report that the San Francisco Chronicle, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Marin Independent Journal and the Ukiah Daily Journal have all endorsed Assemblyman Jared Huffman to be our next Congressman. These recent endorsements confirm what I know to be true. Jared is the best candidate in this race to represent us in Washington, D.C.

I have known Jared for nearly a decade and I served with him while representing the northcoast in the California Legislature. That makes me somewhat of an expert in knowing the character of the man, his temperament and how he works. I can personally attest to his authenticity, his problem-solving skills and his strategic abilities to get things done in a partisan environment.

You can trust me when I say Jared Huffman is the real thing! He has my vote. I hope he has yours on June 5.

Patty Berg

Eureka