Taxing decisions: Humboldt County voters face 5 tax measures

◼ With Election Day on Tuesday, Humboldt County residents are once again being asked to open their wallets for the benefit of the community. - Clay McGlaughlin/Times-Standard

Several measures on the ballot — Q, T, U and V — address financial shortfalls in specific cities as they struggle to make ends meet, and Measure Z seeks to raise additional funds for the county as a whole through a sales tax increase. KEEP READING, click here

Measure Z: Countywide ballot measure would add half-percent sales tax

◼ County cites public safety needs, taxpayer's league questions timing - Will Houston/Times-Standard

Humboldt County officials are calling Measure Z — a proposed countywide half-percent general sales tax on the November ballot — crucial to improving public safety services....

If passed, Measure Z, also known as the Humboldt County Public Safety/Essential Services Measure, is estimated to generate $6 million annually until it sunsets in 2020. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in July to place the measure on the ballot after an outcry from the public concerning the lack of law enforcement presence and an increase in crime in the county's outlying areas.

The tax is proposed to raise funds for a broad spectrum of public safety services such as fire departments, the county sheriff's office, probation department and district attorney's office. Spending is proposed to be overseen by a citizen's advisory committee, which would also include annual independent audits.

But with four similar municipal measures on the ballot, some question whether taxpayers should bear the costs for both the county and city where they live....

With four other local cities — Fortuna, Eureka, Rio Dell and Blue Lake — also having tax measures on the ballot in addition to some school bonds, Humboldt Taxpayer's League Executive Director Cliff Chapman said the combination has created a "perfect storm of taxes" due to a lack of communication between the county and the municipalities.

"There needs to be some coordination," he said. "I don't doubt there is a need for additional taxes, but this is not the approach to take in my mind and the taxpayers' mind either."

Chapman said the latest tax measure is "cherry picking off the backs of the cities" by pulling in about $4 million from Eureka and $700,000 from Fortuna each year.

"It's our opinion that the redundant tax rakes over $6 million out of the local economy, mostly from the incorporated cities with very little return to those cities, which also have their own concerns," he said. "The cities get some services from the DA's office and the jail and a few other county services, but they certainly don't get a proportionate share."

The Yes on Measure Z campaign states that sales tax revenue would also be generated from tourism. As the money would go to county services, Lovelace said the benefits would be felt countywide.

O candidates, where art ye?

◼ when incumbents in city offices run unopposed, that's not much of a choice. It's kind of sad. It's even more sad when would-be challengers can't seem to get their paperwork together to offer themselves to the public as an alternative. - Times-Standard Editorial

Take Arcata, for example. Last week, the city clerk said three aspiring candidates who filed papers on Aug. 10 did not meet the requirement of gathering and presenting 20 valid signatures. This means that incumbents Mayor Michael Winkler, Vice Mayor Shane Brinton and Councilwoman Susan Ornelas will be the only named candidates on the ballot.

This from a town that's seen addressless candidate Geronimo Garcia on the ballot. Twice.

...Trinidad City Councilwoman Julie Fulkerson and Humboldt County Department of Public Health education specialist Maria Bauman are alone in filing for council seats currently held by Fulkerson and Councilman Mike Morgan, respectively, and may be appointed by the council, skipping the ballot altogether....

In Rio Dell, the same story: Incumbents Frank Wilson and Jack Thompson were the only candidates to file paperwork for two open city council seats. The city may be spared an election -- and a choice....

In Eureka, Councilwoman Melinda Ciarabellini is running for the 4th Ward seat.

Against nobody....

◼ All Three Council Challengers Fail To Qualify For Ballot, Election Still On - Kevin L. Hoover/Arcata Eye

All three non-incumbents who had filed papers – Jolian Kangas, Valerie Rose-Campbell and Mark Sailors – did not meet the 20-signature threshold, and will not be on the ballot.

Just 11 of the 27 signatures Kangas supplied were valid. Rose-Campbell had 16 of 30 verified. Sailors scored 15 out of 26.

Humboldt County: Seats still open on various city councils in Humboldt; Filing papers due Friday in most cities

◼ Declaration of candidacy statements and nomination petitions are due by Friday at 5 p.m. in Arcata, Eureka, Fortuna, Rio Dell and Trinidad. - Megan Hansen, Grant Scott-Goforth and Thadeus Greenson/Times-Standard

Humboldt County Registrar of Voters Carolyn Crnich said there's a special statewide rule that comes into play if the incumbents on each city council don't file their paperwork by the set deadline. ”Then it is extended by five days,” Crnich said, adding that this means filing papers are due Aug. 15 in those cases.

In Fortuna, there are two city council seats up for election currently being filled by Mayor Douglas Strehl and Councilman Ken Zanzi. As of Wednesday, Jensen said, three people have filed papers with the city to run for office, including Strehl. She said Zanzi isn't planning to run for reelection, so papers for his seat will be accepted through Aug. 15 at 5 p.m.

In Arcata, the seats currently held by Mayor Michael Winkler, Councilman Shane Brinton and Councilwoman Susan Ornelas are up for grabs. All three have announced they are running for reelection. City officials said Wednesday that a total of seven people have taken out nomination papers, but only Winkler has filed.

In Blue Lake, there are three city council seats available to the public. The seats are currently held by Councilwoman Karen Barnes, Councilwoman Lana Manzanita and Councilwoman Michele McCall-Wallace. As of Wednesday, city officials said only one person -- Manzanita -- had filed papers. (In Blue Lake, officials said people have until 4 p.m. Friday to file their paperwork before the office closes)

In Eureka, two city council seats are up for grabs in the November election. The 4th Ward seat currently held by Melinda Ciarabellini is open. Ciarabellini was appointed in January 2011 by Mayor Frank Jager to fill his old seat after he won the mayoral election. She has already qualified for the November ballot -- having submitted signatures that were verified.

The 2nd Ward seat in Eureka currently held by Linda Atkins is also up for election. Atkins was elected in 2008, when she defeated appointed incumbent Polly Endert, and is finishing up her first term on the council. Atkins had not yet qualified for the November ballot Wednesday, but has announced her intention to seek reelection.

In Ferndale, there are three open seats on the city council, including the mayor's seat which is elected separately for a two-year term. The seats held by Mayor Jeff Farley, Councilman Stuart Titus and Councilman Ken Mierzwa are all available. As of Wednesday, City Clerk Kaytis-Slocum said no applications have been received for the two city council seats, which are for four-year terms. Only one application, from Titus, has been submitted for the mayor's position. (In Ferndale, City Clerk Nancy Kaytis-Slocum said people have until Monday at 4 p.m. to file their papers because the city's office is closed Friday.)

(I)n Rio Dell, the city seats currently filled by Councilman Frank Wilson and Councilman Jack Thompson are up for grabs. As of Wednesday, city officials said only the two incumbents had filed papers to run for office.

(In Trinidad), there are two seats up for election on the Trinidad City Council. The seats are currently held by Councilwoman Julie Fulkerson and Councilman Mike Morgan. The city clerk was unavailable for comment Wednesday, so it's unknown whether the two incumbents or any other candidates have filed election paperwork.