Opinion Piece By Linda Sutter – June 13, 2017 –
I guess I had a lot of expectations because when King Howard (Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Howard) and Humpty Dumpty Hemmingsen (Supervisor Gerry Hemmingsen) went to Washington DC it was specifically for the Last Chance Grade. I was expecting a full report.
- Who did they talk to?
- What was said?
- How they are going to help us?
- When can we expect legislation to go through that will benefit our county’s demise of the Last Chance Grade?
Pretty important stuff wouldn’t you think?
Well think again. It was so important to discuss that King Howard didn’t bother placing the BOS reports until the end of the June 13th Supervisor meeting, after public comment has already been offered. In fact King Howard didn’t bother placing the BOS reports on the agenda at all. Yes, King Howard sat on his razzle dazzle royal smug bottom throughout the whole BOS meeting only to say at the end of the meeting, “We’ve made contact with the right people.”
UNACCEPTABLE!
What people, who, and why is it a secret? Because it was only a 30 minute meeting with staff. Howard and Hemmingsen were more mesmerized with the fact they sat at a table with Senator Ted Cruz.
But that’s not all. We had a surprise visit from our $72,000,00 a year Lobbyist, Greg Burns. Yes. Greg Burns came all the way out to Crescent City to tell us all about how he showed Howard and Hemmingsen around Washington DC and that we received funding for the EAS (airport) to continue until the year 2019. Greg Burns also informed the public that Hemmingsen and Howard met with people that could give them help with the forgiveness of a $270,000 Tri-Agency loan compliments of Supervisor Lori Cowan who went bankrupt on their Micro-Brewery business. But, not much to tell on the Last Chance Grade other than, “They met the right people.” Again, no names of the people that Hemmingsen and Howard came in contact with, what they have planned for the Last Chance Grade nor what needs to be done. It was the smoke up your ass dog and pony show once again for Del Norte County.
In the meantime, King Howard has been very busy with the budget proposal for the Board of Supervisors. Yes, in 2015 the budget for the Board of Supervisors was $388,000. This year the proposed budget for just the board of supervisors is $743,000. I am beginning to see Bel,l California. Anyway get on the computer and check out item # 24 on the agenda. Click for documents. The 4th page down reveals the new proposed budget.
So, here we are 2017. The Last Chance Grade issue was the reason for going to Washington. How much they spent has not yet been revealed, but when I get the receipts we will see how much this trip cost the taxpayers. And then, I hope the voters of Howard and Hemmingsen’s district will want to vote them out in 2018.
I pay $15 an hour plus tips and a chance at growth plus I may well need to hire security per new state rules. However, and obviously, the big money is in exporting to the rest of the state, and participating in capitalism will always be more financially rewarding than working for someone who is a capitalist. We should gear our ordinance to make a generation of business men up here. Or we just keep going like we are; investing in economy by offering your property tax to hotel owners (poverty employers) and hoping people with retirements move up here and drive benefits for our local realtor lobby. End of life or life; what do we want? I offer you a $7 billion economy to compete for. The crab harvest for CA WA and OR is only worth $150 million. The cannabis industry offers 42 times the potential and we only need to market to this state not the world. Eventually cannabis shops will go extinct and large farmers in the midwest will take over with large corporations, in the meantime, let business people do business and ad value, economy, and wealth to our neighbors.
Robert, I could not agree with you more on this. That said, I’m hoping that you don’t think working in a pot shop for 10 bucks an hour or pulling some buds or leaves off bushes for 12 bucks an hour is going to satisfy our young people.
I am a big believer in trades jobs. Even selling drugs, everyone’s house needs a new roof or drain unclogged. At the present time, Curry Equipment is looking for a lawnmower mechanic, they will train. Home Depot is always hiring, and that could lead to a kid acquiring carpentry, electrical, or plumbing skills. As you are probably aware, these jobs can pay up to 30 bucks an hour- far more than they could ever make selling pot or hash ( the Big Kahuna like you would keep all the BIG money).
Let’s not forget the work ethic (er, lack of) that many of these kids have. That’s why we need to get ’em in high school- might also prevent high drop out rates if they get into vocational training.
Seriously, would you rather brag about your kid the carpenter, or your kid the pot salesman-kinda like working in a liquor store, isn’t it?
That’s like saying that we don’t need a timber industry because the kid at the lumber yard selling boards only makes minimum wage. Retail jobs are just a tiny tip of any industry that supports an economy and the good paying jobs have more responsibility than retail. My farm help starts at $20 an hour because cannabis takes attention to detail and possibly a triple digit IQ to be successful. Some workers are only worth minimum wage and will do better at Home Depot or the liquor store.
Our budget did not shrug off the 50% swell it did last year. From $60,000,000 to almost $100,000,000. Amounts to one out of every three dollars spent in our county. Guess 2017 was another expensive year. We really need to move our spending to areas that invest in a young private sector workforce, because as of now, this budget is fiercely impacted by services to them.