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Opinion
The county policy regarding marijuana cultivation over the years has been clear and consistent: first, ignore problems for as long as possible, then overreact to them in a way that makes things worse.
Measure N is the latest example of this, as the latest flurry of lawsuits has shown.
Measure N is what happens when several dozen people spend hours telling our Board of Supervisors how to make a workable ordinance, and not one single change is made in the document – the primary stakeholders were completely ignored at every step of the process!
No other group is ever treated with so little regard or respect by our Board of Supervisors, because when when scoring points with your base is the goal, the facts, reason and logic just don't matter.
The whole issue could have been settled long ago, but Supervisor Farrington walked out of the negotiations because he claimed he didn't have the time to attend one more meeting.
Oddly enough he did have time to defend a marijuana grower as an attorney in an out-of-county criminal court case at about the same time, so apparently there is a positive economic impact from the pot business – for some.
Now the people who knew it would be a disaster to close the dispensaries, and who have always been willing to negotiate a fair and workable ordinance, are asking voters to support Measure O.
Measure O has the same limit for collective growers as we have today (48 plants), but also allows grows in RL and RR zoning just like other crops.
Measure N says if you live on less than an acre you have to grow indoors, Measure O lets you have four plants outdoors.
The opposition to Measure O is making some pretty wild claims about how all kinds of devastation will occur if Measure O passes, but it's hard to see how moving four plants from in your house to outside would cause that.
As it stands, because of the strict Measure N rules there are so few legal collectives we can't even supply the three dispensaries in the city of Clearlake with legally grown local marijuana. This is an absurd situation.
In 2016 recreational marijuana use is certain to be legalized in California, and is also certain to become a multibillion dollar industry, what Lake County needs today is a bridge to 2016.
Measure O is that bridge. It makes illegal growing less profitable by increasing competition, it helps create another economic engine for our local economy, and it evens pays for itself with fees paid by the growers to fund enforcement.
Don't let hysterical people with a record of being wrong and self-serving politicians fool you, Measure O is the best cultivation ordinance we could ask for. Please support it with your vote.
Phil Murphy lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Philip Murphy
On Nov. 4, voters in Lake County will have the opportunity to select our next representative in the California State Assembly.
I believe Bill Dodd is the right man for the job.
Bill has served for 14 years on the Napa County Board of Supervisors, where he has worked with people of all political backgrounds to build consensus and achieve major accomplishments for his constituents.
Among his many accomplishments was spearheading Napa's flood control project that projected 2,000 properties from flooding, restored 900 acres of environmental wetlands and created $1 billion of investment in Napa's downtown businesses.
Bill has taken a keen interest in the challenges facing Lake County, visiting our area 40 times over the course of the campaign to learn about our most pressing policy issues.
He is committed to preserving our agricultural tradition and will support fully funding the Williamson Act, a state program that preserves land for agricultural or open space uses.
He has taken an active stance in favor of Measure S, understanding the need to mitigate invasive quagga mussels and other nuisances endangering the lake that has such a large role in sustaining our economy.
These major challenges that we face are not Democratic or Republican issues, they are issues that every citizen faces and require leaders who will get things done in a bipartisan fashion.
This is just the approach Bill Dodd has taken in over a decade in public service and that's why I support him to be Lake County's next Assembly member.
Mark A. Cooper, DDS, lives in Clearlake, Calif.
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- Written by: Mark A. Cooper, DDS
Prior to the passage of Measure N, for the last four years in Lake County we've averaged around three violent pot-related deaths each year and huge numbers of home invasions that we know of. It is a fact that more such incidents occurred than were reported.
Those horrifying reports were published on a regular basis on this news Web site. Those deaths brought chaos and tragedy for families who lost their mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, brothers and sisters. Friends and co-workers, employers and customers, all suffered tragic losses.
The carnage creates a ripple affect. It alters our perception of who we are and where we live.
Lake County is an incredible place overflowing with wonderful people who came to live in a state of fear and paranoia as their neighbors put their lives, health and quality of life in danger so a relative few could illegally profit from drug sales.
That chaos affects the psyche of our community and makes this look like a violent, wild west environment where no one is safe. It also drives down our property values and makes outside investors reconsider Lake County as a place to locate their business.
Since the passage of Measure N not a single report of a death or home invasion in the unincorporated county has been communicated from law enforcement. Safer neighborhoods is what we voted for and that is what we got.
Business groups are meeting the new environment with optimism by forging plans to encourage outside investment and entrepreneurship locally to create jobs and improve the economy here with legal enterprise.
A new four-year university is in its first year of operation and students are thrilled to further their educations in such a beautiful, historic setting.
Measure N is working. It suffered a glitch when our lawless sheriff practiced warrantless searches to act out revenge on the grower community for turning their backs on him.
That has been resolved by a federal judge and Measure N is now being enforced within the confines of the law as was originally intended.
Growers will tell you that Measure N is not working for patients so I ask; does death and destruction of this wonderful community because of a plant many exploit for profit work better for them?
We are now faced with a choice. Should we continue on this peaceful, productive and optimistic path or return to neighborhoods in fear and backyards filled with a valuable commodity begging to be stolen?
Vote no on O and P, keep Lake County moving forward in peace toward prosperity.
John Jensen is co-founder of Lake County News and he loves Lake County with a passion. He lives in Lucerne, Calif.
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- Written by: John Jensen
A healthy and vibrant Lake County economy would fund lake management without need for a special tax.
There will not be a healthy economy without a properly managed lake that is healthy or at least headed in that direction.
The lake and the economy are tightly connected. The special tax is urgently needed at this time to set both the lake and the economy on the course of recovery.
Arguments for Measure S have presented information that is accurate and valid and (rightly so) desperate.
The few arguments against S major or a bunch of minor points and fail to address the big picture.
Let’s face it, no one likes to vote for a tax increase. However, this one will prove to all to be a good return on investment.
One extremely important point that has not received enough focus is that to turn our economy around we need outside investment into Lake County.
In case you haven’t noticed, there are countless businesses that are closed, or closing, or at the very least struggling.
Current properties, the prime example being Konocti Harbor Resort, need to be renovated and up and running to allow Lake County to compete for and again attract tourists to our area.
Developers must commit tens of millions of dollars to a project such as Konocti Harbor. The last deal fell apart due to lack of funding. They competed for development dollars with other areas (SF Bay Area, out-of-state projects) that were in hot economies and did not have the lake issues involved.
Getting significant development dollars committed to Lake County projects is dependent on the county having a well-funded (as in Measure S) and well-managed lake plan.
The health of the lake is a necessity for the success of any large scale investment in the county. If the county is not equipped to manage the lake with adequate funding the lake becomes a risk to developers that cannot be ignored.
Would you invest in a Konocti Harbor Resort project if the county was unable to address the many issues facing Clear Lake? I would not.
Let’s manage our future by managing our lake and our economy, vote yes on S.
Ed Calkins lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Ed Calkins