Letters
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
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