Candidate for
Council Member; City of Arcata

The following is my election platform. It includes my political philosophy and city programs and policies that I support or want to implement.

PUBLIC SERVICE - Listen to people who care. Give respectful attention to testimony from all aspects of our community. It's not easy to speak at the podium. Maintain our commitment to Town Hall Meetings and open communication.

Make sure city staff has respect for all citizens. We must all have the same goals of efficient and friendly local government.

Arcata is a big little city now. The Council should meet weekly. Open meetings with all staff should be held regularly.

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE - Fix, maintain and upgrade our road system with an increase in resources for bicyclists, pedestrians and public transportation.

Find solutions to the exponential growth of traffic. Continue to implement "traffic calming" ideas such as roundabouts, curves and tree-lining streets. Increase enforcement of all transportation laws that protect public safety.

Expand our community centers. Retain the old small community center for teen, elderly and other programs. Build new smaller, neighborhood oriented centers at city parks for neighborhood uses.

Maintain water and sewer systems to avoid future problems. Protect clean water sources, and maintain and improve our waste water treatment to enhance and protect Arcata Bay. Continue to develop and implement an energy conservation program for the city.

Work to make the city budget more efficient. Prioritize expenditures by their public benefit and effectiveness.

SOLID WASTE & RECYCLING - Continue with and improve the curbside recycling program to maximize efficiency and kinds of materials picked up. Minimize costs. Work to make our countywide solid waste system more efficient and less costly.

SOCIAL & CIVIC PROGRAMS - Improve programs for the very young, teens and seniors. Promote understanding of democracy, respect for diversity and encourage participation in civics and government.

Continue to promote and support neighborhood and community projects, such as organic gardens, street beautification (tree planting, etc.) and other beneficial projects. Continue to promote Arcata's human resources; art, drama, music, schools, small businesses and economic diversity.

ACAT - Community television is a public right and I am proud that the city sponsors it. The public, educational and governmental (PEG) model of organization can work.

GROWTH & HOUSING - As Arcata grows we will see sharply increasing pressures on our small town way of life. We need to look ahead and plan carefully to protect our community's character and protect our open spaces, parks and agricultural lands for residents of all incomes.

Implement the new General Plan by ensuring the regulations ("Land Use Guide") are true to the spirit of our community's wish for limited, careful, forward looking development. Establish an Urban Growth Limit boundary to define the physical geography of the city and concentrate new developments near the city center. Work with Humboldt County to ensure that development within Arcata's Sphere of Influence is consistent with nearby land-use within the city.

Increase the availability of affordable housing through a number of methods. I support the current First Time Buyers program. All new housing development in the city should include housing for low and very-low income levels.

THE ARCATA PLAZA - Continue to beautify and maintain for all Arcatans. Promote tolerance and a feeling of security. Reduce the need for law enforcement and ordinances that ban behavior. The McKinley statue stays: it is part of our heritage and history.

TRANSIENCE & HOMELESSNESS - Increase resources to a level that meets our local responsibility. I support an outreach program to identify and contact unruly persons, inviting them to share in our programs for a return investment in energy and civility. I support an Arcata campground, run like a hostel, that is attractive to all kinds of travelers. I support job-training and day labor pool programs to give people an opportunity to be productive and rewarded for civic responsibility.

THE ECONOMY - Continue to develop and implement a sustainable economic development program based on local small businesses. I support the previous Arcata Industrial Park program, and wish to continue and expand it.

Protect Arcata's small businesses by researching and implementing methods to curb undue influence by large corporations. Encourage local entrepreneurs, and all forms of local commerce, such as farmer's markets, fairs, and an alternative currency.

Diversify our commitment to business districts other than downtown. This can be achieved by planning better transportation, parking and sidewalks, façade improvements and encouragement of local business and patron controlled advisory committees.

NATURAL RESOURCES - Continue to protect Arcata's natural resources; its creeks, forest, farmlands, open spaces and bay. Continue to expand and develop city parks.

It is the people's will to manage our Community Forest for some economic benefit. The proceeds are for buying and improving city parks, only. The goal should be to cut at the absolute minimum needed. Some of our small city parks are starting to languish, and new in-city parkland hasn't been bought in many years.

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY - I consider myself a populist and a progressive. Also, as a member of the Green Party, I support the "ten key values": grassroots democracy; ecological wisdom; social justice & equal opportunity; nonviolence; decentralization; community based economics; feminism & equality; respect for diversity; personal & global responsibility; and future focus & sustainability.

I also believe that good ideas can come from all aspects of our community. I pledge to respect and serve all Arcatans. Please say YES! to preserving our small-town atmosphere, our diversity, and an open, caring local government.