Propped up with Disappointment 

Editor:

I was disappointed to open last week's "Props and Measures" article (Oct. 6) to find no mention of Measure S, the Humboldt County cultivation tax on cannabis that is based on square footage and cultivation method, anywhere. This was a missed opportunity for the Journal and the community. Cannabis was featured on your cover and provided the main art for your story on November ballot matters, so I presumed I would find an analysis of the local cannabis measure. Indeed, that wasn't the case, perhaps because the matter wasn't considered "interesting and important" enough. 

I would ask your editorial staff to reconsider priorities in this regard, particularly because the language used to describe Measure S on the ballot doesn't reflect the actual tax language (money will go to the General Fund and isn't slated for the "priorities" they list). It's also not clear how an excise tax can be implemented on a parcel-based permit. If you're going to use cannabis to sell more newspapers, I ask that you please also cover matters that are relevant to the local community when you do so. We need you. Many news outlets are covering statewide issues like Proposition 64 with more in-depth and robust analysis, but very few are diving into local matters like Measures S. 

Allison Edrington, Fortuna

Editor:

According to your Oct. 6 article ("Props and Measures") if Measure U passes, the allocation of funds generated by an increase in sales tax specifically to fund road repairs, will go to the following: about 42 percent to Humboldt County, about 32 percent to Eureka, about 11 percent to Arcata and about 7 percent to Fortuna.

Humboldt County has 932 miles of paved roadway but only gets 42 percent of road repair funding from this new tax.

Eureka has 114.2 miles of paved roadway but gets 32 percent

Arcata has 68.5 miles of paved roadway but gets 11 percent

Fortuna has 45.2 miles of paved roadway but gets 7 percent

Rio Dell has 14.2 miles of paved roadway and will get 2 percent

At 114 miles, Eureka has only 12 percent of the amount of paved roadway as the County but it gets 75 percent of the amount of road repair funds that the county gets?!! At 68.5 miles, Arcata has 60 percent of the amount of paved roadway of Eureka. However, it will receive only 34 percent of what Eureka will receive.

The Humboldt County Association of Governments decided these percentages? WTF?

It looks like the rural parts of the county will be getting shafted from receiving needed road repairs.

Yes, we all need our roads repaired! But if Measure U includes these allocations, it should be rejected until HCAOG produces a fair plan.

Zephyr Markowitz, Bayside