Thanksgiving week: According to time-tested newspaper tradition, this is the week to mope about the economy. Unlike our colleagues at every daily newspaper in the country, the Journal will not brave the 4 a.m. Black Friday rush at Target and the like to gather evidence that the world is still headed straight into the dumper. Instead, as your gastrointestinal tract develops strategies to cope with that fourth ladleful of gravy, we invite you to peruse Journal contributor Terrence McNally‘s artful eulogy to the decaying Samoa Pulp Mill, and to the lost world it represents.
When you think about it, the pulp mill is as neat a blank template as you’re likely to find. Depending on your point of view, you can blame its fall on environmentalist meddlers, overbearing government regulation, outsourcing, transnational capitalism, the general fall of America’s industrial infrastructure. You can even blame it on President Obama, if you are so inclined — though for reasons opposite to the usual ones. In this case, the administration failed to kick in $400 million in stimulus funds to bring the thing sputtering back to life.
Maybe you can even blame it on us, somehow. I talked to an old source for the first time in months on Tuesday, and this person was gleeful about the results of the last local election. “Finally, maybe we’ll get some jobs in here!” he said of the conservative sweep of county government and the city of Eureka.
(Hold on to your hats, though — a final vote tally is due to be released later this week, according to Clerk-Recorder Carolyn Crnich. Fifth District Supervisorial candidate Patrick Cleary has at least some chance to snatch victory from Election Night winner Ryan Sundberg, in which case the board would still tilt leftish.)
Anyway. My old source was pretty well convinced that all that recovery required was the right people in positions of local authority. It is a view widely shared, at least among newly elected representatives. When questioned, my source pretty much said what the candidates did. Simply put: The problem is all in our attitude. We are not business-friendly. We just need to be business-friendly!
When you ask for examples of the business-unfriendliness that has allegedly plagued the halls of local government, things inevitably get a bit squishy. At best, someone will cite the time, six years ago, when a town hall meeting in Eureka over the proposed Calpine liquefied natural gas plant got a bit contentious. Such things send an impression, it is sometimes said. (Calpine went bankrupt shortly after pulling out of Eureka — so deeply traumatized was it by the town hall experience, no doubt.)
But that’s about as specific as it gets — one incident, six years ago. My source, being interested in matters pertaining to port and rail development, has one additional bugaboo. It is his contention that the negativity surrounding the Harbor District’s all-but-dead proposal to develop the bay for the international container shipping trade is what has killed the project. In other words, he believes that a few thousand whiners, and they alone, have stopped one of the roughest and most hardcore sectors of international capitalism from throwing billions of dollars at our mudpuddle of a bay, just by being such downers. But this view is not widely shared, even among the agonistes of business-friendliness.
The latter seem to have a clear understanding of the problem as they see it, at least in their own heads. They are quite certain of the diagnosis, in any case. Perhaps they just have a hard time communicating it. Sometimes, when you ask what they mean by “business-unfriendliness,” they look at you as if you are slow. It is self-evident! Apparently the solution is self-evident as well, because it is articulated only in the vaguest terms. A little of the old Chamber of Commerce elbow grease, it seems, and the bucks will just start rolling on in.
Maybe they have it all figured out; the rest of us will have to wait and see. You read every day about people who cure their cancers through the power of positive thinking. Perhaps, when intently focused on one small corner of the Pacific Northwest, the same power can repeal the end of the American century.
^^^^^
Finally, tonight, some bright news on the home front. For the first time since 2003, the Eureka Inn will host its once-traditional Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 28, at 4 p.m. There’ll be free refreshment, as well as holiday music from various local holiday music providers.
This article appears in Dead at 45.
Hank, Hank, Hank… such short memory and where to start?
The California Coastal Commission has killed more jobs-producing projects on the North Coast than cancer.
Did you forget Chris Kerrigan and his ill-fated “big box ordinance” (financed by Bill Pierson)?
How about the 58 years (and counting) to remedy the Richardson’s Grove by pass?
How soon we forget the Larry Glass and CREG (Citizen’s for Regressive Economic Growth) sponsoring “Imagine the Possibilities” seminar at the Wharfinger in 2007 where various people (financed by Bill Pierson) came and gave their visions of a piece of property they didn’t own, and had no money to clean up, nor develop.
How could you possibly forget Pete Nichols and the Humboldt Baykeepers, who will sue any business attempting to open shop in Humboldt County?
You failed to mention County Supervisor Mark Lovelace’s ill-advised 2010 journey to Sacramento’s State Land Commission, where he gave a PowerPoint presentation on the evils of Big Box. To which they replied, “Who are you and why are you where?”
The major point you missed is that thirteen radicals will sue, legislate or protest anything that anyone tries to accomplish here in Humboldt County.
And of course, Hank Sims refuses to write anything negative about Bill Pierson, while relishing in his latest jab at Rob Arkley.
Can you provide some specific examples?
Again, specific examples please.
Please explain how this event stopped one penny’s worth of economic development?
Hank’s postulates that the right can’t come up with specific examples of how Humboldt is unfriendly toward business. It seems to me you proved him right.
Andy, I thought you moved in shame after losing every single race you and your hacks endorsed. Moderation has prevailed in Humboldt. Why don’t you stick to your petty partisanship in Sacramento your new home. You have been allowed to play your games here for far too long. Go away, leave us alone, you are not generally liked or wanted and you will most certainly not be missed. Voters clearly called for compromise, open dialog, fair play, and above all, moderation. Wake up, it was not a lack of funds, a poorly articulated message, or medocre candidates that caused your loss. The people want to try something different. The sooner you wake up to the fact that the public simply didn’t like what you were selling the better off you will be. Better yet, just leave.
“Please explain how this [Citizens for Regressive Economic Grooviness] event stopped one penny’s worth of economic development?”
Nobody can deny that the promoters of the event were intent on stopping the Marina Center development. Since CREG’s founder was voted off the City Council and Pierson’s gal will be leaving the Coastal Commission after losing her seat on the Board of Supervisors, that effort is less likely to succeed. Now their bets are placed on an appointment of Mark Lovelace to the Coastal Commission. I suspect that a Lovelace nomination to the Coastal Commission (in the event that Cleary prevails in the Fifth District) would be a non-starter. His public record makes clear that he is not capable of objectively evaluating current business before the Coastal Commission, and opposition would be strong. I cannot think of a more polarizing figure (well, maybe his boss Salzman, but he’s not eligible). Schwarzenegger, who would have to approve the nomination, owes the political machine that spawned Lovelace no favors.
The Calpine project was in all likelihood not a good fit for Humboldt Bay, but like any proposal it deserved a fair hearing. What happened instead was capitulation to a hysterical shout-down. That is the kind of event that sticks in the memory of businesses when they are considering Humboldt County.
The periodic shakedown lawsuits by EPIC, NEC, Baykeeper, and even by the DA’s office in 2003, are definite considerations for anyone considering developing or operating productive facilities in Humboldt County. While rogue NGOs can’t be voted out of power directly, the political machine that they are associated with can be and that’s at least a statement that they have limited public support. And again, perceptions do matter.
There is some merit to Hank’s argument that the economic fortunes of Humboldt County are beyond the reach of local elected officials. This country imports softwood from Canada as domestic production drops, while the Pacific Northwest is clearly the superior growing region. Geography works against Humboldt County’s economy for more logistically demanding endeavors and our ability to mitigate that is limited. Humboldt Bay has inherent competitive disadvantages as a trans-shipment port. But the least we can do is stop fostering a culture of exclusion that this area that is so exemplified by Pierson, EPIC, NEC, and Baykeeper.
At the risk of committing the sin of seeing truth in both sides (and thus taking the fun out of being provocative):
Siting and project permitting, particularly in the coastal zone, are unambiguously very difficult in California relative to many other places. There is no doubt that some job-creating projects have been snuffed out by time and cost burdens. The process is difficult in part because the well-being of public trust and common-pool resources are taken seriously in California. With Constitutionally protected free interstate migration, people can move to where policies are more in line with their preferences and ideologies. That process has resulted in an increasingly progressive California electorate that does not want the baggage that accompanies our prior experience with laissez-faire development policy (see LA or San Jose). Our economy is more sensitive to these regulatory costs than that of urban California due to our inherently higher cost of transporting goods to commercial centers.
If we want a vibrant community up here, then we need jobs and income. How do we square this with our desire to have a rigorous siting process to protect community and environmental values?
From a planning perspective, one mechanism for streamlining development is to create business and industrial parks. Rather than contend with costly siting and permitting on a case-by-case basis, conforming new development is principally permitted in a master-planned business/industrial park.
While conservative folks abhor Arcata as antithetical to a business-friendly climate, that city has nevertheless successfully fostered manufacturing and industrial jobs in its Aldergrove Industrial Park. Such an approach is not a panacea, but I also think that it has not been fully explored and utilized in our area.
Wow.
It appears that Mr. Simms does, indeed, know the kind of questions we need to ask candidates who’s platforms were ALL about the “economic benefits” of another big box development in a city saturated in them.
“CITE YOUR SOURCE”!!!???
A little late….again.
It takes immense courage for Bill Pierson, a reporter, or anyone else, to stand up to a development community that’s been in charge forever. A group successfully dictating that “growth” is either another big box or sprawl…or, you’re “anti-growth”
(Never mind the big, fast profits and massive public subsidies required by both).
If local media asked the uncomfortable (obvious) questions UNTIL THEY WERE ANSWERED: “the other majority” of voters that are unregistered or abstain might get involved.
I have been working on a use permit renewal for over 3 years for an existing operation. nothing has changed and we are over $50,000 so far in costs. i think this is what people are referring to hank. other places do not require use permits for what we are doing.
…It takes immense courage for Bill Pierson, a reporter, or anyone else, to stand up to a development community that’s been in charge forever….
You’re kidding, right? Do you know what Pierson does for a living? How he came to have all that money to sling around?
Courage? Hah. Desperation, and trying to buy candidates who will allow him to continue his monopoly.
I still don’t understand the conservative game plan here- Is big box stores really your answer for economic prosperity in Humboldt? Really?
And Calpine was a good idea for our bay? Really? Is that really what we need?
Why not just come clean and admit that all you conservative visionaries supported Walmart’s bid to develop the balloon tract in ’99?
When you set your standards this low, you’re bound to end up with a total mess when the dust is settled.
Rose says, “Courage? Hah. Desperation, and trying to buy candidates who will allow him to continue his monopoly.”
What Rose doesn’t understand is that some people aren’t motivated by money and so called “monopolies.” (Although a simple google maps search turns up many choices for home improvement supplies, so maybe we should question that common accusation)
No Rose, some people care about the future of their community. They don’t believe big box superstores are the answer. Walmart, Home Depot, you name it.
People like Rose cannot comprehend people being motivated by ANYTHING other than money.
If Rose doesn’t like you, you’re “buying” candidates. If she does, you’re simply contributing to campaigns.
Great point Joel.
Pierson is outspent in elections 99% of the time! (It’s the development community that has been successfully buying local elections, where’s the outrage??).
Where’s the “monopoly”? There are 5 different hardware stores in Eureka!
If you know Bill, you know he cares about this community.
Once local media decides they too are concerned about the public interest, they will question the logic of continuing sprawl and big boxes when there’s a wealth of existing alternatives that DO NOT bankrupt municipal budgets.
They will begin to press the uncomfortable questions, (DURING THE ELECTION), they will separate the words “growth” and “development”, and connect the dots between the development community’s political dominance and our decayed infrastructure and growing poverty, crime, drug abuse and traffic…
AMID MORE CALLS FOR SPRAWL AND BIG BOXES!!???
While local and national media focus on one day’s sales, about 8,000 U.S. family’s homes were foreclosed that day, and every day since January, 2009.
Not “newsworthy”.
The plight of average families remains chronically ignored, no wonder half of America, California, Humboldt and Eureka either don’t register to vote or they abstain.
STILL, they are ignored…and the illegitimate political pontification continues unabated without ever mentioning them.
“They don’t participate, so they deserve to be ignored”…
A vicious, self-fulfilling cycle.
Yes, someone nailed it up above. The posters just bash anyone who objects to their plans to turn Eureka into Ukiah and its sea of poorly-planned soulless Big Box stores. Then, someone mentions Arcata, and how it is booming because they have been practicing sensible, planned development for 35 years.
Then, crickets from the Big Box cheering squad.
Go, Humboldt Baykeeper, go! Thank you for your never-ending vigilence and your refusal to allow half-baked development ideas from stiff-arming the rest of us. You are cherished.
Yeah, I wouldn’t call Pierson “courageous.” He’s looking out for his own self-interests … just like every other business owner large or small.
“Go, Humboldt Baykeeper, go! Thank you for your never-ending vigilence and your refusal to allow half-baked development ideas from stiff-arming the rest of us. ”
Show up or shut up, Baykeeper has no power to “refuse to allow development ideas”. Baykeeper has done a few good things, Baykeeper has done some pretty stupid things. But it holds no sway over development ideas.
Meanwhile, Fort Bragg has just approved the Noyo Science and Education Center, a marine research lab to be operated by Sonoma State University and College of the Redwoods, along with a nature center including a public aquarium, as well as a coastal trail and city park–all products of community vision meetings held beginning in 2003 to plan for development of the former G-P mill site on the city’s waterfront. No lawsuits over the dioxin contamination or proposed development. Why? Because the city worked with the public, the property owner, and environmental laws to come up with a plan.
Check it out: “The Path Forward” http://city.fortbragg.com/cdd/GPMillMain.html
According to a post above, “From a planning perspective, one mechanism for streamlining development is to create business and industrial parks.”
See Arcata for a local success story. Eureka may want to take note. All the whining about environmentalists blocking economic development is rather absurd when you compare Eureka and Arcata in terms of expansion of business in recent years. Not to mention property values.
PS–Baykeeper has filed two lawsuits in its entire 6 years in existence. Two. Both successful.