Local Solutions denies allegations
by Shane Mizer, 10/23/2005
At a Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee meeting on Oct. 18, Stephen Lewis challenged the political affiliations of committee Chairman Patrick Riggs.
Lewis, a Rio Dell resident and registered Democrat, was concerned about his fears that the Local Solutions Political Action Committee’s agenda has blurred party lines between local Democrats and Greens.
“The time has come for Democrats here to decide if they are going to allow our local Democratic Party to be the political arm of a special interest group that destroys jobs and creates severe community antagonisms or if our Democratic Party stands for helping Democratic families and the whole community,” Lewis said.
Lewis was also concerned about Riggs’ membership with Local Solutions. During the committee’s meeting, Riggs did not respond to Lewis’ accusations.
Riggs provided a statement to The Eureka Reporter in regard to the matter, which read: “To the best of my knowledge, Stephen Lewis has no education, background or any other qualifications to comment on political affairs. Despite his professing grave concerns about the impact on (The Pacific Lumber Co. regarding) the district attorney’s lawsuit against that company, he failed … to vote in the March 2004 recall election. He failed to vote in the 2004 presidential primary election; he failed to vote in the November 2003 election; he failed to vote in the 2003 special election; he failed to vote in the November 2001 general election as well as the 2000 presidential election.
“In fact, as far back as the November 1999 election, he has voted only once. I have absolutely no interest in responding to any allegations such a person would make.”
Lewis’ statement also attempted to draw correlations between Richard Salzman’s Alliance for Ethical Business and Local Solutions in an effort to create controversy.
Currently, Salzman is being investigated by the Trinidad Police Department for allegedly submitting e-mails to local newspapers – including The Eureka Reporter – under false names to support a number of his political causes.
The Eureka Reporter initiated the investigation by asking the Trinidad Police Department to investigate Salzman.
“(Local Solutions is) not involved in this investigation,” Trinidad Police Chief Thrailkill said. “I am not aware of any such connection.”
One of the founding members of Local Solutions, Dennis Huber, also denies that his committee has had any direct involvement with Salzman or the Alliance for Ethical Business.
Local Solutions identifies itself as a nonpartisan political action committee that supports progressive leaders and ideas around the community.
Local Solutions does not claim affiliations with any party, Huber said.
“I found that party politics often prevent people from coming together,” Huber said. “I would support anybody that makes sense.”
Local Solutions emerged last year after members had previously worked together on campaigns and fundraisers for local officers, including District Attorney Paul Gallegos, Eureka City Councilman Chris Kerrigan and Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap of the Humboldt Municipal Bay Water District.
The defeat of both the 2004 recall of Gallegos and the liquid nitrogen gas proposal are other issues that helped unite Local Solutions PAC’s founding members: Huber, Michael Twombly, Alice Woodworth and Riggs.
Local Solutions has a goal to raise $100,000 in donations and contributions for 2005. It intends to achieve this milestone by requesting membership pledges of $99 from Web site subscribers.
According to Huber, Local Solutions has a few hundred members, but it anticipates further growth as elections near.
Local Solutions recently held a campaign event at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka that was designed to create opposition to propositions backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Nov. 8 special election.
(Shane Mizer can be reached at shane@eurekareporter.com.)
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.
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