And, surprise, surprise, Salzman's latest group - gasp - takes a stand on Palco!
New committee in county forms to foster change
by Glenn Franco Simmons The Eureka Reporter
2/10/05
Local Solutions PAC is a new political action committee that seeks to effect change in Humboldt County.
Speaking as an individual, and founding member of Local Solutions PAC, but not as an official committee representative, Michael Twombly said the committee began when “several key volunteers who worked together to oppose the recall Gallegos campaign decided to continue to work together countywide for progressive candidates.”
The group officially started this past fall, “with the campaigns – and successful elections – of Chris Kerrigan and Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap,” he said.
The PAC just opened its office at 129 Fifth St. in Eureka.
The political action committee’s Web site is www.localsolutions.org/.
“Local Solutions PAC seeks to unite the citizens of Humboldt County in identifying, recruiting and supporting those appointed and elected officials who will work together to protect and nurture the highest possible sustainable quality of life for us, our children and our grandchildren,” according to the committee’s Web site.
The committee leaders are:
• Patrick Riggs, who is the chairman of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee;
• Dennis Huber, who was the Southern Humboldt Gallegos campaign coordinator;
• Alice Woodworth, who was the office manager of the Gallegos campaign; and
• Twombly, who was a Gallegos campaign volunteer.
Twombly said a PAC “most often provides financial support to candidates under the Fair Political Practices Commission’s rules.
The PAC’s goal is “to support the election and appointment of progressive candidates for office in Humboldt County,” he said.
The emphasis will be on elections and campaigns, Twombly added, “to keep the campaign mechanisms and databanks and volunteer lists up to date between actual elections.”
Local Solutions will “also support the appointment of progressives to various commissions and committees – i.e., the Eureka Planning Commission and the Humboldt County Planning Commission,” he said.
Twombly also said the group wants to recruit potential candidates for public office and “to assist in campaign strategies and fund-raising.”
He said the PAC is nonpartisan.
“(It) supports progressive candidates from the Republican, Democratic, Green or any other party affiliation,” Twombly said. “The (PAC’s) board is multiparty. We seek to unify and build on the majorities of the 60 percent Gallegos and Kerrigan victories.
“We want to help nurture a spirit of electoral and participatory democracy, where officials are more accessible and where more community involvement is encouraged in electoral politics and campaigns year-round.”
The PAC also seeks to assist progressive candidates in running for office and obtaining appointments for commissions, Twombly said.
“… The PAC gratefully accepts donations and especially ongoing pledges,” he said. “These contributions are not tax-deductible. They are all reported to the FPPC. In amounts above $99, Local Solutions PAC must report the contributor’s address and occupation, as well, to the FPPC.”
Funding for the PAC comes from individual contributors at a number of fund-raising events, he said.
Local Solutions supports the District Attorney’s Office’s civil lawsuit against Pacific Lumber Co.
“We believe that the DA should be provided all the support and resources necessary to determine the truth of the allegations that MAXXAM/PL lied in order to close the Headwaters Agreement … in court.”
In fact, the PAC takes a stand on PALCO.
“Pacific Lumber was once a responsible and sustainable timber company,” Twombly said. “Charles Hurwitz’ (MAXXAM’s) strategy is to mortgage and take all of PL’s assets and to bankrupt the company while ignoring safe and sustainable logging practices.
“PL’s employees are unwitting victims of Hurwitz and face termination because of MAXXAM’s strategy. Hurwtiz wants PL’s employees and the community to blame the water board, the tree-sitters and the DA, but PL’s bankruptcy was part of Hurwtiz’ original plan.
“The politicians at the time … knowingly or unknowingly bought into it,” Twombly continued. “We believe that a local solution needs to be found to save Pacific Lumber and make it a sustainable community operation again, and we are researching employee stock ownership plans, community buy-outs and legal actions against Hurwitz and MAXXAM to recover damages to workers, land and watersheds.”
Mike Harvey of the Humboldt County Republican Party had no comment on the new group.
Local Solutions related stories:
Salzman's Empire The Local Solutions sham
No connection?
It's in the Headers
Local Solutions' 460 Campaign Statements
Any doubt what Local Solutions' agenda is?
What happened to Local Solutions?
Where is "Local Solutions"?
TS - Local Solutions by Michael Twombly
ER - Another local group decries toxins and big boxes
Use the labels function of this blog (both watchpaul and watchpaul-ARTICLES) for more
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