Larry Hourany Ph.D is back, sans the Ph.D this time - and he is upset that the business community isn't supporting his job-killing buddy Pat Higgins. Therefore they become evil developers, and their money is tainted.
He says he read James Faulk's "informative article" and says he will be working "with the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee to see if there is a solution to local campaign finance reform."
NO MENTION of the ten grand Bonnie Neely got from an out of area developer, a really big one at that. A great big glaring omission there. No mention of huge donations from Bill Pierson, who depends on her to block his competition. Presumably, Hourany supports THAT.
No recognition of the fact that local businesspeople have a right to support the candidates they believe will best represent the interests of the business community - i.e., NOT the job-killers. It looks like they have decided to stand up and fight back. He sees this as 'white hot propaganda' - owwww, it burnnnnnssss!
Pat Higgins didn't make his bed, he climbed in with the "progressives" and now he has to accept the consequences.
It's sad for him that his "progressive" buddies, who were oh so supportive in their efforts to get him on the Harbor Commission, have now abandoned him. He may feel he has earned the right to move up the chain, Harbor Commissioner was supposed to be a nice boost to his resume, after all. What he didn't realize is, they are not his friends, and were only using him to secure a place on the Harbor Commission, a trustworthy "progressive" vote against all business development in Humboldt County. He's out of line expecting them to give up that seat to let him move up. They have another chosen one to place in the Supervisor seat.
◼ White hot propaganda wars pollute the media
White hot propaganda wars pollute the media
Larry Hourany/For the Times-Standard
Posted: 02/13/2010 01:27:13 AM PST
I read with distress James Faulk's informative article about the increasing amount of money in Humboldt County politics. Candidate for 4th District Supervisor Virginia Bass has more than $50,000 and it is only February. I live in the 5th District and I think Pat Higgins is the people's best candidate, but one of his challengers Ryan Sundberg has already raised $30,000 from the same development interests that support Virginia Bass. That is more money than Pat, Jill Duffy and all the candidates spent collectively in the 2006 race. To top it off, we also have Humboldt's first candidate of virtually unlimited means throwing his hat in the ring in my district.
It is obvious from the way the money is lining up that developers are going after General Plan update Option A and they are in league with the rural property rights activists. The white hot propaganda wars coming up will pollute the media, but will they persuade the populace? And will indepth discussion of the county's issues be carried out? Will people be able to tell from the spin who will work for them and who has the ideas that can help us out of the mess we are all in?
The expensive spin may even be imported, as our own local political consultants max out with the glut of cash gushing into campaign coffers. I was polled a week ago on all the issues of the 5th District by “Humboldt Research” about election preferences, but the person taking the poll would not divulge who was paying for it. Calling thousands of people takes tens of thousands of dollars and it can be used to know our minds so we can be tricked into voting for someone.
I will be working with the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee to see if there is a solution to local campaign finance reform or to at least ensure that voters of the county can be assured access to numerous trustable forums so an open exchange of ideas is available. Previously, in 2003, we never thought that the level of money in the dreaded “recall” nightmare election would become commonplace. Now it has -- in spades. Isn't it time we started a serious discussion and examination of solutions to the problem of too much money influencing our leadership selection here?
Pat Higgins won't be trying to compete in the media air wars. Instead he will be knocking on 5th District doors and many who support him will join him walking neighborhoods and calling to help make sure voters understand Pat's plans for action in office, if elected.
Larry Hourany resides in McKinleyville.
*****
RELATED:
◼ Supervisors races attracting big money -- already
(Virginia) Bass... raised a total of $53,174. Her list of donors is long, and includes a number of people and businesses from Humboldt County's building and development communities, among others.
They include David Schneider of Pacific Affiliates, who gave $1,000; Fred Sundquist, who gave $1,500; Glenn Goldan, $1,000; Michael Dominick, $1,500; Truman Renner, $1,500; ReProp Investments, $500; TJS Leasing and Holding Co., $1,500; Loretta Nickolaus, retired county administrative officer, $200; Pierson Co., $1,500; Hilfiker Pipe Co. $1,500; Kramer Investments Corp. $1,500; Russ Cattle Co., $3,000; Hooven and Co. of McKinleyville, $1,500; A.N. Hunts and Sons, $1,500; Eureka Oxygen Co., $1,500; Bettendorf Enterprises, $1,500; Barnum Timber Co., $1,000; Eureka Ready Mix/Sand and Gravel Co., $1,500; Gary Philp, $500; Jim Furtado of McKinleyville, $1,500; Kim Slack of Eureka, $1,500; and Robert McBeth of O&M Industries, $1,500, among others....
Neely raised $27,334 in 2009, from a relatively short list of donors who gave, on average, much larger amounts.
Sedgefield Properties, owned by longtime Neely ally and sponsor Bill Pierson of Eureka, donated $10,000; Kurt Kovacks of Portland, Ore., gave $2,000; Thomas Hofweber, a county planner, gave $3,000; MPDSE, Inc., a building firm from Dana Point, CA, also known as Master Plan Developments, gave $10,000; Recology of San Francisco, formerly known as City Garbage Co., gave $500; and CA Dewitt of Fairhaven gave $200....
Eureka City Councilman Jeff Leonard... raised a total of $7,902 -- $5,342 in cash, $2,300 in a loan, and $260 in non-monetary contributions.
Donors include Eureka attorney Ken Bareilles and his wife Rene, at $100; Teresa Sims, loan officer with Redwood Capital Bank, with $500; Hank Pierson, owner of L&H Properties, at $1,000; and Pierson Co. of Eureka at $1,500.
Ryan Sundberg -- has so far run the tables during this fundraising cycle, and did so with many of the same donors who gave to Bass' campaign.
Donors include Glenn Goldan at $500; City Ambulance at $1,500; Dale Wermuth at $1,500; Maxine Maples at $1,500; Michael Dominick at $1,500; Hilfiker Pipe Co. at $1,500; ReProp Investments at $500; Barnum Timber Co. at $1,000; TJS Leasing and Holding Co. at $1,500; Eureka Oxygen Co. at $1,500; Kramer Investment Corp. at $1,500; Eureka Ready Mix at $1,500; Bettendorf Enterprises at $1,500; A.N. Hunt and Sons at $1,500; Russ Cattle Co. at $1,000; Hooven and Co. at $1,500; Pierson Co. at $1,500; Marilyn Renner at $1,500; Becky Pritchard at $1,500; and JL Furtado Construction at $1,500, among others.
The Elections Office has yet to receive 2009 disclosures from Lost Coast Communications President Patrick Cleary and 5th Division Harbor District Commissioner Patrick Higgins, both of whom have declared for the 5th District race. The disclosures had to be postmarked by Monday, and could arrive as late as today.
In the race for Humboldt County sheriff, Undersheriff Mike Downey raised $1,905 in 2009. Donors include Sheriff's Lt. Steve Knight, $100; Sgt. Wayne Hanson, $100; The Liquor Still, $100; outgoing Sheriff Gary Philp, $1,000; Melinda Ciarabellini, $100; and Lt. Michael Thomas, $500.
A disclosure from Mike Hislop, also running for sheriff, has not yet been received.
◼ James Faulk: The unauthorized translation the Mirror
