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Local-Only Initiative Moves Ahead

James Faulk, Times-Standard
January 20, 2006

EUREKA - Dozens gathered on the steps of the Humboldt County Elections Office on Thursday to support a proposed ballot initiative that would see out-of-town corporations locked out of local elections.

The Humboldt Coalition for Community Rights has gathered more than 7,000 signatures to get the initiative on June's ballot.

Called, "The Humboldt County Ordinance to Protect Our Right to Fair Elections and Local Democracy," the measure would make it illegal for corporations from out of the area to throw money into the local political ring.

The county has 30 days to certify that the group has 4,389 valid signatures. If verified, the initiative would go before the Board of Supervisors to be placed on the ballot.

Supporters most often point to the recall attempt against District Attorney Paul Gallegos - largely financed by Pacific Lumber Co., against whom Gallegos had filed suit - and the push by Wal-Mart to change local laws to allow its store to be built on Eureka's waterfront.

Both of those efforts failed, but supporters of the proposed ballot measure say they were hard fights that were expensive and unnecessary.

Gallegos spoke Thursday and declared himself a member of the Humboldt Coalition for Community Rights.

He said the ballot initiative was "much-needed to protect the rights of the citizens of Humboldt County."

Some have questioned whether the county has the legal authority to pass this law, he said.

"It's not only our right," he said. "It's our responsibility."

Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, the coalition's campaign manager, said local government is only allowed to pass such laws if they are meant to protect against impropriety and fraud, or to assure the integrity of local elections.

"We are passing this law for those reasons," she said.

Eureka City Councilman Chris Kerrigan also was on hand to support the measure.

"For me, it's just a matter of fairness," Kerrigan said. "I believe a corporation has every right to participate in campaigns, elections and democracy, but should a corporation have the ability to spend limitless amounts of money to influence local elections?"

James Faulk covers county government, civil court and politics. He can be reached at 441-0511 or jfaulk@times-standard.com.

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Humboldt Coalition for Community Rights
Mailing Address: PO Box 610, Eureka, CA 95502-0160
(707) 269-0984 | info@VoteLocalControl.org