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Arkley Opposes Measure T

Kimberly Wear, Times-Standard
April 9, 2006

EUREKA - In letters to elected officials and political candidates, businessman Rob Arkley asks for their response to a ballot initiative that would ban outside corporations from donating to local races - saying that Measure T will open the county up to a lawsuit and suppress free speech.

In one letter sent this week to the county counsel and the entire Board of Supervisors, Arkley asks them to "do everything in your power" to make sure the proposed ordinance never becomes law.

"Should the ordinance pass, one can be sure that its legality will be challenged promptly," Arkley wrote. "That, of course, will require the county to spend money, at least in trial court and perhaps on appeal as well - in a futile attempt to sustain it."

"That is not how the county needs to spend its precious money," he adds later.

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

Arkley said it would also prohibit his corporations from making contributions because some of his employees live out of the county.

The Measure T campaign took issue with the remarks.

"Apparently Mr. Arkley either doesn't understand the political process, or he is seeking to deny the citizens of Humboldt County their right to vote," said campaign manager Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap. "We collected over 7,000 signatures to put the 'Fair Elections and Local Democracy' petition on the ballot - a local record."

"At this point, the county doesn't have the authority to stop the vote on June 6. This issue is for the voters to decide directly, even if Mr. Arkley would like to see otherwise," she said in an e-mail.

Arkley also sent letters to District Attorney Paul Gallegos, his challenger Deputy District Attorney Worth Dikeman, Supervisor Bonnie Neely and her challenger Nancy Flemming, in which he asks for their take on the measure.

Arkley writes that the measure suppresses speech by attempting to limit campaign contributions - a "hallmark of fascism."

"We do not need any form of fascism here in Humboldt County," Arkley said in the letter dated April 7.

Arkley goes on to ask Gallegos, Dikeman, Flemming and Neely to send any legal analysis they might have to offer if they disagree with his assessment ofGallegos said he didn't have a chance to read the letter and was not ready to comment. Attempts to reach Dikeman, Flemming and Neely for comment were unsuccessful.

Kimberly Wear covers the cities of Eureka and Arcata. She can be reached at 441-0512 or kwear@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