The County Voices

Traveling across the five counties of California's 2nd Assembly district reveals a passionate wave of first-hand stories from everyday rural residents! From local ranchers and small-business owners to teachers, parents, and realtors, citizens are speaking up loud and clear about how state governance is directly impacting their lives.

In Blue Lake, Covello, and Hayfork, ranchers spoke out against disguised state "fees" that act as hidden taxes, state mismanagement of water rights, and the dangerous introduction of wolf packs that threaten families, livestock, and local wildlife, without protective regulations but plenty of penalties if you tried to protect yourself. The Governor just vetoed a bill that would give people the right to protect their families and livestock from the predators. Two women, small-business owners in different rural towns, Garberville and Hayfork, described the crushing weight of state regulations, particularly, the new unemployment tax increase forced onto their shoulders. Sacramento mismanaged unemployment funds and handed out $20 billion accountability. Across all political parties, voters standing shoulder-to-shoulder expressed deep outrage over the fraud and total lack of accountability coming out of the state capital and particularly our north state representatives in the assembly and senate. In Windsor and Santa Rosa, teachers and parents alike raised alarm over the severe lack of discipline in public schools and how unprepared students are to go to the next grade level with the fault being pointed at the teacher’s unions for failing to help teachers learn how to teach, like they used to. The teacher unions aren’t what they used to be, concentrating more on state and federal policy instead of the classroom teacher development. Meanwhile, in Fort Bragg and Garberville, community members highlighted local hospital struggles, explaining that state-mandated expansions are made nearly impossible and absurdly expensive due to unfunded mandates, while state officials shift blame onto the federal government. No matter where I went the affordability question always raised its’ head demanding an answer. My answer was one word and how to immediately help the citizens of California. Energy is that word. Ever since the state started to impose “The New Green Energy Policy” our costs have been rising. Nothing about green energy has lowered prices, in fact, it has made prices soar along with inflation. Neither solar or wind power is cheaper to develop or use than fossil fuel or nuclear power. Everything we buy or have is dependent on some type of energy to create, produce or transport goods or services. We need to make energy more affordable and the best and fastest way is to cut the high state and federal taxes on petroleum products. Reducing the cost of energy and prices go down, it’s simple, cut the gas tax and don’t impose the mileage tax that city politicians want to inflict upon the rural counties.

The entire dynamic converges on a striking comparison made by a Fort Bragg realtor, who described being ruled by city politicians as living in "The Hunger Games"! City transplants are fleeing urban crime, property restrictions, and dysfunctional city services for rural sanctuaries, only to turn around and demand that rural communities transform their lifestyle into the exact city systems they just escaped. Being governed by distant city politicians feels like a real-life Capitol imposing an authoritarian rule of "do it like we tell you or suffer the consequences" on rural districts. This top-down control enforces a rigid "our way or else" policy, leaving everyday rural citizens feel the entire system is broken and stacked against their way of life. When this is printed you will have your ballots to change the way California is being governed. Will you vote for common sense or continue the tax and spend mentality that has affected the King and his Clowns in Sacramento? Vote No on all ballot measures except 39, 41, 42, 43 to save your property, save taxpayer money, and put accountability into place. Look who is supporting the measures and follow the money. I also support NO on all the current judges.