Commentary by Samuel Strait – August 30, 2022 It is not often that the powers to be in my life let me loose to interact with the public, let alone for several days in a row. Such as it is, I have been perched for several hours over the course of the last several days in front of our local Walmart collecting signatures to put a parcel tax repeal on the ballot sometime in the coming Fall. Generally this endeavor has been successful, but more importantly it has afforded me the opportunity to come to terms with some of the most pressing issues that our local agencies and governments seemingly continue to fail to address. I was prepared to hear that property taxing in California and within the County are a major concern for those that chose to be vocal about the topic. Many of the complaints were of the nature "too high and for what", was the general sense that these taxes did nothing to improve their daily lives. The sentiment continued for those of long term residency that just in their life time services and quality of government had declined substantially even though there was "a lot more of it". Many expressed a clear intention to move to somewhere else in order to improve their lot. It has been fairly well established comparing United States Census data from 2010 to the present that Del Norte County's population has declined substantially, California's as well. The common thread seems to be the fairy tale atmosphere exhibited by those in local and State government that all is well, keep doing what has been done for the past couple of decades. As crime, homelessness, and the debilitating effect local government has on small business impacts the local scene in many negative ways, government has completely lost focus. Inflation and the resulting high cost of living seems to have escaped most of those in charge. They, meaning those that stopped to chat, have become incensed over local politicians constantly pleading poverty, receiving the largess from the voting public, in most cases with a bare majority, then squandering the increased revenue on pointless projects that do nothing to improve their daily lives. All the way from County and City governments to various districts to include the Crescent City Harbor and a couple of Fire districts have been called out as the chief villeins with which their ire has been directed. While most recognize the need for funding, time after time, issues were subject to the voting public's wrath of promises made and not kept. Recent antics by our City's Council over the extravagance at Beach Front Park and Front Street. The community pool, a $3 million amphitheater, the crazy architectural rendering of Front Street at the foot of H Street, recent removal of perfectly fine driveways down H Street only to be replaced with no discernible difference with "new driveways" that meet some unknown "standard". The list of clear indifference to what would be acceptable to the public for the use of such funding has been "a swing and a miss" by all public agencies, and a subsequent rush for the exits by a growing number of the local public. Stunts, by local government to curry adulation and favor with the public by boldly advertising "sidewalk repair along H Street" as a useful expenditure of Measure "S" funding has not gone unnoticed and for the most part received the disdain it deserves. Clearly not what was expected. The County, the City, and even the Harbor District are wearing the patience of many in the County who had very different expectations from their local governments and what has been witnessed over the past eighteen months is not it. Granted much about local governments over the past year and a half have been exposed as dysfunctional, much of the reason citizens felt additional funding would correct those deficiencies. Unfortunately this has not been the case and is unlikely to change with those who currently represent us. As such I will be continuing with my perch in front of Walmart, collecting yet a growing list of locals who have graciously asked some well thought out questions and signed on to remove another of the local tax increases. If you have the time, and wish to drop by, look me up and I will make time for you. Repeal Measures"R" and "S" by voting YES on Measures "U" and "T" in November. There are many in this community that cannot afford pointless local governments who make no pretense of honoring their promises. Sign up to put yet another poorly thought out parcel tax up for repeal as well. See you at Walmart…..