By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – March 16, 2022 Is it possible we actually are in a time warp, where the wild wild west is alive and well? Seems so, if you at all are keeping up with the misconduct occurring at City Hall, the County, the school district, the harbor and now the Crescent Fire Protection District (CFPT). Looks like there was a lot of hanky panky that went on during last June's vote to encumber taxpayers within the district with an additional parcel tax. Seems that the US Postal Service in Crescent City could not find the Crescent City Harbor. Honest mistake, not likely. Collusion between the Post Office and the CFPD a possibility and highly illegal. Malfeasance within the Postal Service itself, another possibility, again highly illegal. Maybe it is time for the US Postal Service to conduct an investigation into the possibility that vote tampering occurred within the local service to find out why ballots delivered into the care of the local post office could not find the local harbor. Ballots that were addressed to the harbor, went missing for fifty three days only to be returned with the label "return to sender". The harbor's problem was not restricted to them alone, as many other ballots were also treated with the same label. It likely would become very interesting if those not receiving ballots matched those that voted against the previous vote taken by the CFPD in October. It is clear by the razor thin margin of the vote, and three separate counts by the local clerk, that this past vote needs some clarification before the parcel tax is levied. Should the harbor have been allowed to vote and their vote matched their previous vote, the assessment WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED. Yes, that close. As it stands, the Crescent Harbor District is suing the CFPD over this problematic event that saw them unable to cast a vote on the issue until well past the time to do so. At present the CFPD and the judge are seeking to negotiate a settlement with the harbor to do exactly what? It is the position of the harbor that no negotiations need to take place and that the June vote be nullified in favor of a redo vote. Naturally the CFPD has not found that as an acceptable path forward and wishes the fact that someone with resources had not come forward in this obvious vote tampering affair. Clearly at minimum an investigation of the local post office is in order, followed by any indication that the CFPD had a hand in this malfeasance. It would be important for the CFPD to be transparent going forward and the local post office as well. Should a postal employee or a member of the CFPD be found complicit in this incident, jail time would be in order and a new election be instituted. It beggars belief that the local postal service could not deliver mail to the LOCAL HARBOR!!!! What ever the case may be, it is up to the Board of the CFPD to take matters in hand and suspend any notion of going forward with the parcel tax until this matter is resolved. If parcel tax money has already been collected, it should be impressed upon the District that refunds should be made immediately. If the vote is to have any credibility at all, the CFPD will swallow its pride and schedule another vote on the matter. As to an effort to have the current parcel tax overturned in a future vote, there is no question that Chief Gillespie has been made aware that this would be coming, His attempt to deny knowledge of this impending action suspends any credible belief that Chief Gillespie is an honest man and leads credence to the distinct possibility that the CFPD was up to mischief in this past vote. As the current affair stands, it will not end well for the CFPD, until some clear explanation for why votes did not reach intended recipients and instead were marked "return to sender" well after the time to vote had occurred. It is also important for there to be no improper activity revealed in an investigation of both the CFPD and the local USPS. And finally the CPFD should cease negotiations with the harbor and immediately call for another vote on the parcel tax with the assurance by the CFPD that those that should vote get a ballot. This shouldn't be negotiable…… It is well past time that the devious behavior of our public institution should continue to be tolerated and some form of civilized conduct be established. This will only occur if taxpayers take a step forward and say enough is enough. California and local governing agency's are already bloated and paid extremely well for this community's economic health to survive going forward. It is well past time for this state of affairs to end……