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Letters
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- Written by: Shawn Matthews
I, like many, voted to legalize medical marijuana, only to see time and time again the scumbags of society making obscene amounts of money growing marijuana while hiding behind sick people.
I see healthy, able-bodied adults growing in their backyards, not because they are “sick” but because they enjoy getting high, or because they sell weed for profit.
I am tired of kids coming to school reeking of weed, because their parents use their homes to process marijuana for sale.
I'm tired of kids coming to school stoned, with no interest in getting an education because they make thousands of dollars selling weed/growing weed/processing weed and see no value in an education because they can scrape by being a criminal.
I'm tired of the violence and the crime that comes with marijuana in this county.
I'm tired of growers ignoring the laws because they don't want to follow them, then rationalizing their breaking the law because they don't agree with it.
Last but not least, I'm tired of the nonstop lies and excuses coming from the pro-marijuana side.
If there were as many people in this county who were deathly ill and needed marijuana for legit medical purposes, half the county's population would be on chemo or in and out of the hospital on a daily basis.
The excuses and lies are sickening. Just admit you want to get high.
For people who have legit needs for medical marijuana, my sympathies are with you. You are the reason most of us voted on legalizing it.
I am now to the point I want it to be legalized, not because I want to use it, but so that we can take the profit out of it.
Shawn Matthews lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Patrick McMahon
I will be voting no on measures O and P in November and I want to explain why.
Among the many problems with both these ordinances, Measure O contains a fatal flaw.
This measure actually prohibits residents of Lake County from reporting violations. Yes, it’s true!
Unless you live or work within 600 feet of a noncompliant grow, you are prohibited from reporting it. Live 601 feet away, too bad.
If your child goes to a friend’s house that is 200 feet away, you can’t complaint. If there is an illegal grow 100 feet from the neighborhood playground you are prohibited from complaining
Read Section 72.12(a) to see for yourself.
The pot growers claim it's to stop people from reporting violations that don't affect them. I say, it doesn't matter! A violation is a violation.
If you're serious about compromise, why restrict who can report violations?
To make matters worse, even if you are “allowed” to report the violation the only recourse is a letter to property owner/occupant.
The only way a noncompliant grow even gets a mandatory visit from the enforcement agency created by the measure to enforce it is if there is a second, independent complaint within 15 days of the first complaint, otherwise, even if a grow is in violation the only enforcement action is a written notice.
You can’t even report it to the sheriff’s department. Read Section 72.12(b) to see for yourself.
No anonymous complaints will be allowed and you will have to report any violations in writing. They claim they will protect your identity if you make a complaint, but I don’t trust the pot growers to have my best interests at heart.
And if by chance the case goes to criminal court and you are deemed a witness they may be obligated to release your identity under California state law (Ca Evidence Code Section 1042(d)) regardless of the claims in the ordinance.
If anonymous reports were allowed, that couldn’t happen. Read Section 72.12(a) to see for yourself.
We can come to a middle ground, but neither of these measures are it.
There are plenty of reasons to vote no on both of these ordinances, but in my opinion this is the most serious. There isn’t one other ordinance in the county that has such reporting restrictions.
Any legitimate ordinance should allow any citizen to report violations. Measure O severely restricts your rights to report even blatant violators.
Under Measure P there would be no violations.
Any legitimate ordinance should prohibit convicted felons from growing marijuana. Neither of these do.
Any legitimate ordinance should have an immediate abatement process, neither of these ordinances do.
Where’s the compromise?
We can fix the problem, but only if we work together.
Passing either of these ordinances will put us right back to where we were with unregulated and unenforceable growing in our neighborhoods.
Please join the Lake County Farm Bureau, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, and me in voting no on measures O and P.
You can get more information at www.protectourlakecounty.com .
Patrick McMahon lives in Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Anita McKee
It’s very sad to see and hear people making statements that are misleading and, at times, outright lies about Measure S, the half-cent sales tax to benefit Clear Lake.
Please get the facts first!
There is absolutely no intention of closing down the lake. That is a purely ridiculous statement.
There are options that will be reviewed and considered by a citizens advisory committee and those proposals will be put to the Board of Supervisors. Any one of you could be a part of that
advisory committee.
The majority of people understand that a thriving economy brings jobs and money to a community.
There is nothing better than seeing the towns buzzing with people, shops, and restaurants and resorts
busy, and employing locals.
This all brings jobs, increased property values and money in the county coffers to improve public services like for instance, that nice new senior center in Middletown, a library, park improvements – all paid for by taxpayer money.
The people in Lucerne have been concerned about their enormous water bills for some time now. What do you think will happen if the quagga mussel gets into Clear Lake and clogg the intake pipes to your water systems?
The costs to everyone drawing water from the lake, whether through a public or private water system, will be astronomical.
Clear Lake is the greatest resource that Lake County has. It is incredibly beautiful, a wonderful tourist
attraction and a source of beauty and recreation for us all.
We are fortunate enough to have in our community the largest natural lake in California, loaded with history and one of the oldest lakes in North America, believed to be 2.5 million years old.
To get the true facts, you are invited to attend a public forum at Soper Reese Theater, 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport, from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Ask the experts and separate the facts from the fiction.
Refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing everyone there.
For more information visit www.savethelake.info .
Anita McKee lives in Kelseyville, Calif., and is a support of the Save the Lake effort.
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- Written by: Gillian Parrillo
Please don’t let Measure S fail because you believe a last-minute opposition rumor that just isn’t true. Do your research. This vote is critical to the future well being of Lake County.
There are numerous sources available where you can find out the facts.
Go to www.savethelake.info . Read the language of Measure S and the “frequently asked questions” section.
Stay up-to-date on rebuttal to last minute opposition by liking the Save the Lake Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/saveclearlake .
Attend the Measure S summit at the Soper-Reese Theatre on Wednesday, October 22, to hear from a panel of experts. Bring your questions. Voice your concerns.
You will find out, among other things, that:
– There are safeguards in place to stop the Board of Supervisors from diverting the funds from their intended purpose.
– There will be a citizens’ oversight committee and independent audits.
– The tax will not be levied on food, medicine, gas and utilities. That it is a half-cent tax – only five cents on a $10 t-shirt.
– There will be public hearings before the final plan is put in place where you can provide your input.
– You want more money spent on one option more than another? Have a project you believe would really help? Everyone will have an opportunity to speak up.
Let’s get this passed. Take local control of the clean up of our beloved lake by providing a reliable source of funding to undo years of abuse and neglect.
Years from now as Lake County is thriving, we will tell our grandchildren and great grandchildren that we proudly voted yes when the call was made to save Clear Lake.
Yes on Measure S.
Gillian Parrillo lives in Kelseyville, Calif.