Jason is one of three candidates for Ward 1. He responded to my post and his response has specifics. Jason wrote a response that is not political speak and he addressed the citizens of Eureka.
Jason, there is only one clarification I want to make. I am not against low income or affordable housing. There are people who need it including people who work and people who deserve that chance to change their lives around. Affordable housing also helps people who are barely surviving in this non existent, dwindling Humboldt economy. California rents are out of control and Humboldt property owners charging San Diego, LA prices for moldy, dilapidated buildings where they turn a blind eye to noise, drugs and other nuisances to support their lifestyle and their lazy progeny or enable other leeches in Humboldt. The economy here is sinking faster than the Titanic and most Humboldt landlords are greedy and double dipping and include attorneys, court, county, law enforcement and government employees.
I do agree with you about requirements and drug testing. Mentally ill or those who use drugs should not be housed with others. It is one reason I had to move twice last year, always because of 1 person in a shared living situation when the rest of my housemates and landlord were respectful, kind people. The challenge of finding safe and affordable living in Humboldt has worsened with the constant doxxing and harassing and most recently by petty, gossipy, selfish women who have issues and chose to unleash and attack others instead of working on themselves and their hatred.
In the 22 years I have lived here, I have only had two decent landlords who are not greedy and provide a clean, decent living apartment. My current landlord is one of those individuals. I live downtown and the only downside is the issues I addresed in my post which you shared on your Facebook campaign page.
I spoke to someone who is going to graduate from drug court soon. He approached me and was very respectful. He knew who I was and asked me if I would do a positive story. I told him, I would when he graduates and after he maintains his sobriety for a certain period of time. There are others who have successfully turned their lives around and no longer use drugs. These people trusted me with their life stories.
There is also a City of Eureka program which is very successful because it holds people accountable and gets those who want housing off the street and fast. I wish more Humboldt landlords would work with Uplift. You meet at least monthly with a case manager, you have to prepare and show a monthly budget, you pay what you can for your rent until you are completely self-sufficient. There is a time limit. There are rules. This program has helped people others have turned away and that includes Betty Chinn. I referred a chronically homeless individual and they had him off the streets within the day he went in for intake. I had to remind him a few times. I wrote down the address. I told Uplift staff I was sending him there for help.
I just spoke to someone who was homeless for 14 years. He shared he got housed right thanks to Uplift. He has a full time job and he got off benefits. You would never know he was homeless if you saw him today. He remembered me from one of the times I covered EPD being at an encampment and offering services.
I like hearing and seeing people succeed. In Humboldt, jealousy and the other six sins are in full force. People here have a full time job of tearing down strong people who survive despite challenges thrown at them.
He is not the only one who got housed and chose to get off food stamps voluntarily and plans to get off Medi Cal. He is not the only Uplift success story. There are others who use the program as intended and then get off benefits because they have motivation and drive. That is not what other media and politicians want or share because dependency is what the grift and system needs for funds.
People who are strong to make the choice to let go of the government crutch and survive day to day take a risk because the economy in Humboldt sorely lacks private industry, decent job. The churches, the Ingomar crowd and those who have a monopoly in private jobs are too busy hiring useless, spoiled nepotists,handing over their business to spoiled offspring who tank the business and whining about money instead of making sure merit and those who hard work prosper.
They need to step up or they deserve to go bankrupt and their wealth and business go to those who lift other individuals. I do not believe in government doing anything other than the basics like maintaining roads and public safety.
Uplift works because of the staff and structure. The program works for those who just need a hand up and when they get it, they do not stay on government programs. Uplift assists those who need help with life skills, resumes and the staff tailor assistance to the individual. Jeff Davis and his team are excellent and they treat people with dignity.
People who need it, especially single males are not helped by any of the other so called resources in Eureka or Humboldt. Uplift does not discriminate.
If you are not mentally ill or on drugs and a single male, forget getting help from anyone but Uplift. Uplift is the only program that works and helps those these programs are designed for. The Eureka City Council and City of Eureka Manager Miles Slattery like to showcase Uplift when they have nothing to do with the success.
If the right people are not elected in November 2026, the City of Eureka and those I called out on ECC will F up this program. Uplift is already being called to step in because Betty Chinn does not want to deal with certain people. They have helped many others move and get settled in transitional housing projects while doing their regular workload.
Betty is fine though receiving funding from the City of Eureka. She and her foundation have done well for themselves.
The current staff will burn out if they have to take on too much because others couldn't be bothered. Betty Chinn and other organizations have received a lot of money over the years. It is time the pot of money is distributed to Uplift and if anyone else wants funds, they need to demonstrate results and maintain them.
I would give as much money as I could to Uplift.
Jason, you are running for ECC and you did not know about Uplift until my post.
Jason, if you are elected, you will be one of several positions. Renee in Ward 5 will work with you. She gets it. Jeff Leonard is not an alternative. He had his chance when he was on Eureka City Council. I have not heard of anyone else running for Ward 5. Ward 3 and Mayor have no challengers; yet.
I was telling someone part of me misses when I worked on political campaigns. I get the same grief and abuse I did now when I was politically active and people still seem to think I should volunteer my time instead of getting paid.
Everyone wants my time, access to my information and platform. Where is the money. Over 22 years, Humboldt owes me a chunk. Humboldt likes to demand but when it comes to paying; crickets.
When I worked on campaigns, people got elected. After, I started reporting, people who advertise with me won like Humboldt County's Juan Cervantes, DA and judicial candidates. That is because my readers are informed, they vote and they pay attention. Those candidates worked for it but no one is reading websites and Facebook with busy lives. They talk to people they trust. I interact daily with people who vote.
Jason, you and new leaders can be elected if the good ole boys and gals who have lost Eureka campaigns since 2010 listen and tell those who are the reason they lost to get off the team and to stfu on social media with multiple loser candidate John Fullerton being #1. Recycling past candidates won't work. They need to get over their egos and learn that winning means working with people who deliver results and not about their personal fee fees and fragile egos.
Jason, I am waiting to see who files paperwork but you are the first Eureka City Council candidate to reach out to me and I told you we would meet in person. I have not forgotten but it has been non stop, intense and busy. I will do my best to meet you in person but with my schedule, sometimes there have to be alternatives.
What people don't know because I do not broadcast is the one on one interactions I have daily with people helping them. Sometimes it is just encouraging conversations. Reporting is only part of my life.
The local churches talk a lot about helping people but they do not follow Jesus or the Beatitudes. With the exception of a couple of individuals; they are the most judgemental. They never helped me when I needed it most. Ministry comes in different forms. Larry McNeil who I use to attend church with previously used to joke but he was also partly serious about the suggestion. He used to tell me when it came to tithe, I should carry a basket. I no longer go to that church but among my subscribers and donors are a couple of people who understand that in funding my work, they are supporting what I am called to do by God.
If you have not read the lyrics to "Will you come and follow me", read them. I have to thank Mason Matteoli for all the times he played what he referred to as "John's song" and the rendition by Stella Matteoli. Yes, I know she is married but she is still a Matteoli.
No one knows me solely from my reporting. No one knows me who has never bothered to sit down and find out more about me. I don't share with most Humboldt and what I do is limited because I don't trust anyone in this toxic town. Humboldt two faced, back stabbing users are the reason.
The immature, hair flipping, eye rolling DEI hires at Humboldt Superior Court definitely do not know me nor do I care about their worthless opinion. They are unprofessional, they lack moral character and they think blasting their personal lives to anyone within earshot is work. I have more respect for certain people on the street than certain jokers who work for the County and courts and are the laziest, nastiest individuals and disrespectful to taxpayers who pay their salaries. They think they know me from their limited interaction at 825 Fifth street.
The level of my being cranky is directly related and a result of the retaliation of doing independent reporting and 99% of it is from being at 825 5th street and the second floor of Humboldt County injustice.
People on the street have suffered at the hands of people I expose in Humboldt and call out. If more local tools did journalism and had my back instead of spinning for the powers to be; positive change in Humboldt would occur.
Text of Jason's post:
I, along with a lot of citizens within the community, agree with you on this. EPD 100% needs a raise, especially CSET. ECC needs to be recalled and/or voted out. I want to make the TAP program mandatory and not voluntary to get the homeless or mentally ill off of our streets and to a city that can actually help them. What ECC is doing to them is 100% inhumane and flat out not right. ECC is more worried about the money they get from the government for the homeless rather than actually helping them. ECC wants to build all of these "low-income housing" to place off the homeless. These so-called housing units will be destroyed within no time. They need to be placed into rehab, local or not, and they need to be drug tested before they are guaranteed any housing. The Eureka City Council does not want to change anything, instead they want to keep it the same and make it worse. I am the only candidate that is 100% supporting EPD. IF I am elected, I will make sure that either myself, or an outside person, goes over every inch of the financials and finds every single flaw. As you know, I have been saying I will run on Transparency, and I will hold that commitment to the City of Eureka. I, personally, know people that have gotten sober from being incarcerated. We need to stop holding their hands and giving handouts to anyone and everyone. Regarding the businesses. I have said that I want to propose that any new businesses will have the first year of fees waived. I also want to propose that any business that has been in business for 10+ years, should have reduced taxes but will have certain stipulations attached, such as, but not limited to, making their business more presentable on the inside and out, interacting in city events, etc. Right now, there is no reason for a business to stay open or for someone to open a business here in Eureka. TOT is an absolute disgrace. They can't manage their books, so instead of finding ways to stop spending, they would rather just tax everyone to hell. I agree with JC 100%.
