CITY HALL–The Committee on Democracy and Corporations (CDC) wants to implement an Arcata-specific version of Measure T, a county-wide version of which passed last June. To this end, the advisory committee is having a public study session with the Arcata City Council on April 17 to discuss why they think this would be a good idea.
The committee plans on presenting models from other communities that they say would strengthen Arcata’s democracy.
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Also on the table is a revised Formula Retail Ordinance, which puts restrictions on the type and number of “chain” restaurants that can set up shop in Arcata. The committee plans an educational forum scheduled for Wednesday, April 4 from 7 to 8:30 pm in the Community Center Senior Room.
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In response to a request from the City Council, the proposed Formula Retail Ordinance seeks to preserve a healthy and competitive environment for local, independent businesses through limits on new formula retail establishments.
No existing businesses would be closed by the ordinance, but new formula retail businesses would be unable to locate in Arcata until an existing formula retail business closed its doors.
The resulting cap on formula retail would be similar to the existing cap on formula restaurants, a successful effort that has supported local eateries and spurred similar actions in other communities nationwide.
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Formed in 2000, the Committee was created as the final step to implementing “Measure F: The Arcata Advisory Initiative on Democracy and Corporations,” a ballot initiative passed by the citizens of Arcata in 1998.
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March 30, 2007 at 4:12 am
Anonymous
We in Arcata have had it with crackpot committees like this. The is a reminder of the bad old Meserve days.
They will get almost no support. They will issue various proclamations and accomplish exactly nothing.
March 30, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Anonymous
So socialized medicine (fluoride) is bad, but socialized business (protectionist policies) are good? I’m so confused…….
-JMan
March 30, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Anonymous
Fortunately, there are plenty of us in Arcata who aren’t confused, and pursue sensible initiatives like the ones you list.
March 30, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Eric V. Kirk
JMan – I thought Arcatans voted for the fluoride 2 to 1.
March 30, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Anonymous
True. They also approved Measure F, which created the CDC, and Measure T last year.
Democracy in action!
March 30, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Anonymous
We did; what, only you get to make sarcastic comments?
I’m all in favor of the measure banning chains from a purely selfish perspective, and I don’t want a large housing development like the proposed Cutten project for the same reasons. But that’s not going to help affordable housing, it just speeds along the gentrification of Arcata.
Ditto with fluoride (which was voted in 2 to 1, correctly). But as I said on threads at the time–I don’t need fluoride in the water at all, I have great dental care and drink filtered water, fluoride doesn’t help me and might possibly hurt me. But it’s good for poor kids, good for ‘the community as a whole.’
What will this measure accomplish economically? Probably two things:
1) Lower rents for business owners due to artificially reduced demand (good for the Arcata upper-middle class—great, upstanding people but they don’t need the help!)
2) Higher retail prices in town due to artificially reduced competition. We all know who that affects the most (the poor, as a larger % of their income goes to food & household goods.)
As I said before, for my situation this only helps me but it’s wrong wrong wrong.
I agree with the sentiment (let’s make this a nice, big box free place to live) and it will only help make a nice middle-class community for those of us who own homes and have steady work. But the liberal in me says ‘boo.’ The right thing to is suffer some crappy stores and some ugly apartments to encourage a more diverse community.
Let’s make the classically liberal decision that hurts us (the middle class) because it benefits the less fortunate.
I’d love to hear the other perspectives but that’s mine at the moment.
-JMan
March 30, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Anonymous
“Let’s make the classically liberal decision that hurts us (the middle class) because it benefits the less fortunate.”
Yeah, Arcata’s really hurting after 30 years of those damn liberals running the dump. Not like Eureka.
April 2, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Anonymous
That’s the entirety of discussion on this issue? Sigh.
-JMan