Recently the Lake County Chamber of Commerce sent questionnaires to each candidate for the Board of Supervisors for Districts 1, 4 and 5. Each candidate received the same set of questions. There were no limits placed upon their responses in terms of length. In the two weeks remaining until June 7, the Record-Bee will provide a sample of those responses.
Today, District 4 and 5 candidates have their say
Note: Tina Scott, Martin Scheel, Ron Rose (District 4), Rob Brown and John Stoddard (District 5) did not respond to the chamber questionnaire.
In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges facing the county? What are your specific plans to address these challenges. And, conversely, what are the county’s biggest assets for future economic success?
Phil Murphy
Lake County is facing multiple major challenges to it’s success, our lake needs more protection from invasive species and nutrient loading, our tourism industry and other commercial development needs a program to improve the physical appearance of the county, we need to dramatically improve our resident’s state health rankings, and all of this needs to be done in a climate of reduced property and sales tax revenues. I have practical measures to address these and other issues facing the county and have posted them on my website, where I also address how this will be paid for.
Our biggest asset has always been the environment, it’s natural beauty and the ability to put much of our land to use feeding us, we need to protect this precious asset and make the very most of it by fully developing every niche possible in the agricultural and tourism industries here, like my plans to promote more local-use food production and develop a useful system of bike paths. It is also critical to get the improvements done to South Main street, as it contributes to the visual blight and could be a great asset to our economy once the upgrades are completed.
Ted Mandrones
The three most significant challenges facing the county are job creation, possible legalization of marijuana and the preservation of Clear Lake.
With regards to job creation, I am looking into the possibility of attracting light industry to Lampson field.
Marijuana will be challenging, especially if it is approved for recreational use. My plan would be to put regulations in place that would control where it can be grown, where it can be distributed and provide protection for our children. I would also work to put a plan in place that would tax and permit the growing and distribution. Proceeds from this would be used to finance law enforcement and to provide health care services for drug abuse and mental health issues.
Clear Lake is a unique natural resource. We need to protect it! The Department of Water Resources has received funding to monitor the major launching ramps in the county to protect from invasive species. I would aggressively work with state and national officials to further protect our lake.
Our biggest assets are our unity of community and Clear Lake.
Philip Reimers
The condition of the Lake and how it has damaged Lake County’s tourism, reputation and economy. The money is available through private foundations and public corporations. The fix is available and contrary to the claims made by certain public officials it has been approved by California Fish & Game and all other regulatory bodies.
Again it’s the Lake, a pristine body of water this size will help us capture some of the 20 billion dollar recreational water sport business in California. Without fixing the Lake any other attempts to attract tourism will be futile.
