What are your priorities for Measure Z funds?

With expenses increasing at a rate higher than revenues the county struggles to provide existing levels of service. Measure Z was placed on the ballot to maintain and improve essential Humboldt County services, including public safety. The purpose of this exercise is to ask you what your priorities are for Measure Z spending.

Click on Post below to see the list of the top 7 priorities as identified by a survey conducted of 400 randomly-selected residents in June 2014. Below each of the priorities are three potential ways to expend funds that might be consistent with that priority. We would like you to rank the spending choices based on the priority.

Measure Z – Frequently Asked Questions 

Q:    What is Measure Z?
A:    On July 22, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to place Measure Z on the November 4, 2014 ballot to maintain and improve essential Humboldt County services, including public safety. Voters adopted Measure Z. By law Measure Z will expire in five years.

Q:    How will Measure Z address my public safety needs? 
A:     Due to budget constraints, sheriff’s patrols have been greatly reduced across Humboldt County, meaning it can sometimes take several hours for a sheriff’s deputy to respond to a call. Measure Z can provide funds for expanding patrols, maintaining emergency 9-1-1 response times, and making sure calls about violent or property crimes are responded to promptly. Our residents deserve to know that County sheriffs will be there when they need them – 24 hours a day. Our residents deserve to know that convicted individuals will be placed on supervised probation when appropriate.

Also, volunteer fire departments and firefighters play critical roles in protecting life and property here in Humboldt County. Measure Z can help maintain rural fire and ambulance protection services, allowing our first responders to better – and more safely – protect County residents.

Q:    I’m concerned about the illegal drug industry and increased narcotics use in our region. 
A:    Clearly, hard drugs and narcotics like meth are growing problems in Humboldt County. Measure Z can provide the additional funds the County needs to fight drug-related crimes, eliminate meth labs, and provide drug prevention and rehabilitation services.

Illegal, large-scale, marijuana farms are diverting and drying up sensitive creeks and streams and using toxic pesticides that  destroy Humboldt County’s natural environment. Measure Z can help to protect our natural resources from these illegal industrial operations. 

Q:    How will Measure Z enhance County services? 
A:    Measure Z will provide funds to maintain and improve public safety and essential services, including:
•    Investigating violent crimes, such as rape and domestic violence  
•    Maintaining 911 emergency response times 
•    Ensuring there are sheriff’s deputies on-duty  
•    Providing services for the victims of child abuse 
•    Maintaining rural fire protection and ambulance services  
•    Cleaning up environmentally damaging marijuana farms

Q:    Why was Measure Z placed on the ballot?
A:    With $286 million in State takeaways over the past 22 years, Sacramento has taken significant revenue from Humboldt County’s budget, decreasing public safety and other essential services. Measure Z will provide a guaranteed source of local funding that cannot be taken by the State on a temporary basis, for 5 years. The Board action to place Measure Z before the voters followed input from a countywide community survey that asked residents about their priorities for local county services. 

Q:    What does Measure Z cost?
A:    Measure Z is a one-half cent sales tax that will, by law, expire in five years. Sales tax is not applied to prescription medicine or food purchased as groceries and visitors to our region also pay the cost. Measure Z is subject to strict community and fiscal accountability, including annual independent audits and community input via a citizens’ advisory committee to ensure funds are spent efficiently.  

Q:    Where can I get more information about Measure Z?
A:    The County will continue to keep the community informed about Humboldt County’s essential service needs and fiscal condition. For more information, please visit the County website http://www.humboldtgov.org/.

Q:    Who is the Measure Z advisory committee?
A:    The Measure Z advisory committee is comprised of 9 members; one from each supervisorial district, two at-large selections chosen by a majority of the Board of Supervisors, one nominated each by the Humboldt County Fire Chief's Association and the Sheriff and 2 alternates. 

Please, click on Post below to register your priorities.