Click this link to optimize Open Humboldt for screen readers Skip to Content
Open Humboldt
Opengov

What steps should we be taking this year to make our community a better place?

20 registered responses


How would you expect to be better served by combining the offices of the Treasurer-Tax Collector and the Auditor-Controller?

Answered
17
Skipped
3

What improvements would you like to see made in our permitting process?

Answered
16
Skipped
4

If a local excise tax is passed on the cultivation of medical marijuana, what are your priorities for those funds?

Answered
19
Skipped
1

From question on Page 4: How have you seen Measure Z improve your community?

Answered
8
Skipped
12

What parts of the county government do you want to know more about?

Answered
14
Skipped
6

What local issues do you care about most?

Answered
18
Skipped
2

What would you like to see more or less of at this meeting?

Answered
14
Skipped
6
Name not shown more than 2 miles
March 10, 2016, 5:28 PM
  • How would you expect to be better served by combining the offices of the Treasurer-Tax Collector and the Auditor-Controller?
    I would suggest that the two agencies be cross trained to help cover back-up for each other. Then maintain separate offices.
  • What improvements would you like to see made in our permitting process?
    It has been several years since I used planning. My response is based on that time. My chief improvement would be to have EVERYTHING that needs to be done included in one packet either online or as a handout. My horrible experience was that every time I had to visit Planning, either the planner wasn't there for my appointment or I was given yet another hurdle/hoop to jump through that I had no previous knowledge. I was extremely fearful to bring this up as it seemed that I would have negative repercussions such as no sign-offs on final aspects. Planners seem to have no deep knowledge of how to guide an inexperienced builder through the maze of permits and how to do it. So create a rock solid flowchart that can be used as a primer for the least of us.
  • If a local excise tax is passed on the cultivation of medical marijuana, what are your priorities for those funds?
    Improve our ingress/egress via sea and air. Relocate the main airport to Rohnerville because of better weather. Improve the harbor depth. Instigate commercial sized hovercrafts for sea transport to San Francisco and Seattle.
  • From question on Page 4: How have you seen Measure Z improve your community?

    I like that our local volunteer fire departments are getting safer equipment.

  • What parts of the county government do you want to know more about?
    The harbor development, tourism agency
  • What local issues do you care about most?
    Emergency services, sea level rise, establish non-private hospitals
  • What would you like to see more or less of at this meeting?

    I couldn't attend.

Open Humboldt is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Open Humboldt is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.

Your answers will NOT be saved

This is the form that was used to collect responses. It's here so you can try it and see how it worked when the topic was open.

The topic is now closed, and anything you enter into this form will not be saved.

Did you know that our Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office manages more than $1.4 billion each year? This includes investing, receiving and disbursing (paying out) money for most local government agencies in the county, like local schools, special districts and county departments. On average, this office transacts more than $5 million per day. It makes sure that each agency has enough cash on-hand for its daily operations, while investing the rest to help it grow. This office also prepares and distributes tax bills, and collects property taxes, which is more than $60 million each year. All of this work is completed by a staff of just nine people.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector works closely with the Auditor-Controller when it comes to preparing property tax bills. To determine your property tax rate, the Auditor-Controller matches up your property with the appropriate taxes, taking in to account factors like exemptions, school bonds, street lighting, fire protection, and other charges that are specific to your property. This office also is responsible for many more functions. The Auditor-Controller distributes tax revenue, prepares financial reports, processes payroll for more than 2,000 employees and processes claims for payment, among other duties. Their staff is made up of just 12 employees.

Having such a small staff in each of these departments poses problems. It is especially difficult to provide back-up coverage and plan for the future as individual employees move on. In several other counties around the state these two offices are combined into a Finance Department. If we were to combine the Auditor-Controller and Treasurer-Tax Collector, how would you expect to be served better? Please note that this issue is not related to the County Assessor’s Office.

Check out our guidelines for civility
Back to Intro