Buried in the middle of yesterday’s Humboldt County Board of Supervisor’s meeting was an item exploring an electricity tax that might resemble Measure I, Arcata’s so-called “Grower Tax.” This would presumably apply to the county’s unincorporated areas.

The board formed a subcommittee to explore a potential tax on residences using unusually high amounts of electricity.

If passed by voters, this would likely have some effect on the county’s many bedroom growers. 

The city of Arcata’s Environmental Services deputy director Karen gave a presentation (watch it here) on how Arcata put Measure I together. 

Arcata’s law imposes a electricity users tax rate of 45 percent on residential customers whose residential usage exceeds 600 percent of established baseline allowances. She said that it was the intent of the tax to drive a residence’s excessive electric consumption down to normal levels.

Hank Sims from the Lost Coast Outpost joined the conversation live on KHUM. 

Simsonpotentialpottax

Would growers use generators to bypass the tax? Would that be different than if they bypassed it with rooftop solar? If put on a countywide ballot, would it pass?

Let us know what you think. 

Eureka Police Dept. Press Release:

On 04/30/13, detectives with the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) served a search warrant in the 2000 block of ‘C’ St. The search warrant was served in response to complaints of a possible Marijuana grow at this location. 

During the service of the search warrant, detectives discovered a Hasish manufacturing lab inside the residence, and a Marijuana grow inside the garage. Several hundred highly explosive butane canisters (used in the hash making process) were found scattered throughout the house. Detectives seized 105 Marijuana plants, 7 lbs of processed Marijuana, and approximately one ounce of Hashish. Additionally, PG&E responded and disconnect electric service to the residence, due to unsafe wiring installed to operate the Marijuana grow. 

As a result of the investigation, Joseph Alverez (age 29) was arrested for Manufacturing a Controlled Substance, Marijuana Cultivation, Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales, and Maintaining a Residence for Manufacturing or Providing a Controlled Substance. 

*Anyone with information concerning suspected drug activity, or other nuisances occurring in the City of Eureka is encouraged to call the Problem Oriented Policing Unit at (707) 441-4373.  

 

Humboldt Co. Sheriff’s Press Release:

On 05-01-2013, approximately 12:00 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Community Response Unit (C.R.U), assisted by Rio Dell Police served a Humboldt County Superior Court Search warrant for marijuana on five storage units on Northwestern Avenue, Rio Dell. The deputies had been working on this investigation for over a month after receiving citizen complaints. The storage units were located in the old Eel River Saw Mills Industrial Park Planer Shack which had been converted to other industrial use. When deputies arrived on scene they located a sophisticated marijuana growing operation in the storage units which contained approximately 4,300 growing marijuana plants ranging in size from three inches to five feet, approximately 76 pounds of dried processed marijuana, and 49 Peyote buttons. They also located two aggressive Pitbull Terriers at the grow site and evidence that someone lived at the storage site. While deputies were searching, the person who lived on site arrived on scene and was arrested for cultivation and possession for sale of marijuana, along with possession of an illicit drug. He was identified at Geoffrey Allan Davis, 32 years old. Davis was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked and released. 

Davis girlfriend was called to the scene and took custody of the two Pitbulls. 

Some of the storage units had medical marijuana cards posted in them, however due to the quantity of marijuana, package material, scales and other evidence indicating this was a commercial “For Sale” growing operation all of the marijuana was removed. Deputies are still investigating other suspect’s involvement and anticipate arrest warrants being issued. 

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

Michael Montgomery has covered North Coast pot extensively and well but, one day while covering the scene south of here, he made a mistake.

LoCO strives to get important information to its readers when they need it.  Yesterday, we posted an article with a synopsis of a very small part of the new booklet called, “Best Management Practices — Northern California Farmers Guide” which offers ways for marijuana growers and other farmers to protect the environment.  We promised to provide more articles about the subject.  But today, we deliver even more than we said we would.  We are offering our readers the entire booklet.  Below the fold is the whole work open on the internet for you to access whenever you want. In addition, Redheaded Blackbelt, our sister blog, will maintain a link on its homepage for easy access.

See below the fold for this unique booklet advising all kinds of growers, especially marijuana growers, on how to protect the environment. The booklet will be available in print as well at local stores as well as many of the local environmental groups. 

In the interest of full disclosure, note that Kym Kemp, one of LoCO’s reporters, is a founding member of Grow It in the Sun, an organization that supported the printing of the booklet. Contributions towards printing can be donated to: Southern Humboldt Community Credit Union, “Grow It in the Sun”, Account #15031