Candidates Outline Priorities at 5th District Supervisor Forum in McKinleyville

(For convenience, we’ve noted the approximate minute marker of where the information comes from in the live video. Consider turning up your sound on the video.)

At a candidate forum hosted by the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners League (GSMOL) on Saturday, April 25, at the Ocean West Clubhouse in McKinleyville, 5th District supervisor candidates Evan Schwarz and Mary Burke outlined their positions on key issues as Supervisor Steve Madrone prepares to retire.

Both candidates began by introducing their backgrounds and priorities. Schwarz emphasized his experience as a local business owner, stating, “I’m running on a platform of transparency and communication and decision-making– pushing for economic stability and advocating for the efficient and effective delivery of county services.” (3:54)

Burke pointed to her work in environmental and community issues as a reason why she would be a good supervisor, stating, “I believe it’s because I share a vision with many of you for a healthy and prosperous Humboldt County and the kind of where nobody’s left behind” (4:41).

A central topic was the county’s projected $12 million budget deficit.  Candidates were asked how they would address the issue. (8:18)  Schwarz framed the challenge in terms of economic shifts, noting, “The money is not in the community like it used to be and we need to really take a solid look at how we function without that financial contribution.” (9:13). He said his approach would focus on identifying efficiencies and reducing spending while encouraging long-term economic development.

Burke described the deficit as “a sobering one to be sure,” adding that reductions in federal funding “leaves a lot of our county programs and people vulnerable especially those on Medi-Cal” (11:33). She expressed support for current county measures, including hiring freezes and internal coordination to improve efficiency (12:46).

On supervisor salaries, (17:15) both candidates said competitive pay is necessary to attract qualified applicants. Burke said, “This job is more than a full-time job” (18:14), emphasizing workload and responsibilities. She acknowledged that Humboldt is one of the top 10 poorest counties but they are some of the highest paid in the region. However, she said Humboldt County supervisors don’t have committed staff “unlike other counties.” She stated that they are paid less than 400 other employees at the county. She said that if there wasn’t a competitive wage offered, then there that would narrow down the people likely to run.

She said,

“So retired folks who bring an incredible amount of skills and knowledge experience may be able to serve but they may also tend to be using tools and experience are based on old models. Secondarily, independently wealthy folks would have a chance to step forward for a job like like this that doesn’t pay a competitive wage, but tend to be out of, as we see in the federal level,…extremely wealthy people tend to be out of step with the people that they serve.”

Schwarz compared the pay to skilled labor, stating,

“Now, when you look at the pay, it breaks down, if you do about a 40 hour work week, that’s $45 an hour. I want you to think for a second how much it cost you to take your car to the mechanic. How much it cost you per hour to have a plumber at your house and how much it costs you to have an electrician. Skilled labor in these areas is upwards of over $100 an hour, depending on what you’re trying to do. So, $45 an hour to ask somebody to please step in and help the county get back on track I think is money well spent…So you’re asking a supervisor to come in for $45 an hour and try to do their part to uplift this community out of economic hard times and usher in prosperity.”

On the question of whether McKinleyville should incorporate as a city, Schwarz said, “I really like the idea of McKinleyville achieving incorporation as a city, but it’s not a personal agenda mission of mine” (24:34), adding that a full feasibility study is needed before moving forward.

Burke emphasized the need for voter-driven decisions supported by data, stating, “This decision is a decision of the voters… and we need the real data to inform voters about this decision” (29:17). She outlined ongoing efforts to gather that data and said the results should guide the community’s choice.

Both candidates expressed support for Measure B rent stabilization (40:31). Burke said, “I support rent stabilization” (40:53), citing its role in preserving affordable housing.

Schwarz, while acknowledging general concerns about price controls, said, “I’m strongly in favor of supporting our community and its vulnerable population so that they’re not displaced” (45:03).

When asked about challenges near the end of the forum (48:00), Burke pointed to “providing fiscal stability” and closing gaps in services, along with supporting local economic development. She also highlighted housing shortages affecting the ability to recruit medical professionals (1:03:50–1:04:23).

Schwarz said his biggest challenge would be addressing systemic budget issues while maintaining services, stating, “Really just trying to understand what is going on and how did we get here and figuring out a path forward and preserving jobs and preserving projects.” (53:02).

Both candidates gave brief closing thoughts. Burke reiterated her emphasis on collaboration and experience working across land and water issues, while Schwarz emphasized that he sees himself as running for an open seat rather than as a challenger, noting he had not sought endorsements and wants to represent the broader community.

The forum then opened to audience questions, which brought up concerns about healthcare access, housing shortages, and homelessness.

In response, Schwarz spoke about gaps in local medical care, sharing personal experience and arguing for better access regardless of income, along with the need for economic growth to support services. He acknowledged the difficult situation here and said that personally, “For medical, we have to go to San Francisco and Santa Rosa for the things that we need and it presents a tremendous burden.” (59:55)

Burke in part connected the healthcare shortage to lack of housing, saying, “T]he lack of housing is a critical driver of the fact that we are not retaining…the residents that come through the new resident program and we tend not to retain doctors and medical professionals.” (1:03:43) She pointed to ongoing county efforts and potential state partnerships to improve facilities and services.

While both candidates acknowledged the county’s financial and housing challenges, they offered different approaches to addressing them. As the June election approaches, voters will weigh those differences in deciding who should represent the 5th District.