Amazon Proceeding With Project Despite Rowdy Public Meeting
Humboldt County Planning Director John Ford
Amazon’s plans to build a delivery facility in McKinleyville is being met with angry mass opposition but the company is forging ahead and preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project.
A timeline for drafting and releasing the project’s EIR was outlined to the Humboldt County Planning Commission at its May 7 meeting.
Planning Director John Ford, who had the unenviable job of moderating a rowdy April 29 public scoping meeting, said, “There was a lot of people there who are very, very opposed to Amazon, so that is something to be aware of.”
An audience of 250 people at McKinleyville’s Azalea Hall was mostly Amazon-hostile and some jeered and called Ford names.
The meeting quickly became a forum for Amazon hatred, with the company accused of being anti-social, exploitative and corrupt.
The verbal venom included a suggestion that if the facility is built, it should be burned down.
But Ford told the commission the plan is to release a public notice on preparation of the EIR and take comments on it through June. A draft EIR is expect to be completed in September with comments on it taken through October.
A final EIR will be finished “sometime toward the end of the year,” Ford said.
Amazon seeks to develop a 40,290 square-foot “last mile delivery station” in the McKinleyville Airport Business Park. The facility won’t warehouse products, only receive and deliver them to area residents in Amazon’s vehicles.
It’s a plan that aligns with the Airport Business Park’s zoning and, on the surface, makes constructive use of a property where light industrial activity has been envisioned for years.
But in Humboldt County, Amazon is an extremely provocative brand name.
After Ford detailed the EIR timeline, Commissioner Peggy O’Neill asked, “So the community’s response didn’t deter Amazon at all? They’re not going to go away based on that?”
Ford paused and his eyes moved upward as he chose his words.
“I mean, it caught their attention,” he said. “I’m not going to say that it had no effect. I think that one of the things they recognize is that there are some people that just hate Amazon, but there are probably people in the community that believe that some job creation and investment in the community is good.”
Commissioner Iver Skavdal alluded to the difference between social opinions and land use decision-making.
“To be clear, our role in our project is simply land use compliance,” he said.
“It is land use,” Ford said. “It is a project that gets evaluated and not the name associated with it. And sometimes those are hard to differentiate between for many people.”
Commission Chair Sarah West asked Ford if the commission can “consider economic benefit or detriment within the scope of our purview if that information is presented to us.”
“To the extent that it may have an effect on public health, safety and welfare, I would say yes,” Ford replied. “That is something that we will be talking to Amazon about because obviously that was one of the big concerns that was expressed during that meeting.”
He added, “It would be interesting to know whether or not some of the things that were said are really based on good science or just thoughts that people have.”
West said she’s “heard arguments in both directions.”
Returning the focus to land use, O’Neill said it would be “useful to also have a little historical presentation” on the Airport Park’s creation and the industrial “purposes and uses that were planned for it.”
She noted the property has “sat there for a long time with minimal development.”
Humboldt County’s environmental and social consciousness is often criticized for hamstringing economic development and Ford’s response to O’Neill highlighted the lack of it.
“Right,” he said. “I mean, I am embarrassed to say this but we really have not seen commercial development in Humboldt County in the time I have been director here.”
Ford has been the county’s planning director for 10 years.
Earlier:
- Amazon in Humboldt? The Permits Are Moving
- Amazon Warehouse Seen as Potential Revenue Lifeline in Tight County Budget
- Public Meeting Regarding Proposed Amazon Distribution Facility on Wednesday, April 29
- Amazon’s Humboldt Project Meets Rowdy Opposition at First Public Meeting
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Jeff Bezos did not become the fourth richest man in the world by caring what you think. All he cares about is what you buy.
Bezos has retired. He invented something that caught on big, like American Businessmen often do…
OH, you have “In And Out”!
Find something else to complain about…
Or order off crappy Canadian “Shopify”…
They treat their employees like garbage…
It’s all the same China made crap. Order it off Temu and save some money. Heck, drive your butt to Walmart and get out of your car. Walk around and shop. It’s better for your mind and body.
You’re right—but my last purchase from Temu was delivered in an Amazon box! There’s really no escape—Walmart.com has all the same Chinese-made crap and also uses Amazon fulfillment (I almost rejected my mail once accidentally, because I don’t have an Amazon account, and my purchase from Walmart.com got delivered in an AMAZON package!)
Edit to add that Keeping your money is always a win, so I Definitely agree on Temu>Amazon for that reason. Just pointing out that they collaborate.
Many businesses sell on Amazon, Temu, & Walmart…sellers probably had run out of Temu & Walmart boxes, so used an Amazon box…
Less good for the environment. Take a walk outside your house instead.
Bezos remains Executive Chair of Amazon and he is its largest individual shareholder.
Nick, do you have some facts to back up your comment. I can’t find that any place on the internet.
here you go:
About Amazon > Investor Relations > Officers and directors https://ir.aboutamazon.com/officers-and-directors/default.aspx
I simply never shop at Amazon. You can always go to the source of the advertised product and buy it there.
The county has a good chance to F this up, like they did on the fish farm. All opposed have voiced their dumb opinions. The other 96% want this or dont care?
“The other 96% want this or dont care?”
I’ve often wondered about that percentage. I’m also sure that the opinions expressed on this website don’t completely represent the general population of Humboldt, and the opinions of the nation.
Mob rule seems to apply to everything lately. 80+ percent of Americans want voter ID, in person voting. Yet it is shouted down.
73% and 80% in early 2026, support the deportation of illegal aliens who have committed crimes. And, we know how that is working.
64% to 70% of Americans support eliminating the biannual clock changes. Good luck with that.
Absolutely everybody wants the government to pass a budget. Absolutely nobody agrees what it should look like.
Please don’t be fooled that we live in a democracy. Please don’t be fooled that we live in a republic. It is apparent that we live in a mob-ocracy. It is getting more than tedious, it is getting dangerous.
Let’s all grab a piece of cardboard out of the trash scribble some catch-phrase on it and go block traffic until they give our opinions some chance of actually happening.
It’s pure USA and how/why the governance was invented. The price of freedom. Dangerous – yes! That’s part of the price. In other places – they just kill you if you don’t comply. Unfortunately, there is a faction here that supports, enables that, wants to change to that – despite claims they don’t. Other places, they may not kill you – they just take your freedom and liberty. There is a faction here that would like to do that however there is freedom to prevent that from happening.
I don’t know what people say they want but
“In the 2024 election, nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots early or by mail” https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-voters-cast-ballots-early-and-by-mail/
How about an exposé on when the last time Humboldt County voter rolls were last maintained properly…???
Not exactly bad cops, but still a concern for some of us…
It could be an eye opener…
Or more appropriately, on why it’s NOT being done, as I have solid evidence I won’t share that it’s actually not being done properly and/or regularly.
I still find it very odd that the ratios of votes vary so wildly between vote center votes and vote by mail votes…
On Prop 50, vote center votes were about 50/50 +-3% yes…
(Just very slightly over 1 yes vote to just slightly under 1 no vote…)
But vote by mail vote ratio was 50/50 +-17% yes…
(Virtually 2 yes votes to 1 no vote…)
Same thing happens with general elections , but only for the two main political party candidates, whereas the same vote center/vote by mail 50/50 vs 2/1 anomaly mysteriously does not also occur for the other various political party candidates, and that just doesn’t add up…
Accumulated excess ineligible vote by mail ballots floating around all willy nilly, due to voter rolls not being properly maintained for decades, and ballot harvesting, would certainly give the appearance of being possibly responsible for such an anomaly, even if it is actually unrelated to the unusual phenomenon…
And let’s not forget, it’s also a violation to just drop anyone’s else’s mail in ballot that they have filled out into the mail, and/or into a ballot drop box, as a “step saving” favor, even for one’s spouse and family members, and let’s not kid ourselves about how very often that surely happens…!!!
ESPECIALLY, with the new automatic voter registration schemes that the Democrats conjured up, that aren’t even universal by state nationally, (which is unbalanced and therefore unacceptable IMO)…
…voter roll maintenance should be done regularly, thoroughly, and transparently, with public notice of it’s occasional and or regularly scheduled completion, for enhanced voter confidence in our election process, if for nothing else, but let’s not overlook the fact that the supreme court has lawfully established that it must be done, not that it only should be done…
Shouldn’t we all not be averse to such proper maintenance and notification…???
Just think of all the wasted postage, wasted paper ballots, and wasted voter pamphlets it would save…
Just think of the environmental benefits…!!!
PS…
Shouldn’t your link’s quote say:
“In the 2024 election, nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots early [and] by mail”…???
…not…
“In the 2024 election, nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots early or by mail”…???
How would one actually vote early, if not also by mail…???
You can backup your secret information by requesting the records.
Request records directly under the California Public Records Act, you can ask for: NVRA compliance records
voter roll maintenance procedures.
Notices sent to inactive voters
Notices of removed or updated registrations
Vote Cal reconciliation records.
You can submit a records request through Humboldt County public records request portal.
My evidence is ironclad…
It needs no “backup”…
If you want to dispute it, that evidence is up to you to gather, not me..
If you think that I’m wrong, please prove it with evidence, not merely attempt it with innuendos…
Your lack of evidence to the contrary, actually corroborates to an extent, my assertion that it’s actually not being done…
So, thanks for proving my point, that it can’t be disproven, because it’s true, Kris…
I appreciate it…
That’s a burden-shifting, unfalsifiable argument.
Claiming something is true because nobody disproved it is an appeal to ignorance.
If you can prove that Humboldt County voter rolls are being properly maintained, then why aren’t you…???
If you can’t, then it seems as though you actually have no reason to dispute it, or to suggest that I gather unnecessary additional evidence that I don’t need…
Talk about burden shifting…
I am claiming something is true because I have evidence of it…
Nobody has disproved it precisely because it is true, not the other way around…
And you said the rest, not me…
My appeal would be to intelligence, not to ignorance, as you have claimed…
Argue that point, if you must…
But, from here on out, you’re on your own…
Or more appropriately, on why it’s NOT being done, as I have solid evidence I won’t share that it’s actually not being done properly and/or regularly.
Whatever. I seriously doubt you have some uber secret info that only you have ever seen. Why try to brag about it here? Info is useless unless shared, if it exists. You got ‘nuttin, man.
Next you’re gong to tell us where Jimmy Hoffa is buried and what’s also in the Epstein files, but also can’t say?
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon to figure out what kind of recent ongoing hard evidence their might be to conclusively prove that the Humboldt County voter rolls are not being maintained properly, beyond a shadow of doubt…
You might need to use your imagination, but I certainly don’t…
Then again, you could also attempt to simply employ deductive reasoning…
Good luck proving, with evidence, that the Humboldt County voter rolls are being properly maintained even remotely reasonably and/or regularly, even though it is required by the National Voting Rights Act, and Federal Law…
Because that, CsMisadventures, damn sure ain’t gonna happen…
Call it a direct challenge…
…to you, and/or anyone else, to actually prove it…
This site included…
I won’t be holding my breath, because I am totally confident that it isn’t going to happen…
Consider this…
One very plausible, entirely possible reason that “voter” turnout always appears to be so dismally low in Humboldt County, is probably most likely due to the fact that there is virtually unquestionably an incredible number of unmaintained, un purged, ineligible, voter registrations that are entirely disconnected from actual living, breathing, eligible voters that are currently properly registered resident voters of Humboldt County…
(Hint, Hint…)
If you still think that isn’t a big problem, and a giant mess that needs to be cleaned up, then we will remain in ongoing disagreement…
(It happens to be against the law…)
At this moment, there could easily be as many, or more, currently ineligible Humboldt County voter registrations, than there are currently eligible Humboldt County voter registrations…
I’d just about bet on that…
Get rid of the ineligible ones, and guess what…???…
…”Voter turnout” would instantly “double”…!!!
Understand…???
Dismal “Voter turnout”, as it turns out, is almost certainly very indicative of extremely long term, shamelessly unmaintained voter rolls…
Call me a skeptic.
I’m going to skip right over that screed until you can post something legitimate to back up the previous rant. I’ll also toss aside whatever subtle insults you posit about our intelligence or information gathering skills.
It’s absolutely ridiculous of you to in any way represent that the Humboldt County voter rolls are being properly maintained…
You have provided absolutely no evidence whatsoever to support your total nonsense…
And you aren’t even lifting a finger to even attempt do so…
I already asserted this:
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon to figure out what kind of recent ongoing hard evidence their might be to conclusively prove that the Humboldt County voter rolls are not being maintained properly, beyond a shadow of doubt…”
And now I will show you how to provide proof of it…
And I am neither a rocket scientist, nor am I a brain surgeon…
But I do have common sense, and critical thinking skills…
I simply googled…
“What kind of evidence might indicate that Humboldt County voter rolls were not being properly maintained?”
And voila…
https://publicinterestlegal.org/press/pilf-uncovers-alarming-errors-in-californias-voter-rolls-nearly-95000-deceased-registrants-tens-of-thousands-of-duplicates-and-placeholder-birthdates/
‘PILF UNCOVERS ALARMING ERRORS IN CALIFORNIA’S VOTER ROLLS: NEARLY 95,000 DECEASED REGISTRANTS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DUPLICATES, AND PLACEHOLDER BIRTHDATES’
Published On: September 19th, 2025
“The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has uncovered widespread inaccuracies in California’s voter registration rolls, including nearly 95,000 deceased registrants, tens of thousands of duplicates across state lines, and thousands of records with placeholder or fictitious birthdates.
PILF’s comprehensive review, based on a sample of 2 million active registrants, found:
94,516 deceased registrants flagged from comparisons with the Social Security Death Index and obituary records.
57,725 interstate duplicates where California registrants also appeared on voter rolls in other states, led by Washington (15,064), Florida (13,534), and Oregon (8,956).
3,104 same-address duplicates.
7,677 registrants with placeholder or fictitious birthdates, including records like “1/1/1900” or “1850-01-01,” complicating voter roll maintenance.
8 percent of sampled birthdates contained errors when checked against Social Security and credit bureau records, signaling systemic problems with data integrity.
“These are failures that put election security at risk,” said PILF President J. Christian Adams. “California’s voter roll is riddled with errors. State officials must act to fix these problems before another election cycle passes.”
Logan Churchwell, PILF’s Research Director, added: “California is not alone. Our reviews across the country have shown that voter roll maintenance is falling behind everywhere. But California’s scale of errors is staggering.” ”
________________________________________
Now, please consider this, also, CsMisadventures…
These
“NEARLY 95,000 DECEASED REGISTRANTS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DUPLICATES, AND PLACEHOLDER BIRTHDATES”
Are “based on a sample of [only] 2 million active registrants”…
So, multiply the results by over 11, because there are over 22 million registered voters in California…
https://www.lassennews.com/number-of-registered-voters-in-california-rises
Is all of that “legitimate” enough for you…???
Or will you remain in stubborn denial of a glaringly obvious truth that you could have just as easily confirmed beyond a shadow of doubt, as I just have…
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink…”
Continued…
(From the lassennews.com link…)
“A total of 22,114,456 Californians are registered to vote”
Continued…
The most recent election in Humboldt County had a dismal 54.94% registered voter turnout…
You do the math…
Just an FYI…
https://www.votebeat.org/arizona/2025/09/04/election-security-vs-voting-rights-voter-roll-list-maintenance/
‘A guide to understanding the debate over keeping voter rolls ‘clean’ ‘
“The Justice Department’s demands for state records highlight the long-running struggle between improving election security and safeguarding voting rights.”
“What does the law require?
There are two key federal laws that govern the maintenance of voter rolls.
The National Voter Registration Act requires election officials to make a “reasonable effort” to remove voters who become ineligible to vote because they move or die, a process known as list maintenance. The Help America Vote Act, enacted about a decade later, requires states to use a computerized statewide list of every registered voter and assign them a unique identification number. It also requires them to remove duplicated names.
Beyond that, it’s up to state and local governments to set their own policies for how and when to perform list maintenance, and it’s up to federal courts to decide what is “reasonable.” That term isn’t defined in the law, and it’s often where voting rights groups and advocates for stricter list maintenance disagree.”
Continued…
“House Republicans claimed dirty voter rolls enable fraud, and said ensuring that only eligible voters are on the list increases election security and voter confidence…
…“This is not and should never be a partisan issue,” said Rep. Laurel Lee, a Florida Republican and former secretary of state. “Maintaining accurate voter rolls is fundamental to election security and public trust.”…
Do poorly maintained voter rolls allow for more fraud?
Generally speaking, removing a voter who has moved prevents them from wrongly voting in their old voting jurisdiction, and removing a voter who has died prevents another person from fraudulently casting a ballot in their name.
But Churchwell, of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, said the number of prosecutions does not properly measure how much fraud occurs. Rather, he said, it indicates the state’s propensity to prosecute. “I doubt you’ll find research showing where a state is simultaneously terrible at list maintenance yet zealous with prosecutions,” he said.”
Hi Kym, Happy mothers day.
“In the 2024 election, nearly 60% of voters cast their ballots early or by mail” And… What choice did they have.
Maybe you noticed in the California election this time the Democrats have said to wait for the very last moment to vote for the most popular Democrat. Not vote early.
I forgot to add that election day should be election day, not when-ever-day. Or, when whenever they get all the ballots counted… or found.
Humboldt county is always screwing up the election, then they brag about how great they are for finding their screw-ups.
So true, Ernie…
When Democrats are clearly trying to game the early voting vote by mail election system, by attempting to form and or lead, an in your face conspiracy of manipulative voters, based on otherwise unattainable information, potential election fraud is afoot..
One day only, at the polls only voting, would nip that silly nonsense right in the bud…
You have a very good point…
And your last point is also very succinct…
Any candidate that boasts in any way of, and/or has a reputation of, “taking responsibility for mistakes”, would certainly not be my first choice…
Call it “a deal breaker”…
I second your sentiment on the Mothers Day wishes.
But I’m not really sure what point you’re trying to make with the rest of your comment.
Why did you choose to conflate the issues of voting by mail and voting early?
People choose to vote by mail (yes, we have choices) because it’s safe and convenient.
This election cycle, an idea being proposed by some Democrats (they’re not a homogeneous group) is to wait until there is a clear frontrunning Democrat before casting their vote.
Personally, I have voted by mail in the last several elections, but I never vote early. In fact, I think it’s dumb to vote early because you never know what last-minute revelations or changes might emerge.
I agree. I have never associated voting by mail with voting early. Seems like more of a matter of convenience and an attempt to get people to vote that may not otherwise make it to the polling place. I don’t really see the advantage to voting early for any party
well said.
And remember that either 73.4% or 74.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics“
?-
Your response to someone making up statistics is to also make up statistics?
it’s called irony
62% of people citing statistics are making them up
84% of U.S. adults favored “requiring all voters to provide photo identification at their voting place.”
Voting by mail ballots are only sent to already registered voters.
You already got MacDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Target and Safeway… These are Corporations that don’t care what you think…
It’s basically a Post Office…
Humboldt County is Anti-Business, Anti-Growth and Anti-Jobs and completely mired in Diversity Inclusion and Equity Pipe-Dreams…
This protesting is Bullshit, and obviously, people order stuff constantly because there is no other choice…
If you don’t like them, don’t order anything…
I’m tired of the non stop tantrum. People in humboldt county need jobs, or humboldt can be a bunch of welfare bums. These people and their protests don’t represent anyone but themselves.
For a second I anticipated you were going to say Humboldt County is completely mired in pot-pipes.
I don’t and if people give me Amazon gift cards I use it to buy the person who gave me the card a gift. I have had to tell family that I would prefer a box of sentimental love than some China made stuff ordered offline.
I think there’s a lot more lazy people than I suspected here. There’s plenty of stuff here to buy. I’m disappointed that our buying habits drew Amazon’s attention. I’ll be ok. I just thought we were better than this but for all intents and purposes we are the same all everyone else, just a bunch of mindless hoarding consumers.
I doubt individuals in Humboldt is a shopping market Amazon cares all that much about. What they care about is opening up delivery up and down the whole coast for retail store orders. Ie the places you say you say you prefer to shop. We have an airport and we have a harbor and we have land so we have possibilities beyond retail. All undeveloped but on paper a possibility. We’ll see whether this is a real opertunity or, like many others, what looks encouraging founders on the reality of fog, storms, earthquakes and the coastal range.
“Amazon has announced the launch of Amazon Supply Chain Services. This new division makes the company’s entire freight, distribution and delivery infrastructure available to third-party companies. Originally developed to support e-commerce operations, the offer applies the Amazon Web Services model to the physical supply chain, targeting sectors from healthcare to automotive and competing directly with players such as UPS and FedEx.”
https://uk.fashionnetwork.com/news/Amazon-opens-its-logistics-network-to-brick-and-mortar-retailers,1829548.html
I posted the same earlier this week. Amazon doesn’t need to directly sell us anything other than maybe FireTV sticks and streaming services and a fee for handling packages. All their products are just other corporations, businesses large and small and people, some of them just random shoppers like you and me on their Marketplace. Anybody can sell on it. Or Facebook Marketplace. Or Craigslist. Or Offer UP., eBay. Pick something.. All those go through one corporate channel or another.
Regardless, they’re creeping closer with at least their Prime Delivery. I did spy one of their trucks in Cave Junction on my last trip to Oregon. Numerous businesses around town are also becoming pick-up/return locations for them, if handled by UPS for the time being. They’re trying to change that towards their own package handling from business to home. All that and I’m not yet aware of anyone locally part of their Supply Chain Services. Could be wrong.
If people really want to be upset how Amazon does this or that and is all just Chinese crap, let’s ask the same people if any of them have bought something from Temu or Shein in the last year. Or Alibaba.
But since its having jobs or no jobs and try to get one at a place that has maybe 3 employees and no benefits an example is the Walmart Distribution center in Red Bluff.
“RED BLUFF, Calif. — As automation technology becomes increasingly common, concerns about machines replacing human workers are on the rise. However, Walmart says they are implementing automation at its facilities with a focus on people.
The Walmart distribution center just outside of Red Bluff, located on 99 West, serves over 110 stores from Washington to Nevada. The facility spans 1.2 million square feet, which equals the size of seven football fields. Scott Miller and his brother Wes are among the more than 500 employees working at the center.
500 jobs people. In a city smaller than Eureka. Automated too full of those scary job stealing robots.
These companies also do remote CSR work for those looking for that. I know of three people locally that worked for Amazon and UPS as CSRs at home. Same pay, same benefits. Great work during COVID.
Regarding “Commission Chair Sarah West asked Ford if the commission can “consider economic benefit or detriment within the scope of our purview if that information is presented to us.”
“To the extent that it may have an effect on public health, safety and welfare, I would say yes,” Ford replied. ”
This contradicts what Ford said in Chamber Road development in front of planning. He said from his special spot i meeting room that it is absolutely not the Planning Department’s job to consider economic impact.
So it wasn’t to be discussed for Chambers Road but it could be for Amazon?
I think we need a younger and better head of the Planning Department. Mr. Ford retired once, tried to get another job from another place, that fell thru fast on the QT, and retired Ford became rehired Ford.
Sooner or later the geriatrics trying to stay powerful until they fall over with a paycheck need to realize that they are very much part of the reason there are no jobs. Old style management, out of date tools and ideas, staying to seventy never was a thing before, it’s time for new people.
Take your retirement checks and instantly make new jobs for younger and more recently educated people. Oh gee, some despite seeing time’s arrow flying along, didn’t prepare for retirement? Good planning and all that.
Ageism is so empowering… until the inevitable takes hold.
When the short-haired boomers die off the US will have a chance to be great.
Ouch!
Please explain to me this great plan you see the younger generation will have for us all. I’m constantly hearing some people talk this way but never hear how exactly our lives will be better. Will wait……
And, the head lice population will have a chance again.
You will be old someday.. or not. Either way tickles the shit out of me.
When the reality(costs) of the losses of delineated coastal wetlands is realized, John Ford will wish he had just retired.
I don’t know Mr. Ford nor have any information regarding your claims, but public safety, health, and welfare are not the same as economic impact. For instance if it were possible to put a million oil wells in Humboldt County it might have a positive economic impact put it would have a negative impact on public health, safety and welfare. That would be the Planning Commission’s consideration that would keep a project like that from moving forward in that example.
Also, your age-based hatred is inappropriate and very revealing of your character. If you are lucky enough to have a long life, I hope you never have to endure the bigotry you are promoting.
“…but public safety, health, and welfare are not the same as economic impact.”
-LSandR-
_______________________________________
That is a basically ridiculous assertion…
…public safety, health, and welfare are absolutely joined at the hip with economic impact.
Magical thinking and bitterness and blame is no solution for those who are too inept and self-defeating to solve problems.
I’ve been thinking this too.
Yet I suspect we do not mean the same people.
“public health, safety, and welfare” does not, anywhere, include economic impact.
what kind of democracy do we live in, where the will of the majority can be dismissed by oligarchs? couldn’t the amazon facility go into the old eureka mall instead, if we need more low paying no benefit jobs around here?
They want to fly stuff into the airport, and then distribute it. That, in a nutshell, is why that economic zone near the airport was created.
Good! The great majority of those hate-filled spewers at that meeting were just stupid followers of the hate that has taken over what used to be public discourse. You know what?- There are legitimate criticisms to be made and you can do that with decency! And a few people did that. Good for them!! But most of the idiots just loved the hate that they themselves hold and build and emanate from themselves. It reminded me of those “No Kings” rallies and other Trump hating displays…THERE ARE LEGITIMATE REASONS TO DISAGREE AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SPEAK but why do you choose to be a rabid pack of assholes? It’s shameful and disrespectful to all of us…
I love this. It means me singing This Little Light of Mine in public on the courthouse steps with my friends and neighbors is working. I’m glad I got to you.
No. Again you have it wrong. Just because we think differently about some things does not mean I am now to be dismissed as a MAGA or a Trump-Lover or whatever you project me as so to retain your self-righteous opinion of your group. I actually like that song and if you were singing it on the courthouse steps well that’s okay by me. Song and dance are excellent tools for communicating ideas! So is comedy. Your singing is not what I am commenting about at all. Unfortunately if you cannot see the hatred being spewed by some members of your protest then you are willfully blinded…because the hate and arrogance is what many of us see and it’s a BIG turn-off. But anyways- keep on singing! Singing is good stuff, sister. Just my only question is…that song was a very important song in the civil rights movements and as an African-American spiritual song. Again- Good Stuff! But how does it apply in the protest at Humboldt County Courthouse? Is the protest about colored people being oppressed under white prejudicial systematic racism? Are you a colored person or did you just lift the song for some reason? I mean- why that song? It’s a powerful song but it seems out of place….
Actually, I am a slightly colored person from a mixed race family that grew up in a mixed race community in Alabama. I learned it in church as a little girl. I do in fact feel civil rights are in danger so I’ll be out there singing my heart out for the duration.
Thank you for this response. Some feel civil rights are in danger and they have every right to speak or sing out. I don’t share that concern but…so what? I don’t get to tell you how to feel! Keep on singing your song and thank you for explaining the connection for me. And yes- race doesn’t matter…white people can sing it too if they want. I’m half Latino but my people stopped getting oppressed a century ago…melting pot and all…Love my country Fear my government always
People don’t seem to understand what this facility is – this is Amazon creating low paying jobs for “last-mile” deliveries that currently go to the USPS, and are delivered by reasonably well payed Union workers, so that Amazon can bank more profits.
Every job created by this facility will be a job reduced at the local Post Offices.
I value the post office as a community good. And I don’t disagree that Amazon has taken much of the services that fund them away from it. Various administration’s have repeatedly attempts to staunch the loss without fundamental restructuring and failed.
What I do disagree with is the idea that you can stop the post office’s decline by stopping Amazon building a warehouse. Unfortunately the post office relied on a commodity- letters and advertising- that is fast disappearing for the bulk of its income. Being semi-govermental means it could not escape its own regulations nor expand into a different, more viable product. The good paying jobs are tied to those same regulations that limit it’s ability to compete. It is sad but inevitable that the post office is an artifact that’s always on life support.
The USPS is only doing bad today because in 2006 they were instructed to prefund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance. This was reversed in 2022 but the damage has already been done.
Good point! But here we are now…moving forward…
Have they done it in reality? In fact they had repeatedly defaulted. “The Postal Service began defaulting on its payments in 2012. A fact sheet said that without defaulting, the service “would not have been able to pay our employees, our suppliers, or deliver the mail” — a point the postmaster general reiterated in 2019 congressional testimony.”
“The service’s own fact sheet says a House bill to scrap the pre-funding requirement “will not reduce our underlying liability for retiree health benefits, nor improve our cash flow or long-term financial position.””
“But the 2006 law requiring the pre-funding of health benefits for future retirees — not pensions — has put a financial strain on the Postal Service and hurt its ability to turn a profit in some recent years.
However, the Postal Service has more financial problems than just the requirements of the law. ”
So far from only problem.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/apr/15/afl-cio/widespread-facebook-post-blames-2006-law-us-postal/
For a government that can spend a billion an hour over on a military excursion in Iran, you’d think they could prop up the USPS a little. But USPS is much like Amtrak; when government tries to operate a business as a business and not a department.
Another Humboldt Failure-to-Launch in progress. Next on the program, CEQA extortion over the EIR.
If you buy from Amazon then you are voting for this facility, reducing local employment, driving independent and ethical manufactures out of business and making political donations to Trump and whatever garbage the Dems serve us this time. Sure you save a buck or two, but don’t complain as the our community and the rest of the world circle the drain.
Poor and struggling families MUST save wherever they can. Your comment and similar ones are coming from a privileged and elitist place where you have choices that include spending MORE money for the same item. I find it bizarre that the “progressives” of Humboldt cannot admit their own economic privilege and are very ready to throw the poor and the working poor under the bus of their esteemed perspective. It’s kinda gross really….
That stance is basically blaming people for being poor and trying to save some money. It’s my problem with much of Arcata attitude and much of the local “progressives”. They feign caring for the poor and homeless yet will then readily throw them under the bus over ideological stands. My old neighbor used to proudly state “I never buy anything from Amazon because screw Bezos!” And he had inherited $2 Million so he didn’t have to! LOL This is where the “liberals’ and “progressives” are split from the lower working class- and they cannot even see it…and it sure seems to me that they really do not care
Again, and I’ll say this as a mother and grandmother who has always had to work hard to put a couple pennies together – poor people do not shop on Amazon. We spend our money face to face in the community. Amazon is some middle class shopping addiction hoarder bull ka ka.
Amazon is absolutely not cheaper.
If you were actually poor you’d know this. We don’t order off Amazon. Amazon is some middle class bull ka ka. We shop at WinCo, the Dollar Tree, Ross, we actually grace the Walmart with our presence talking to our friends and neighbors who work in these stores.
Not everybody, especially in Humboldt County, lives in the cities where those businesses are located. 150 mile round trip to Eureka from here…gasoline is expensive…wear and tear on vehicle is expensive. Free delivery from Amazon avoids much pollution.
Jeff’s idea is to most efficiently deliver goods and services from manufacturer/vendor to consumer. Amazon does it.
Sure there is a lot of crap for sale on Amazon, just like anyplace else. Online shopping makes it relatively easy to find the exact item being sought. Amazon offers, in one place, many more diverse items than any local store can stock and offer for sale. Plus, Amazon will get those items to consumers far less expensively and in the least polluting way, more efficiently than any other way — more efficiently than USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Amazon delivery services are customized to area served.
You do you. I have a different relationship with stuff.
Actually I suspect we’re closer than you think regarding stuff. I buy only what my family and I need. Our houses are not filled with stuff. We generate very little garbage. We purchase built-to-last items for specific needs. Not any crap.
I appreciate that. I feel like overconsumption is rooted in self esteem issues. I am recognize that my own personal choices in regards to spending my money are all my own and that everyone is allowed to do whatever they want. I also have been a working single mother and it’s tough out there. Sometimes convenience wins.
It’s weird that you called a billionaire by his first name though. The sooner that people give up the fairy tale that rich people are smarter, cooler, better looking, and are something to suck up to the better we will all be.
I met Jeff in mid-1990s when he was a bookseller in Seattle and I worked for a Book Distributor for Independent Publishers. Later helped him design his warehouse in Reno, modeled after ours next door.
Ah.
Way back when they sold books primarily, a relative gave me a gift card. I ordered Abbie Hoffman’s biography.
Yes- Amazon is less expensive for the items/tools that I need. Not always but mostly always. I guess we are shopping for different things? Or you count shopping as your recreation and social time and don’t include gas prices? I’d like to see an Amazon hater on here offer to pay me the difference in price to NOT shop Amazon. Include my time and gas and I will gladly shop at the more expensive brick and mortar! If it’s in stock lol
Amazon brings economic value but it’s low quality. If the county is to approve this project it needs to be approved with strong oversight that protects workers and the community. We want Amazon to bring value to Humboldt, not extract it.
Getting all that China made crap to their houses any quicker isn’t going to fill the big ol’ holes in their souls. If this is a go, we are going to need a bigger landfill.
For a person who asserts that consumerism damages the soul and you therefore avoid it, you sure are bitter and angry at a lot of people.
That is pretty funny. No one in my real life would ever think or say this. Maybe I just can’t type on these little phones in an attractive appealing way.
The Consumer is responsible for choosing quality items to buy. Not the seller. Amazon offers high quality goods and services too.
For example, my Husqvarna Chainsaw bought on Amazon was sold and shipped by Bailey’s in Woodland for the same price I would have paid at Bailey’s, but with free shipping to my door.
My Honda generator bought on Amazon came from a local Honda distributor — the money spent stayed in Humboldt. Same price as buying from the Distributor. Free delivery meant I didn’t spend time driving, wearing out my vehicle, spending additional $$ on gasoline, or polluting all along the way.
I can respect that. I’ve gotten into ordering directly from companies. I don’t drive but have a bad back so I have to live in Birkenstocks. I’ve gotten into ordering them directly. I know there’s folks that sell them locally but they don’t try to sell to me because I’m noticably poor. It’s ok. Getting fresh unworn Birkenstocks in the US mail is aces.
Sales tax on Amazon items purchased here leaves Humboldt County…
Let’s not kid ourselves…
It goes to the County in which the Amazon fulfilment center is located, not to the county that the resident made the purchase, and not to the County that has the kind of end of the line Amazon facility that is being located in McKinleyville…
Humboldt County will lose all of the sales tax, or nearly all of it…
Bradley Burns tax is like one percent, and I’m not even sure one way or another, if Humboldt County will even end up with that…
you sadly don’t know anything about how sales tax is levied
where the item is purchased is the base tax rate
in city of ukiah
ukiah tax on top of others
hopland is county and state taxes
if it was coke and we used the analogy of stepping on the dope ypuld probably understand that
“…ypuld…”…???
“In California, what county receives the sales tax revenue from Amazon sales?”
“In California, sales tax revenue from Amazon purchases generally goes to the city or county that hosts the specific warehouse (fulfillment center) from which the item is shipped, not necessarily where the buyer lives.*
Known as “sourcing,” this means hubs like Oxnard, Riverside, Tracy, and Bakersfield receive significant tax revenue.
Warehouse Location Wins:
Under California’s Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law, if an item is shipped from a California warehouse, the 1% local portion of the sales tax is allocated to that warehouse’s jurisdiction
.Key Hub Cities:
Cities with massive Amazon fulfillment centers, such as Oxnard (Ventura County), Fresno, and Tracy, receive substantial tax dollars from this arrangement.
Out-of-State/Other Items:
If an item is shipped from outside California, the tax revenue is typically allocated to a countywide pool and distributed among local jurisdictions.
The Debate:
This process has caused controversy, as local officials in cities without warehouses argue they miss out on revenue despite their residents generating the sales.”
What I wonder now is- do Walmart and Amazon treat online sales the same? After all Walmart does have a brick and mortar store in the county where Amazon doesn’t.
Apparently it does make a difference. But dang if I can find the exact difference. It maybe that county residence would benefit by shopping online with Walmart. But i can’t find it in a clear statement yet. Maybe you know?
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/retail-rivals-court-walmart-vs-amazon-e-commerce-tax-small–d5ste/
It depends on whether or not the fulfillment center is located in California or not…
A fulfillment center located outside of California would, I believe, result in the county where the order was made actually receiving the sales tax that sale generated…
So if Walmart’s fulfillment center was located outside of California, then an order placed from, say, Humboldt County, would result in the sales tax being ultimately remitted to Humboldt County…
Amazon has a fulfillment center in California, but it’s not in Humboldt County, so the sales tax from an Amazon order placed from Humboldt County, leaves Humboldt County, and goes to the California County that the Amazon fulfilment center is located…
As far as I can ascertain, that is…
There is another aspect that muddies/ muddles the issue…
The Bradley Burns tax, and how it’s distributed…
So, it’s a bit confusing, all in all…
Guest is right. Although the county still gets a bit of sales tax under the transportation clause. This article makes it more clear. https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/2024/07/26/amazon-brings-oxnard-17m-a-year-in-sales-tax-at-other-cities-expense/74499701007/
But even more difficult is the fact there was an initiative on this issue that made it to the point of becoming a Proposition but the California Supreme Court removed it from the ballot because it was not an initiative initiate by the legislature. It seems there are two ways for a Proposition to change the California Constitution. One is called a revision ⁹substantial change to the intent of the Constitution” and the other is an amendment which is doesn’t change the intent but only the method of achieving the intent.
So as it stands on the legislature can change this tax distribution issue and they haven’t. So if people choose to shop online, the sales tax does go elsewhere.
https://capitolweekly.net/amending-versus-revising-the-california-constitution/
Yep.
So, doesn’t it seem self defeating that the Supervisors County of Humboldt would raise it’s sales tax 1%, on the one hand, and then facilitate the establishment of an Amazon business model that siphons away all or nearly all of the sales tax that Amazon business model generates with the other hand…???
Talk about “one step forward, and ten steps backwards”…!!!
That’s our Supervisors for you…
Par for the course…
And they wonder why sales tax revenue somehow mysteriously decreased, instead of it increasing…!!!
Why on Earth would the supervisors even ever dream that carving off an even bigger chunk off of people’s backsides, than the previous heaping helping which was already being greedily and gluttonously carved from them all, would be the answer to their “collective” prayers…???
It certainly backfired…
That cost increase may have driven even more Humboldt County shoppers to order from Amazon, in order to just break even, causing the Humboldt County coffers to lose 10 dollars for every 1 dollar they thought they were going to gain, from every taxable Amazon purchase…
And so what do the Supervisors do, in all of their infinite wisdom…???
Permit and facilitate the Amazon business model, by rolling out the red carpet for that business model that siphons every tax dollar out of Humboldt County…
This move will certainly not “pencil out”, and one would think that the planning and building director, of all people, would be well aware of this…
Not to mention the supervisors…
Ask not what your trans- humanist techno- feudalist surveillance state can do for you
Seriously. It’s sort of sad. I thought we had way better relationships with stuff. We’re no better than anybody else. All this China made crap is not going to fill the holes in the souls.
Of course Amazon is moving forward with their project. They only care about their bottom line.
It’s kinda like how a business operates, If no plus sign on the bottom line you’re pretty much out of business.
Current POTUS doesn’t think so…
its a last mile forfillment center
means a semi drops off your order for delivery vams
inste of all those vans coming from the next town over
its more efficient
get a grip
The question should be…
Is it a conflict interest, and/or a self defeating excercize, for a building and planning director, to facilitate construction of an Amazon business structure, that redirects the sales tax revenue that it diverts to another county besides the one it’s in, namely Humboldt County, the County that pays John Fords salary…???
Shouldn’t it be John Ford’s job to instead facilitate the building and planning of homes and structures within Humboldt County that will not only provide additional property tax revenue, but also to prioritize business structures that ADD sales tax revenues to the County of Humboldt, not business structures that sales tax revenue, NOT DIVERT SALES TAX REVENUE TO OTHER COUNTIES…!!!???
(And also why a business structure that results in sales tax diversion and loss also being so strongly advocated for, by a Supervisor that is also paid by the taxes received by the County of Humboldt…???)
And any decreased tax revenue will directly result in corresponding correlative collateral damage causing reduced funding available for DHSS disbursements, if you were wondering how this facility will adversely affect Humboldt County Health and Safety…
And any jobs that are gained by Amazon’s new facility will not offset the number of jobs lost at brick and mortar businesses that will shutter within Humboldt County due to increased use of Amazon services…
Trust me, when Amazon service eventually become the only show in town, turning it into a monopoly, it’s prices will skyrocket accordingly, without any corresponding increase in Humboldt County sales tax revenue…
And Humboldt County residents will become it’s captives, in more ways than just being their minimally compensated employees…
Therefore, for these reasons and more, the harms of facilitating Amazon’s last mile distribution center, clearly outweigh the benefits…
So what’s the incentive, John Ford, and Steve Madrone, as far as your’ employer, Humboldt County is concerned…???
Because, I’m sure not seeing it…
I’m seeing it creating a giant loss for the County of Humboldt’s sales tax revenue, which you both should be primarily concerned…
It’s both of your duty to protect the interests of Humboldt County’s financial solvency, yet you are individually and collectively both combining your efforts in the opposite direction…
Please cease and desist…
The loss of sales tax revenue alone should be a deal breaker, especially as far as what both of you should be most concerned with…
Tax revenue…
You felt it necessary to have increased sales tax by one percent, on the one hand, and then you facilitate the out of county diversion of sales tax by facilitating Amazon, with the other hand, instead of facilitating, supporting, and, encouraging local businesses…???
That just doesn’t make any sense, folks…
If Humboldt County residents are charged sales tax, that revenue should be credited to Humboldt County, on behalf of Humboldt County residents, not diverted elsewhere just because Amazon was permitted by you both to do business here…
Thank you…
Ex-Wife lives in McKinleyville and is an Amazon shopping addict…. I guarantee she is screaming victim while making daily purchases…. I guarantee she is scrutinizing the environmental impact report while clicking for more garbage from overseas 🦍💨
This is the hypocritical mantra she lives while working for an environmental protection organization 🤢
The leftwingers who have invaded this county bitch about everything but drugs, sex,rock and roll and welfare
Amazon overtakes US Postal Service as largest parcel carrier https://www.freightwaves.com/news/amazon-overtakes-us-postal-service-as-largest-parcel-carrier
Introducing Amazon Supply Chain Services: Amazon’s logistics network, now open to every business https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-supply-chain-services-for-business
I would prefer the USPO maintained as a public service withut a requirement for profit. Bit unfortunately that lost any incentive for fiscal responsibility and benefits for employees were negotiated after striking to be better and less costly for their employees than the rest of civil service. And meanwhile most non-governmental employees lost any access to pensions and the ABA lost many health-care insurance from employment too. It was not a good look for government to take care of themselves while throwing the public to the wolves.
Of course the Feds are at least funding benefits unlike California which simply passed employees benefit after benefit yet made almost all the liabilities of that a tax payer burden.
I hope Amazon can see past the same old whining “anti anything” and bring us some jobs. Ford’s statement about us not having done anything positive in his 10 years here says it all. All the people who moved here from somewhere else are so eager to help us poor ignorant hillbillies from advancing beyond the 60’s.
For those opposed to an Amazon warehouse, just don’t buy anything from Amazon. What you are doing by your crying is trying to make it so that people who want Amazon can’t have it. In other words if you don’t want it then it shouldn’t be there.
Amazon has long been and remains a bottom feeder. Humboldt County has long been and remains a bottom feeder. Amazon and Humboldt County deserve each other. The perfect marriage arranged and presided over by the consistently dreadful bureaucratic deadwood that is John Ford.
Just to poke the bear and add fuel to discussions of unpopular issues. How about turning the canceled fish farm in to a large AI facility? The cool weather and abundant water and access to data lines are all pluses . Also add a small scale atomic plant to power it using the radioactive waste stored nearby.
Bad idea. The salty marine air right on the beach is hell on electronics and we do not really have upgraded or new infrastructure to accommodate one. There is an existing water line that LP used and I’m sure the HCSD would love the extra money to sell it to them, though the Mad River might dry up.
Also, there’s not enough electricity for it AND everyone else. A small-ish DC, which would take up about as much land as 4 Bayshore Malls would consume ~40MW of electricity. PG&Es Humboldt Bay station produces 163MW at 100% generation. You would have to rebuild the now defunct biomass station nearby. We do have that new data connection in Arcata but while the peninsula supported mills, railroads and shipbuilding for decades, a data center is a completely different monster.
Development hasn’t happened in the whole time he’s been here?… doesnt that say something about him, as well?
To his credit, although embarassed, he was honest about that.
Frischmann BM and Ramello GB (2023) Externalities, scarcity, and abundance. Front. Res. Metr. Anal. 7:1111446. doi: 10.3389/frma.2022.1111446
Thank you for article!
https://www.facebook.com/reel/896991286628743?s=yWDuG2&fs=e&mibextid=Nif5oz
Don’t want Amazon here? STOP buying from them. Duh. All the crap on Amazon is also available on the actual store’s websites…gave up Amazon years ago, don’t miss it ever. Vote with dollars folks.
Stop buying crap period. Turn off the TV.
Best comment of the week. Yes- Kill Your Television. Live Simply So Others Can Simply Live
Of course they are. To expect anything different, when it’s ‘the people vs corporate MEGA-GIANTS’ is, sadly, foolish. Grrrrr!!
Getting big money out of politics will help solve that.
Amazon is doing this in MANY communities! They don’t give a FUCK about the people, their community or anything! As usual, AMAZON IS ONLY OUT FOR PROFIT$$$$!!
Resist being a ‘cheap, unconscious consumer’! Have values! Care about workers and our country that is being exploited! BOYCOTT AMAZON!!!!
Yes indeed that bears repeating “Resist being a ‘cheap, unconscious consumer’!”
Now how do you propose to most efficiently deliver essential goods and services from manufacturer to consumer? To minimize environmental impact from those activities, such as resources, pollution, etc.?
One way to begin is to use the USPS, which has done delivery for a hundred years or so! If you need to, use Fed Ex or UPS, etc. ANYTHING BUT AMAZON!! Things will change with time (and more progressive leadership).
USPS was about to order a whole new fleet of electric postal trucks when….. trump’s head of USPS nixed the plan! Ugh!!
Moving down here in Tucson, I can see that Amazon has provided quite a few jobs. Save your anger for the data centers.
At least Amazon provides useful services to people, especially those who live in rural environments. They were a lifesaver during the pandemic, have in my experience conducted themselves honestly and without many glitches.
Bezos is also much less obnoxious and destructive than Musk.
I wonder, just how many of these people bitching and complaining about Amazon building a facility in McKinleyville even live in McKinleyville? Some people just want something to bitch about. If you don’t like Amazon don’t purchase anything from them. Why must you try to stop those that do.
Why? Really??!? Because good people stand uP for injustice!
I wouldn’t like to see a Trump tower going up in Humboldt either. Local business is the best business.
Amazon is already here regardless if they build a facility or not I work for the post office and more than half of what we deliver is Amazon packages. Literally 1000’s of packages a day our retail in our area sucks and I’m not suggesting that Amazon should be the standard but that’s what happens when there’s not many options to choose from.