Letter to the Editor: A Eureka Ward 1 Candidate Outlines Priorities

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The City of Eureka must focus on taking care of our own community before taking on new priorities. We need to address the challenges we already face, including homelessness, mental health, public safety, our local economy, infrastructure, and responsible housing.

Simply throwing more money at problems is not always the solution. We need programs that produce real results. The way the City of Eureka is currently addressing homelessness and severe mental illness is, in my opinion, inhumane. Too many people are living on our streets without receiving the treatment, services, and long-term support they need, while our neighborhoods continue to feel the impacts of a system that is not working for anyone.

I will work with the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors to make the TAP program mandatory instead of voluntary so individuals struggling with severe mental illness, substance abuse, and chronic homelessness receive the treatment and services they need. The current voluntary approach is not solving the problem, and we do not have the personnel or resources to continue managing the growing crisis without meaningful intervention. It is time for the City and County to work together to create lasting solutions instead of continuing the same approach and expecting different results.

Regarding housing, I want to be clear: I support building more housing in Eureka. However, if new housing is going to be built, there must be common-sense rules in place. Every new development should provide enough on-site parking for its residents. We should not take away parking from the neighborhoods where people have lived for years to accommodate new projects. Growth should be responsible, and new developments should complement existing neighborhoods—not create additional burdens for them.

To strengthen our local economy, I believe the City should waive all city startup fees for a business’s first year. Giving new businesses the opportunity to establish themselves before facing additional costs will encourage investment, create jobs, and help our local economy grow.

We also need to prioritize the basics. Our roads should be safe for everyone who drives, bikes, and walks in Eureka. The Eureka Police Department needs the staffing necessary to proactively patrol our neighborhoods and enforce traffic laws, including speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving. I have also proposed creating a dedicated traffic unit—an approach that has proven successful in improving safety in communities across the country.

These are practical, common-sense steps that will make Eureka safer, stronger, and more livable. We don’t need more empty promises or a government that keeps spending more while expecting different results. We need leadership that works with our county partners, supports local businesses, invests in public safety, protects our neighborhoods, and spends taxpayer dollars responsibly.

I am not going to make a long list of promises that I may or may not be able to keep. The only promise I will make is this: I will fight every day to be your voice inside City Hall and on the City Council. I will fight for my constituents in Ward 1, but I will also fight for every citizen of Eureka. I will listen, I will be transparent, and I will always put our community first. My job is not to represent special interests—it is to represent the people of Eureka.
Jason McCutcheon