[CRNMC] spoke with Ben at CELDF

[dougmck at mcn.org]

 Hello all,

I spoke with Ben at CELDF this morning to clarify some of the
language in the ordinance, including the single issue/double issue
question that I have heard many in our community ask about.  I feel
better about most of what he said in response to my queries and hope
to do an interview with him and Shannon in the next month to clarify
some of this for all of you.  I do feel it is important to recognize
that while Measure F establishes a "Community Bill of Rights" the
single issue is that of "The right of our community to clean
water."  There is no list of rights in the Measure, only the
specific language about clean water.  Though I am personally still
somewhat unclear as to how passing this right along with making
fracking illegal is still one issue, Ben has assured me that
similarly written measures in other states with the same "single
issue" requirement has passed muster with courts and other bodies who
review this policy.  It is my understanding that that the fracking
ban is an enforcement mechanism which uses the "right to clean water"
once the measure is passed.  

He also assured me that future Measures can use the same language to
add to our list of "community rights" once Measure S is passed. 
Also, I would urge those of you in the Charter County movement here
in Mendocino County to contact them as well as they have written
multiple charters for other communities and they can make sure the
language in the Charter is consistent with the language in already
written into Measure S and others to follow.

At the end of the day I feel better about our association with CELDF
as they seem to have a handle on these questions and have dealt with
this on multiple occasions in other areas.

Doug 

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