I saw an article online recently saying the state of California has declared HAM radio is no longer a benefit, and they want to dismantle he HAM radio repeater infrastructure. This seems a bit strange, and I'm wondering why? HAM radio is still useful, isn't it?

http://offgridsurvival.com/california-officials-declare-ham-radio-no-longer-a-b enefit

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I saw an article online recently saying the state of California has declared >HAM radio is no longer a benefit, and they want to dismantle he HAM radio >repeater infrastructure. This seems a bit strange, and I'm wondering why? HAM
radio is still useful, isn't it?

http://offgridsurvival.com/california-officials-declare-ham-radio-no-longer-a-b
enefit

Well, they either:

(1) want to spend the money on something that buys them more votes;
(2) they want to sell the frequencies to other enterprises to make money; or (3) they don't like they idea that there are "off-gridders/prepers/etc." benefiting from it because they are all crazy, should be on the government teat, etc.

Or maybe they are just stupid and think the internet makes everything
obsolete.

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(1) want to spend the money on something that buys them more votes;

I believe it's similar to this, but not about votes, it's likely more about cost to maintain thing that unfortunately has a negligible user base in the grand scheme of things. What's the fraction of residents that use HAM radio? Why should the other residents pay for the infrastructure?

(2) they want to sell the frequencies to other enterprises to make

It's probably also this...sort of. We live in an increasingly wireless world. There are a finite number of bands we can use. I suppose an argument can be made that these bands should be dedicated to what benefits the most people.

I see the value in amateur radio. I am also an "old soul" and love more
vintage styles of technology and tend to be a DIY-er, so this type of thing tugs at my heartstrings. But I don't see some evil person trying to "buy
votes" or "sell frequencies" as much as I see a reasonable person doing the best they can for their entire electorate.

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I see the value in amateur radio. I am also an "old soul" and love more vintage styles of technology and tend to be a DIY-er, so this type of thing tugs at my heartstrings. But I don't see some evil person trying
to "buy votes" or "sell frequencies" as much as I see a reasonable
person doing the best they can for their entire electorate.

I think you are correct. Public opinion is what generally drives these types
of decisions. The good of the many out weighs the needs of the few. Democracy has always been built on that bases. If HAM was still a widely used hobby/technology by the tax payers, then they wouldn't have an issue
continuing to foot the bill for it.

On the flip side, getting a HAM license has always been something I have
wanted to do but never gotten off my ass to accomplish. I know the echicken
is a HAM, maybe it is time I get around to doing it.

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I believe it's similar to this, but not about votes, it's likely more about cost to maintain thing that unfortunately has a negligible user base in the grand scheme of things. What's the fraction of residents that use HAM radio? Why should the other residents pay for the infrastructure?

They will know why if they have some sort of major disaster. Back several years ago, we had an unpredicted snow storm in this area that shut most of
the state (and parts of surrounding ones) down for most of a week. It
snowed a foot or more in a period of < 6 hours, and then the temperatures plunged with wind chills getting down into the -20 to -30F range.

HAM radio was used a lot for communications efforts. The local authorities were relying on it for expanded communications. I was not a HAM but was
able to monitor the traffic via a scanner. I figure the area would have survived without the HAMs but I am not so sure we would have recovered
quite so quickly without them.

IIRC, they also were well used during a winter flooding event that occured 2-3 years later.

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On the flip side, getting a HAM license has always been something I have wanted to do but never gotten off my ass to accomplish. I know the echicken is a HAM, maybe it is time I get around to doing it.

Same. I was a bit of a radio nerd in the army...but my specific role required it. In any case, as a Californian, maybe this isn't a possibility. Meh. I
have enough hobbies! lol.

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They will know why if they have some sort of major disaster. Back
several years ago, we had an unpredicted snow storm in this area that
shut most of the state (and parts of surrounding ones) down for most of
a week. It snowed a foot or more in a period of < 6 hours, and then the temperatures plunged with wind chills getting down into the -20 to -30F range.

It was also widely used during hurican Katrina. HAM operators were the ones
who coordinated rescue efforts with various agencies including getting the national guard to rescue people who were sitting on the roofs of their
houses.

Without question it is a valuable tool.

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