Valley Solutions

Mayors: Rail’s tax plan sucks

Fresno Bee. High-Speed Rail wants to capture local taxes; Central Valley cities are willing to sue. 
Synopsis: Nine mayors, including five from the Central Valley, have told the CA High-Speed Rail Authority what they think of the Authority’s plan to share local taxes collections: Not a chance. In its latest budget request, the Authority said that improved business prospects within a half mile of the new stations entitle it to a portion of incremental tax-revenue increases. Fresno’s Jerry Dyer called that a “legally dubious scheme” that is likely unconstitutional and “represents an unprecedented intrusion” on local government. That was the polite part. The letter was signed by the mayors of Merced (Matthew Serratto), Stockton (Christina Fugazi), Hanford (Mark Kairis), Bakersfield (Karen Goh) and five others.

Everybody’s got budget woes

Modesto Bee. War in Iran, inflation cited as deficit causes in Modesto’s proposed budget.
Synopsis: Modesto’s budget for next year came in at $674.9 million, with the largest portion designated for public safety. Combined, the police and fire departments will get about $200 million, with public works getting $95 million and utilities soaking up $121 million. The city will rely on Measure H sales-tax funding to cover gaps in other funding streams. City manager Joe Lopez warned that such budgeting is not sustainable and delays the city’s ability to make the improvements promised to voters who approved the sales tax.

Fresno Bee. It’s another difficult budget year in Fresno, mayor says; but less ‘tension.’
Synopsis: Fresno’s city council is expected to pass a $2.55 billion budget with little “tension” despite a $34.5 million shortfall. While the city’s property, sales and room tax receipts are all rising, “they’re not trending upward at the same pace as our expenditures,” said Mayor Jerry Dyer. Inflation, higher labor costs, maintenance and higher software licensing fees added to expenses. Dyer has asked all departments to cut budgets 5% and discouraged replacing retiring employees except in public safety. Councilmember Nelson Esparza said if there is less “tension” it’s due to the mayor’s “basic communication and willingness to collaborate.”

Ceres Courier. Council looking at deeper budget cuts on quick time table. 
Synopsis: Facing a budget shortfall of $2.1 million, the Ceres council will have to make cuts or dip deeply into reserves or both, said its finance director. Potential savings could be found by not hiring a new community development director, paying less for legal advice and cutting police overtime.

More spots for the homeless

Modesto Bee. Work soon will begin to convert another Modesto motel into low-cost studios. 
Synopsis: The Modesto city council voted 7-0 to spend $18.7 million to convert the El Capitan Motel on Needham into 48 studio apartments. They will house 24 veterans and 24 clients from the Behavioral Health & Recovery Services unit. Rent will be $547 a month compared to a citywide average of $1,308 for a market-rate studio. It is the fourth conversion project in Modesto and will bring the total units created by the city to 350. “We’ve done a great job of getting that grant money and giving people some options,” said councilmember Chris Ricci.
MAD Take: Most point-in-time counts have put Modesto’s homeless population from 1,200 to 1,700. While 48 units won’t solve the problem, having provided 350 units makes a serious dent as the city has created housing for roughly a quarter of its unhoused. This city council is overseeing a city that is housing its homeless, reducing violence, and carefully expanding. Can anyone explain why Modesto needs term limits?

River plan doesn’t add up

LA Times. A dire ‘math problem’ on the Colorado River and wholly inadequate responses. 
Synopsis: Reporter Ian James talks to Anne Castle, who has been close to the Colorado River negotiations for two decades. Last year the river system, top to bottom, had a net loss of 3-million-acre feet of water as its reservoirs were lowered to meet demand. This year, the water simply isn’t there. Lake Powell is at 24% of its historic average and is expected to fall to 13% this summer. Only dramatic cuts by all states can solve the problem. CA, Nevada, Arizona have already promised to cut 1.6 MAF over two years. It’s a good start, but “not enough,” said Castle. Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico haven’t offered any concessions. But ignoring the problem won’t work, said Castle. “It’s just not possible, either mathematically or politically, to solve that problem without all seven states.”
MAD Take: Many people will point out that the Colorado River is a long, long way from our Valley. But LA and San Diego get 20% of their water supply from the Colorado; if it’s dry, where do you think they’ll turn for the difference?

It’s time to think big again

Maven’s Notebook. When it comes to water, CA needs to think big again. 
Synopsis: Columnist Edward Ring of the CA Policy Center says that from 1910 to 1970, California built “the most impressive system of inter-basin transfers in the world” -- the LA Aqueduct, Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, the Colorado River Aqueduct, Delta Mendota Canal, Fraint-Kern Canal and the California Aqueduct. In all, they have 1,500 miles of canals designed to move millions of gallons hundreds of miles. In the half-century since then, all we’ve done is argue about a tunnel. California’s problems are large, but our opportunities are downright huge. In the very wet year of 2023, we pumped 5.2-million-acre feet south of the Delta while 27 MAF flowed to the sea. We need to increase storage capacity, dredge the Delta, strengthen canals and levees and create diversions for native fish. We must address saltwater incursion, nitrogen and mercury buildup. And speaking of the Colorado, why not build a 1200-mile canal from the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana to Lake Powell? Or what about an 80-mile tunnel from the coast to the Salton Sea, which sits 230 feet below sea level and could generate its own power for pumping? We’re not out of ideas, just impetus.

So many grads …

Merced County Times. UC Merced to celebrate largest commencement in university’s history.
Synopsis: UC Merced will confer degrees on 1,649 students this weekend, including its 1,000^th PhD. Grad students will walk at 6 p.m. Friday followed by 852 undergrads on Saturday morning and another 800 Sunday morning. Each ceremony has its own commencement speaker. All ceremonies will be outdoors.

GV Wire. Clovis medical school to graduate largest class of new doctors in school history. 
Synopsis: The CA Health Sciences University will confer degrees on 171 graduates Sunday at the Save Mart Center at Fresno State. Of those, 131 are med students and 40 are from the master’s program. School officials said all 131 doctors were placed in resident programs.

But these two are special

Modesto Bee. This Modesto Junior College student is going to Geneva to conduct physics research.
Synopsis: Abdul Ahad is heading to Switzerland this summer to participate in research at the famous CERN particle accelerator facility. He has received a grant from the National Science Foundation and another from MJC to make it possible. Ahad comes from modest means, saying he sold candy to earn enough to eat lunch in high school. Prof. Dan Chase helped Ahad secure the grant. “I knew he would succeed … because of the hard work he put into the class,” he said. This fall, Ahad will study at UC Berkeley.

Patterson Irrigator. Melanie Rodriguez Ventura makes PHS history. 
Synopsis: Melanie became the first student at Patterson High to obtain an associate of arts degree from MJC before graduating from high school. She began taking MJC classes as a freshman, and last month had enough for her degree. She will attend East Bay State in Hayward to study nursing and physical therapy. While stacking up all those units she ran cross country.

UC workers strike a deal

SF Chronicle. Major strike averted at UC hospitals, campuses as deal reached on pay, affordability. 
Synopsis: Early Thursday morning, negotiators reached an agreement that averted a walkout of 40,000 employees across 10 campuses. The deal was hammered out in an around-the-clock session. Patient care and service workers, who have been working without a contract since 2024, will get a $1,500 lump-sum payment and raises of 4% to 6% with 2% step increases each year through 2029.

Yosemite opens Tioga pass

Fresno Bee. Tioga Road, Half Dome open as Yosemite National Park expands access for summer.
Synopsis: Yosemite is entering peak season, meaning access to the back country and the high country is available. Tioga Road over the Sierra opened several weeks early, along with Glacier Point Road. With expanded access comes congestion. The Trump administration dropped reservation requirements, resulting in the largest crowds in a decade during May. Roads are already jammed and parking spaces are unavailable on weekends.

Videos don’t tell whole story

Modesto Bee. Drone footage shows animal cruelty at calf ranch in Ceres; vigil to be held.
Synopsis: A video produced by the aggressive anti-farming group Direct Action Everywhere purports to show workers at a Ceres dairy kicking a calf, yanking a cow’s tail and using pliers to pull another cow. The video was taken at the Agresti Calf Ranch in Ceres, which is certified as a cruelty-free facility. DxE said it contacted the Stanislaus District Attorney and Sheriff to report what it calls cruelty. The group plans to have a “vigil for the abused calves” on May 16.
MAD Take: This story first popped up in the LA Times on Tuesday. The Bee’s story, like the one in the Times, failed to provide any context about Direct Action Everywhere. The group has been accused of staging incidents and doctoring video to manipulate audiences. The Bee’s reporter did not mention DxE’s April visit to Turlock when they poured animal blood on the floor of a Raley’s to protest an entirely different business. A quick online search found a story from an animal rights activist who accuses DxE of acting like a “cult” and urging those involved to self-examine for signs of cult brainwashing. The Bee’s story also failed to offer any comments from the farms in question (who probably have lawyered up) or the various farming groups – Western United Dairies, Farm Bureau, etc. – who might have spoken on their behalf. Failing that, Modesto has one of the most highly regarded ag programs in the nation at MJC, which probably could have found someone to speak to the issue of animal cruelty. If animals are being abused or neglected then those responsible should be cited, fined and kept from repeating the actions. But considering who is bringing the charges, that’s a big “if.”

3 (match) strikes, and he’s out

Merced Sun Star. Dos Palos police make arson arrest. 
Synopsis: Jose Uber Ramirez-Gonzaga was arrested on multiple charges in connection with three fires in Dos Palos. The first was April 7 on Center Avenue as a fiber-optic utility box burned. The second was on Blossom Street the next day, where a shopping cart full of debris was pushed up to a power pole and set on fire. Tuesday, a fire on Elgin Avenue had to be extinguished. In all three cases, investigators suspected Ramirez-Gonzaga, and this time they took him into custody.

Kids camp is on the market

Modesto Bee. Tuolumne County camp for disabled closes after 18 years. 
Synopsis: Camp Tuolumne Trails near Groveland is for sale. The “fully accessible” recreational and education space was opened in 2008 by Jerry and Paula Baker for children with special needs. It offered children arts and crafts, adapted sports, gold panning, nature studies, stargazing and more. When Jerry was diagnosed with brain cancer and suffered a stroke in 2025, the couple could no longer operate the camp. The 80-acre property includes a great hall, six bunk houses, two counselor cabins, two bathhouses, a pool, fishing pond and other amenities. It is listed for $6.9 million.