Valley Solutions

How to make a coalition? Build

Greattransformation.Substack. The closest House race in the country: Conversation with Adam Gray. 
Synopsis: Lincoln Project founder and venerable trad-Republican political consultant Mike Madrid sits down with Rep. Adam Gray for a conversation about politics, policy and winning. Madrid notes that Gray won in a district that Donald Trump also won, one of only two Democrats in the nation to pull off such a feat in 2024. The key to holding onto this closest-in-America district can be summed up in one word: Build.

County has $18 million hole

Modesto Bee. Stanislaus County deficit to result in personnel cuts, fewer services, hiring freeze. 
Synopsis: Stanislaus County has an $18 million operating deficit in the Community Services Agency, and it will impact social services for residents. The county is imposing a hiring freeze on non-law-enforcement jobs, service cuts and eliminating 71 open positions. Officials blame turnover in leadership for the deficit. Clients in StanWORKS “can expect processing delays and disruptions in cash benefits, food assistance, childcare and health care.”
MAD Take: So, the most vulnerable people in our community – children, elderly, sick -- are going to suffer due to some hazy bureaucratic screw-ups. If that’s true, it’s not fair. 

Rancor in GOP circles

Modesto Focus. Focus on Politics. 
Synopsis: Garth Stapley tops his weekly politics report with an Assembly heat check where Heath Flora and Juan Alanis lost their GOP leadership roles. Flora has been buffeted by a series of scandals ranging from disgruntled girlfriends to accusations that he doesn’t even live in his district to paying off bar tabs with campaign money. This week he was voted out as minority leader, replaced by Alexandra Macedo of Visalia. Flora’s No. 2, Alanis, was dismissed by the incoming leader, who wanted to choose her own No. 2. Flora, as always, remained mute. Alanis not as much, pointing out that there are serious divisions in the GOP caucus. When you’re a popular figure in your own community (Alanis is running unopposed), you have leeway to speak your mind. Flora’s troubles could boost Matthew Adams, a complete political neophyte. … A statewide LGBTQ group has refused to endorse Adam Gray because it doesn’t feel he is progressive enough. … Democrats are angry that Gavin Newsom has not embraced a state-based billionaire’s tax but likes a national version of the same thing.

It’s not just about old folks

Merced Sun Star. Social Security isn’t just a safety net; it’s CA’s economic bedrock. 
Synopsis: Nari Rhee of the UC Berkeley Labor Center is a retirement expert. She writes that for nearly a century, Social Security has offered a modicum of income for those who have retired or left the workforce. The funding has been paid by the workers themselves and their employers. In 2024 alone, Social Security sent $138 billion to CA residents. That was double the economic value of our entertainment and agriculture industries combined. The program supports 730,000 jobs and each dollar generates $2 in economic activity. The story is similar in every state in America, yet we’re told that Social Security is going bankrupt. Simply put, that is not true. The system has always been pay-as-you-go. Yes, there is a funding gap as more people receive benefits than pay into them. But the fix is fairly simple: Lift the cap on how much income is taxed, When Social Security was created, 90% of all income was taxed; with inflation, that has fallen to 83%. Bring back the missing 7%, the shortfall vanishes.

Flushing money down a river

Valley Citizen. Stanislaus Supervisors flush more money down the East Side water drain. 
Synopsis: Publisher Eric Caine details the connections between Supervisor Terry Withrow, brothers Tim and Larry Byrd, Ty Angle and their interests in putting water on East Side ag properties. It explains why supervisors voted for yet another study, setting aside those done over the years. Several people, including farmers Wrangler Wheeler and Anthony Ratto, said such studies are “redundant.” As Caine puts it: “After 12 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, Terry Withrow and his east side friends want to spend more taxpayer dollars … because they’ve suddenly realized members of the local GSA have had enough environmental destruction and are past ready to enforce restrictions on pumping.”

Fresno end-around passes

Fox26. Soria’s AB 1923 bill passes legislature, heads to governor. 
Synopsis: The legislation created by Esmeralda Soria to place the Fresno County transportation sales-tax extension on the Nov. 3 ballot passed both chambers of the state legislature and now sits on Gov. Newsom’s desk. It passed the Senate 27-8 and Assembly 54-16. The bill, which includes an urgency clause, overrides the decision by county supervisors to keep the tax extension off the Nov. 3 ballot. The supervisors insisted more study was needed, but doing another study would mean the sales tax that funds road repairs and improvements would not be collected at least until 2029. “I know bullying tactics when I see them,” said Soria, a former Fresno city council member. “This is typical Trump-like behavior from some of these supervisors.”

GV Wire. What is Mayor Dyer’s advice on transportation tax voting?
Synopsis: News director Bill McEwen talks to Mayor Jerry Dyer as part of the “Unfiltered” podcast series. The mayor urges residents to vote for both the sales tax and for him as mayor. He explained that a sunset clause in the city’s measure would kill it if the countywide measure returns to the ballot in 2028. This year’s measure, if it makes it to the ballot, will be “insurance” to keep road improvements and repairs on track.

Merced will vote on new tax

Merced Focus. Merced leaders greenlight November ballot measure for 1-cent sales tax. 
Synopsis: Voters will decide whether or not maintaining city services is worth an extra penny-per-dollar spent. The “Vital Services Protection Measure” would add a second city tax, bringing the rate to 9.25% within the city. The city already has a dedicated public-safety sales tax. It is expected to generate $18 million per year, and it would be up to the city council to determine spending priorities.

Refugee resources slashed

Modesto Bee. Layoffs at refugee resettlement program impact Sacramento, Stanislaus counties. 
Synopsis: Layoffs of 60 people at the International Rescue Committee offices in Sacramento and Turlock will mean refugees will have a more difficult time resettling, losing access to translators, English lessons, housing and food assistance. The layoffs are due to cuts in State Department funding and increased restrictions imposed on those seeking refugee status. Among positions being cut in Turlock are several tasked with stopping human trafficking. Stanislaus receives from 300 to 400 refugees per year while Sacramento gets around 1,000.

Planning for more Valley homes

Turlock Journal. Planning Commission to address city’s housing element. 
Synopsis: Joe Cortez reports that the Turlock Planning Commission will recommend a number of changes to the city’s housing element in light of a lawsuit being threatened by the state against the city. Turlock was one of five cities the state says have failed to meet mandates for planning for additional housing. The state is trying to make it easier to build 2.5 million housing units. Earlier this year, the state identified 16 cities facing legal action if they did not submit appropriate housing plans, called the “Housing Element.” Of those, five did not meet the state’s demands – Turlock, Calexico, Costa Mesa, Half Moon Bay and Ridgecrest.

Ceres Courier. Council crafts housing standards to mandates of state lawmakers. 
Synopsis: Jeff Benziger reports that the city of Ceres will change housing policy to align with state dictates. “Adopting a housing plan is one thing but making it become a reality is up to the private sector,” points out Benziger. The city reduced minimum lot sizes to 5,000 square feet from 6,200 and raised the maximum height for a building to 40 feet. The city will allow fewer parking spaces per housing unit – which is “always a hot-button issue.”

Gann Fire: 10K acres, 1 dead

KCRA. Gann Fire update: Body recovered, 7 structures destroyed, firefighter injured in Calaveras County.
Synopsis: The Gann Fire just south of New Hogan Reservoir has burned through seven structures and some 10,000 acres. As of Thursday morning, it was 26% contained. The body was found along Jaquima Drive, and the identity has not been released. An evacuation shelter has been set up in Valley Springs. Herbert Wayne Smith has been arrested on charges of starting the fire.

Child rescued in Merced County

Merced Sun Star. Los Banos CHP officers, Fresno deputies help recover abducted 3-year-old. 
Synopsis: The CHP and officers from Los Banos and Fresno County SO helped recover a 3-year-old who had been abducted by a non-custodial parent in Los Angeles. The LAPD had been tracking the vehicle using its OnStar computer system. Unmarked units fell in behind the vehicle, then used OnStar to shut off the engine. The suspect and two women were arrested and the child recovered. According to Fox26, family members flew to the area to retrieve the child. In the interim, officers brought clothing, food and toys for the child.

Who says desal too costly?

Maven’s Notebook. Debunking the allegedly prohibitive cost of desalination. 
Synopsis: Eventually, Edward Ring writes about the cost of desalination. Critics say it costs too much. Ring disagrees. If we set aside CA’s regulatory, environmental and legal roadblocks, creating desalination would be far less costly. After all, the Israelis just completed the Sorek B desal facility on the Mediterranean Sea at a cost of $620 million. A similar-sized project in CA is estimated to cost $1.4 billion. With bonding costs, etc., an acre foot would run $1,446 in CA. In Israel, it costs $211. Singapore’s new facility sells water at $875 an acre foot and makes a profit. The UAE has built a plant, using Israel’s tech, for about $223 an acre foot.

Giants season just got worse

Yahoo / USA Today. Legendary Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow to retire at season’s end. 
Synopsis: The All-Star pitcher who became a buddy to millions of Giants fans announced his retirement Wednesday night. Mike Krukow said his 36-year broadcast career will end with the season. He and Duane Kuiper have been a team for the entirety of Krukow’s career. He suffers from a degenerative muscle disease that has prevented him from traveling with the Giants, but he has maintained a remote presence often providing commentary from San Francisco. Krukow told the audience it is “impossible to feel sorry for myself” after a life spent in baseball. Kruk & Kuip have been nominated for the Hall of Fame as broadcasters but never been admitted. Both made it known they would not enter without the other.