Former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman earned a reputation as a zealous defender of taxpayer dollars when he was in office. He’s still careful with his hard-earned dollars. Like many of us, he’s incensed that oil companies are making huge profits while many of us struggle with rising gas prices. ed As I write this, I am away on business in Colorado. During my trip, I am noticing gasoline prices […]
Raise Taxes? City Residents are Already Taxed Twice
Ever since the Dick Lang administration of the 1990’s, Modesto City Government has been perpetually broke. Subsequent city leaders have had very little discretionary money with which to operate. The present city council is considering whether to ask voters to approve a special sales tax within Modesto to alleviate ongoing budget shortfalls. To decide whether approval of a new sales tax increase is warranted, voters need to understand how Modesto […]
New Home Projects Add to Homeless Problem
Logically, new home construction should help reduce homelessness in Stanislaus County. This is not what is happening. With few exceptions, lower income people in Stanislaus County have been priced out of housing and rental markets. When new single-family homes sell for over $400,000 and apartments are not being built, the majority of new home buyers in Stanislaus County most likely will come from the Bay Area. Given higher housing prices there, Modesto’s new […]
Is Economic Success in Stanislaus County Unattainable? Part II
Perhaps the best economic news for Stanislaus County in the past 20 years has been the present supply chain problems and product shortages experienced nationwide. Given that educational levels in the county in general are well suited for manufacturing jobs, plus the realization by industrialists that the best business model may be a shorter supply chain, manufacturing might return to the San Joaquin Valley and provide new jobs. The number […]
Stanislaus 2030: Booming Economy or Unattainable Dream?
About every ten years, there is a significant turnover of leaders in Stanislaus County. Each newly elected group lacks the institutional memory of departing incumbents. High staff turnover within city and county government makes understanding what the departing group planned difficult. City managers come and go like shoppers through a revolving door. New leaders often choose to change direction. With the loss of institutional memory, new officeholders tend to make the […]
Are Water Sales Delaying Development of Alternative Sources?
If one wants to know how bad a drought is, ask someone whose business it is to plumb the water table and test the effectiveness of wells and pumps. A gentleman in the business told this writer that he is busier than ever. Businesses that rely on well water need to keep the water flowing. Wells need testing to make sure they don’t go dry and to check pumps for […]
Reasons For Low Vaccination Rates in Stanislaus County
As of this writing, fewer than 50% of Stanislaus County residents have been fully vaccinated. Statewide, 56% of California residents are fully vaccinated. In Stanislaus County, the number drops to 43.1%. Nearby Bay Area counties are all over 60%, with Marin County leading the way at 74.5%. The county has large groups of folks with different reasons for avoiding Covid inoculation. The reasons are varied and the unvaccinated are difficult […]
Is Amazon the Gift that Keeps on Taking?
Below, Bruce Frohman joins Steve Ringhoff in taking a close look at the consequences when Amazon comes to town. Like Mr. Ringhoff, Frohman believes the reasons Amazon often clouds its arrival in secrecy are not benign. Politicians operate under the presumption that any business creating new jobs in a community will be a benefit. When a company the size of Amazon comes to town, heaven and earth are moved to approve […]
Can New Mayor and Council Reverse Modesto’s Decline?
The new Modesto City Council, headed by Mayor Sue Zwahlen, has a lot of work to do. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the public has been growing less respectful of the law and of other citizens. Ever since I departed from the Modesto City Council in 2003, I’ve noticed a continuous decline in the quality of life within the community. From my narrow viewpoint, determining how fast problems are growing […]
Can the Valley Survive Without Gas-Powered Vehicles?
September 24, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California will eliminate the internal combustion engine from all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035. The announcement was bold, gutsy, and appears doable. Due to fiscal considerations, the Valley will probably lag urban regions in effecting the change. However, the rules outlined by Governor Newsom will not create undue hardship if the transition is adequately planned. […]