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Pursuing truth toward justice

The Valley Citizen

Pursuing truth toward justice
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Bruce Frohman

Highway 132 Update: More Traffic Coming?

February 17, 2017 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

Earlier this month, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) unveiled a new design for the 132 West Freeway Project. The project has a new manager, and all new staff.  Most of the previous management personnel involved in the project are retired. The latest iteration of the project is basically the same as the original design considered in 2014. According to Grace Magsayo, the new project manager, the primary change is a […]

Filed Under: Featured, History

Jeff Denham Weasels on Ethics

January 6, 2017 By Bruce Frohman 8 Comments

Stanislaus County Congressman Jeff Denham is the consummate politician; he keeps his constituents informed only about what he wants them to know. When telling folks only what they want to hear, he conceals his support for decisions that hurt his constituents. One important but little-known fact about Congressman Denham is his obstruction of economic development within his district. It’s a subject he dodges, just as he dodges other issues that might undermine […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics Tagged With: Jeff Denham

Water: “A Pox upon Them All,” says Bruce Frohman

December 27, 2016 By Bruce Frohman 3 Comments

Even though Stanislaus County has suffered only 5 years of drought, citizens of Modesto have been under some form of water rationing for over 20 years. We are permitted to water our yards once a week in winter and twice a week in summer. Many of us allow our lawns to die each summer in order to conserve water “for the good of the community.” Our level of disgust with local […]

Filed Under: Environment, Featured

Measure L: Is Taxpayer Money Funding a Tax Increase?

October 28, 2016 By Bruce Frohman 1 Comment

The Stanislaus Council of Governments (STANCOG), a taxpayer funded organization, has sent out three campaign flyers in favor of Measure L, a county-wide ballot proposal that will increase the sales tax by one-half percent for 25 years.  While use of taxpayer funds in a campaign is illegal, the council thinks it’s getting around the law by portraying the flyers as “fact sheets.”  In reality, they include misleading statements that belong […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Measure L: Borrow Now, Pay Later

October 18, 2016 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

The voter handbook has arrived. Now voters can see what Measure L really is about. In the first paragraph of the handbook’s explanation of Measure L, the text says that local government may issue bonds using anticipated revenue from the one half percent sales tax to build and repair roads. Historically, roads have been funded by a pay-as-you-go system. Under the present system, local government had cash to build or […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Need a Cop? Get in Line

October 6, 2016 By Bruce Frohman 5 Comments

Bruce Frohman

At the September 29, 2016 Woodland West Neighborhood Association (WWNA) of Modesto meeting, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christiansen seemed overwhelmed by the law enforcement challenges his department faces. His presentation did not reassure citizens that they live in a safe community. He counseled citizens to keep all doors and windows locked, keep all possessions locked up tight, and install video cameras if one can afford to do so. At the […]

Filed Under: Featured, History

Measure L Will Not Fix Altamont Pass Congestion

September 22, 2016 By Bruce Frohman 3 Comments

Proponents of Measure L have promised just about everything to everyone. Supposedly, it will be a boon to economic growth because it will enable the construction of expressways throughout Stanislaus County. Unfortunately, the biggest transportation barrier to economic growth is congestion on the Altamont Pass. For over ten years, Caltrans has been working on widening the Interstate 580 Corridor. The work has been completed. Chronic congestion previously existed from Santa […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Backed up Traffic? Why Wait for Measure L?

September 8, 2016 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

One of the promises of the proponents of Measure L is to synchronize traffic signals. While the cost to set the signals is minuscule compared to the revenue that would be raised by the measure, failure to synchronize the signals now is the height of government irresponsibility. The cost is so low and the benefit so great that before any roadwork is done, signals should be in sync. When traffic signals are […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Measure L: A Tax Republicans Favor?

August 6, 2016 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

When Modesto Mayor Ted Brandvold ran for office in 2015, he opposed Measure X, which would have increased sales taxes to fund police services. Mayor Brandvold does support Measure L, a one half percent sales tax to fund transportation. A vast majority of the one billion dollars that will be raised over the twenty five year life of the tax increase will go to fund roads. No money will go […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

Measure L: Welcome Bay Area Commuters

July 29, 2016 By Bruce Frohman Leave a Comment

Early on, Bruce Frohman realized Measure L was part of a much larger urban development strategy. He authored two arguments against Measure L in the 2016 Stanislaus County voter handbook. We’ve published the first argument here. Below is the rebuttal to arguments in favor of Measure L that will also appear in the 2016 voter handbook (in italics). The rebuttal is followed by a discussion of the ambitious development plan […]

Filed Under: Featured, Politics

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Off The Wire

Oath Keepers leader Rhodes sentenced to 18 years for Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy
Oath Keepers leader Rhodes sentenced to 18 years for Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy
Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes faces a prison sentence up to 25 years in the first punishments for seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
www.washingtonpost.com
Opinion | America?s Poverty Is Built by Design
Opinion | America’s Poverty Is Built by Design
How did the U.S. become a land of economic extremes with the rich getting richer while the working poor grind it out? Deliberately.
www.politico.com
Republican Jewish Coalition Blasts Gosar Over Staffer's Ties To White Supremacist: Fuentes Has 'No Place' In Congress
Republican Jewish Coalition Blasts Gosar Over Staffer’s Ties To White Supremacist: Fuentes Has ‘No Place’ In Congress
The Republican Jewish Coalition slammed Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) following a  TPM…
talkingpointsmemo.com
Newsom restores floodplain funds, adds $290 million to flood control budget
Newsom restores floodplain funds, adds $290 million to flood control budget
After widespread, bipartisan criticism, the governor revised his budget to include $40 million to restore San Joaquin Valley floodplains.
calmatters.org
New Study Finds a High Minimum Wages Creates Jobs
New Study Finds a High Minimum Wages Creates Jobs
Conventional wisdom had long suggested the opposite.
nymag.com
Spiraling in San Francisco?s Doom Loop
Spiraling in San Francisco’s Doom Loop
What it’s like to live in a city that no longer believes its problems can be fixed.
www.curbed.com
San Diego to open homeless camp sites at two parking lots near Balboa Park
San Diego to open homeless camp sites at two parking lots near Balboa Park
The two lots could accommodate about 500 tents and would be an alternative to congregate shelters
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
K-12 enrollment: Does the increase in homeless students indicate a worsening trend?
K-12 enrollment: Does the increase in homeless students indicate a worsening trend?
California’s overall K-12 enrollment declined, but a lack of affordable housing may be fueling an increase in homeless students.
calmatters.org
Sugar Justice: The Clarence Thomas Story
Sugar Justice: The Clarence Thomas Story
Did you see the latest Clarence Thomas bombshell? To head off any…
talkingpointsmemo.com
California's colossal snowpack has yet to melt: 'Less and less places for that water to go'
California’s colossal snowpack has yet to melt: ‘Less and less places for that water to go’
Only about 12 inches of Caliornia’s snow water equivalent melted in April, leaving most of the Sierra Nevada snowpack poised to flow down downhill.
www.latimes.com
The fastest-growing homeless population? Seniors
The fastest-growing homeless population? Seniors
Included in the increasing number of homeless seniors are those experiencing homelessness for the first time after age 50.
calmatters.org
Perspective | The greatest bird artist you?ve never heard of
Perspective | The greatest bird artist you’ve never heard of
Rex Brasher painted more birds than Audubon, and he never owned slaves.
www.washingtonpost.com

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