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Valley Voters Could Decide House Majority

Republicans are still favored to become the majority in the House of Representatives, but Democrats nationwide have performed better than expected, leaving a narrow possibility they could maintain their current House advantage. Three Valley races could tip the balance. With half the total votes left to count in the race for newly drawn California Congressional […]

Three Rules of Thumb for Late Valley Voters

Rule #1: Choose democracy. When America’s founding fathers put the power of last resort in the hands of the people, they knew democracy is a flawed and often clumsy form of government. They also realized that among all options, it’s the most likely to achieve the critical balance between freedom and equality that empowers the […]

Did Candidate Keating’s Biggest Donor Sell MID Water?

It was probably only a coincidence that Frank Damrell and Robert Frobose were chatting in front of an outdoor bulletin board that read “Modesto Irrigation District Public Information” on Tuesday, October 11. Damrell and Frobose had just come out of a meeting of the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) Board of Directors. Both are running for […]

MID Board: Damrell and Frobose for Your Water

For decades, ratepayers and farmers within the Modesto Irrigation District (MID) have benefitted from low water and power rates while enjoying exceptionally good service. Today, after costly legal battles, lack of transparency, and mounting employee turnover and discontent, the embattled Board of Directors is certain to have at least two new members after the November […]

Adam Gray and Mike Barkley for Democracy

A small crowd showed up at Modesto’s Red Center Thursday, September 22, for debates featuring candidates for two of the Valley’s seats in the House of Representatives. John Duarte, running against Adam Gray in Congressional District 13, was represented by his wife Alexandra. Republican Tom McClintock, heavily favored in District 5 against Mike Barkley, didn’t […]

Tom Patti Doesn’t Want to Talk: We Know Why

San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti is running for Congress in California Congressional District 9. His opponent is Congressman Josh Harder. When Patti refused to answer questions from the San Jose Mercury News, it piqued our interest. What was it a candidate for Congress didn’t want to talk about? Turns out, there’s an awful lot. […]

Two Views of Modesto’s Proposed Sales Tax Increase

Former Modesto City Councilmember Bruce Frohman always offers thoughtful analysis on issues involving local government. Below, he argues against Measure H, Modesto’s proposed sales tax increase. Following Bruce’s argument, The Valley Citizen presents its own argument in favor of Measure H. Ever since Proposition 13 passed in 1978, cities throughout California have seen their budgets […]

Josh Harder and Adam Schiff: Standing for America

“I don’t know which line is longer,” said Congressman Josh Harder last Sunday, “the food line or the line to see Adam Schiff.” For much of the afternoon, it was the line to see Adam Schiff that was by far the longest. The twenty-year veteran of Congress has gained international fame not only as chair […]

On Water: Josh Harder gets it Right

Right until the bitter end, Jeff Denham insisted he was against Jerry Brown’s  twin tunnels, the key features of the now defunct California Water Fix. The facts showed otherwise; Denham consistently supported the program with votes he figured would never be exposed to his northern San Joaquin Valley constituents. Like Republicans throughout the Valley, Denham […]

Need Optimism? Think Josh Harder

With the nation lurching ever closer to a totalitarian theocracy and the Valley’s own Kevin McCarthy defining “lily-livered” down in hopes of becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives, there are multitudes of reasons to be pessimistic about our political future. Nonetheless, Valley citizens shouldn’t despair; there are points of light in the darkness. Just […]