Jobs, Water, and Power Vital To

Valley's Economic Recovery

Foslom Dam

 Time was that the Central Valley of California was once dotted with canneries, dairy farms, and factories. Today most of the factories and canneries are shuttered and the dairy farms are on life support, which makes for a bleak economic outlook and an even darker jobs picture. This year’s crop of Assembly candidates is quick to point out that there is indeed a problem: we asked them for specific solutions that would set the Valley and California as a whole on the path to recovery from the longest economic down turn since the Great Depression.

 Assembly candidate Robert Sellers is currently running for the open 21st district seat, which includes all of Merced County, the Cities of Ceres, Patterson, Newman, and portions of Modesto. Sellers is a long time Merced County resident that divides his time between family and church along with many hours of volunteer work with addicted youth. A motorcycle accident left the Army Veteran physically disabled five years ago, that said, he remains anxious to return to work as a licensed general contractor. The self-described moderate Democrat is confident that his vision for the Valley will win out among the current field of Assembly candidates.

California Workers

 Sellers recently told Presstrain that strong leadership will be required of the next Assembly representative from the 21st District in order to bring jobs, water, and power to the Valley. “Building dams would generate needed power for Valley factories and bring good paying jobs for unemployed residents,” he pointed out. “While the other candidates continue talking about it, I have pledged (in writing) to present a resolution on the Assembly floor within my first year that calls for the building of hydro-electric dams,” Sellers added. He is by no means the only candidate to have spoken out on water and power, the issue is definitely gathering steam as an issue in the current campaign season.

 Long time Atwater resident Lesa Rasmussen, who is also in the race for the 21st Assembly District seat, recently released the following statement on water and power: California watches as one of its’ greatest natural resources, water, flows out to sea. We must get proactive about increasing water storage by raising existing dam levels and building new hydro-electric plants/dams to have enough water to meet the growing demands of our state. Rasmussen has many years of experience in the area of water and power having worked on these issues while in the service of Assembly Members Cardoza and Matthews.

 Both candidates point out correctly that bringing additional hydro-electric power to the Valley can only benefit businesses and individuals who depend on this resource for their livelihood. Once in Sacramento the eventual winner will have to deal with the realities of Assembly politics and the different constituencies that make up that august body. Many have gone there with the noblest of intentions only to find that the art of give and take often means the short end of the stick for the freshman member.  The key for the eventual winner is to build the necessary relationships over time that just might bear the fruit that brings additional jobs, water, and power to the Valley.