Assemblyman Adam Gray supports UC Med Center campus for Fresno; not sure of what to do for Modesto.

I attended a meeting of the Latino Democrats of Stanislaus County on Thursday, September 26, 2019. I got a chance to talk to Assemblyman Adam Gray, (D). Gray was saying that he is working on establishing a U.C. Med Center extension of UCSF Medical Center in Fresno to provide UC medical services to the Valley. I asked him why he is not working on establishing it in Modesto since it is closer to the Bay Area and it is in the center of the Valley and of California. He stated that he is seeking to establish it in Fresno because the infrastructure for such a campus already exists in Fresno. 

100 miles from Modesto

I pointed out that the UC Med Center in Fresno still would be 100 miles from Modesto as is the one in San Francisco (actually we are only 90 miles from San Francisco, 100 miles from Fresno). He nodded his head, "Yes." He did not offer any suggestions about this dichotomy, but did acknowledge that this is a problem: Although the UC Med Center in Fresno would provide UC professional quality services to the Valley, it would do little or nothing for Modesto. Modestans would have a choice of driving 90 miles west to UCSF in San Francisco or 100 miles south to UCSF Fresno. As I recently discovered on a trip to Fresno during commute hours, Fresno also has commute issues and metered lanes and traffic jams, just like the Bay Area does.

 

What to do for Modesto

I then asked him what he plans to do for Modesto itself because it always ends up being the "lost stepchild" when it comes to services and special, innovative facilities, such as a UC Med Center. He then asked me to tell him if I have any ideas for Modesto. He did indicate that he had been instrumental in securing the ACE Train for Valley commuters to the Bay Area. Assemblyman Gray is to be commended for his efforts towards this end. 

Modesto the medical mecca

As I see it, Modesto can be quite a spectacular medical mecca for Central California. Modesto already has the Valley Children's Center which opened just a few months ago. It also has a state of the art Kaiser Hospital, Memorial Hospital with a Cancer Center, Doctors Hospital with a Cardiac Center, a Veterans' Clinic, a Same Day Surgical Center, and a new Alzheimer's Hospital. 

With all of those things going for it already, it seems to me that Modesto is the perfect site for a UC Med Center campus. It is in the center of both California and the Valley and is close to the Bay Area. Fresno may have the infrastructure for a UC Med Center campus; but Modesto has the town, the proximity and the ambiance to be a medical mecca that includes a UC Med Center. 

As Sacramento sees it

The fact remains that no matter how much Modesto has going for it, and no matter how much we aspire to build a great future for Modesto, Modesto's future depends largely on how Sacramento envisions it. That is why we must talk with our local Valley Assembly members like Adam Gray and Heath Flora. Let them know what you're thinking. They can't represent you if you don't let them know how you feel about the issues. Assemblyman Gray can be contacted at: (209) 726-5465. Heath Flora can be contacted at: (209)-599-2112. Go Modesto!

Eliminate the salary for the Mayor and City Council: Attract those who want to make a difference instead of career politicians

In an effort to reduce the attractiveness of running for the Modesto City Council/Mayor to career politicians, I am proposing some fundamental changes. Modesto City Council members currently are paid $24,000 annually. The Mayor is paid $42,000 annually. Plus the Mayor and Council members are provided a credit card on which they can charge hotel rooms, restaurant tabs, travel expenses, gas, etc.. To curb the enticement to professional politicians to run for the Council for personal enrichment, I propose that we allow Council members to retain the credit card with very strict limitations, but that we curtail their salaries. I propose that we pay the Mayor a stipend of $1000 per year plus a $200 per diem for attending City Council meetings but no salary. I propose that we pay City Council members a per diem of $100 per meeting attended but no salary. 

A call to public service

Serving as Mayor or a City Council member is supposed to be public service. It is not supposed to be a source of income or a "living" for its members. Additionally, I propose that we suspend the credit cards for any members of the City Council, including the Mayor, who have filed their candidacy for another office while in office. That way, we can be sure that the City is not paying the campaign or special event expenses of those candidates. 

Get rid of term limits

Finally, I propose that we get rid of term limits for members of the City Council, including the Mayor. That way, the Council members and Mayor are much less likely to spend their time in office running for other offices instead of tending to City business. 

 

Original purpose of the Modesto City Council

The Modesto City Council was designed to be a place where public minded, dedicated, sincere, self-sufficient or gainfully employed or retired people could serve and make a difference for Modesto. It was not intended as a main income source or stopping point from which to launch a political career. 

Attracting civic minded people to run for office in Modesto

If we implement the changes that I have proposed in this article, we will attract the kinds of people who want to be on the Council to make a difference and help improve the quality of life in Modesto. The changes that I have proposed here will mitigate the attractiveness of running for the City Council/Mayor to professional politicians and to those who have personal gain and enrichment in mind instead of quality public service to one's community. Make these changes and you will see more public-spirited, civic minded people running for office in Modesto instead of career politicians. And the quality of life in Modesto will improve significantly.