Voters gave county, city clear, new directions

Local voters sent two strong messages Tuesday:That they're ready for change in how the city of Modesto operates and that they want growth in Stanislaus County brought under better control.

Even with an unknown number of absentee and provisional ballots to be counted, there is nothing tentative or subtle in the results on Measures E, L, M and N. All passed by very strong margins.

The two Stanislaus growth proposals, E and L, were competing measures. So, even though they both passed, only Measure E (which had the higher vote total) will be enacted. But we hope county supervisors -- and city leaders around the county -- take note of the strong sentiment expressed for strategies to restrict residential developments and to plan for responsible growth.

Measure L is dead. With E's passage, the supervisors are under no obligation to implement its provisions in drafting a new general plan, which is overdue. We do urge the county to fully incorporate the public in the general plan process, including having a citizen committee lead the effort.

Measure E calls for citizens to vote before the county approves any major new housing developments on ag land outside of cities. There are no projects pending that would require a Measure E vote and in the current economy it's
hard to foresee one soon. But if Gerry Kamilos were to add a housing component to his Crows Landing plan -- which he insists he won't -- or if one of the rumored developments for the West Side were to materialize, it would have to go to voters.

Measures M and N will have a more immediate impact. Within 60 days, the City Council must appoint nine people to an independent commission to recommend boundaries for the six districts from which future council members will be elected. The amendment suggests this commission be headed by a retired Stanislaus County judge and forbids the inclusion of any lobbyists or relatives of current council members. The amendment also states that district boundaries
should follow visible natural and man-made features and respect communities of interest. District maps must be completed by early 2009, in time for the fall election.

District elections will not guarantee that Latinos or other ethnic minorities will be chosen, but they will assure that all sections of town are represented. Left unresolved is whether district races will go to a runoff if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote. Currently, the charter calls for runoffs.

Elements of Measure M, the accountability package, could go into action much sooner. The council will surely want to move expeditiously to hire an independent auditor, whose advice could be especially useful in tight budget times. Coincidentally, the council already is looking for a new city manager and city clerk.

Measure M gives the mayor more influence in setting the council agenda, making budget recommendations, evaluating department heads and in selecting the new city manager. These are the kind of changes that will slowly transform city operations.

Finally, Measure M spells out a procedure for raising council salaries. Now, members get $800 a month, which comes nowhere near compensating them for the time involved. An independent commission also will be involved in setting salaries; its five members are to be named by March.

With the move to district elections and improved salaries, we anticipate more people will run for council seats.

Modestans have approved some significant charter amendments that we hope will increase
participation and confidence in city government. Tuesday was the kick-off; the changes are just beginning.

Our Point
Voters in Stanislaus County opted for smarter growth, while Modesto voters chose district elections for City Council seats.

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