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Friday, Jun. 26, 2009

The Stockton Record: Valley slammed, much like New Orleans

Say this much for Rep. Dennis Cardoza: He certainly knows how to get his colleagues' attention.

All the Democrat from Merced had to do was offer this equation: San Joaquin Valley devastation equals Hurricane Katrina devastation.

And suddenly, members of Congress from across the country -- and across the aisle -- were paying attention.

You can legitimately argue whether Cardoza was using hyperbole when he made the comparison to the 2005 hurricane that battered the Gulf Coast. But it's hard to argue that the Valley is being hit by economic devastation.

Cardoza and Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, made their presentation Friday to the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill.

In doing so, they proposed legislation that would establish economic disaster areas in the Valley which then would be eligible for the type of federal aid available after natural disasters.

Cardoza and Costa are correct: We're hurting big time.

The comparison to the decade's highest-profile natural disaster will grab some headlines but won't make much difference if Congress doesn't buy the heartfelt appeal.

Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., was moved by the appeal, noting lawmakers must recognize that some places have been hit harder by the recession.

The Valley always has been one of California's neglected regions at the federal and state government levels.

It's easy to get elected leaders excited and active when problems crop up in the Los Angeles or San Francisco areas. It's a bit harder to find a governmental pulse when many small communities in between are beset with problems.

So the Cardoza-Costa plea is a start.

It's good to see congressional representatives fighting for what the Valley needs and deserves.