Jarred Simmons: McDaniel should be looking at Castle, not the little stuff

With Merced County peer ranked 57 out of 58 counties in the state of California for per capita income in 2014, why is Supervisor Daron McDaniel still focused on the low-hanging discretionary fruit and managed decline of his district and not a broader vision of economic development?

Revisiting the Castle Master Plan would be a good start. By doing so, this would turn his hope for economic development for his district and 20 years of stagnant growth at the former base into reality. His efforts should include a four-year business economic plan incorporating basic smart growth strategies such as Infrastructure Revenue Bonds, Land Banking as used in Genesse County, Mich., or sales tax exchanges to enhance business development, foster relocation, increase sales tax revenues, reduce crime and increase job creation for Castle, his district and Merced County as a whole.

This story was originally published May 11, 2015 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Jarred Simmons: McDaniel should be looking at Castle, not the little stuff."