Jarred Simmons: County should get out of the way of cities
As a trip down memory lane. In 2006, I took the opportunity to attend a countywide economic summit at UC Merced conducted by the former Merced County Chamber Of Commerce. The UC was new, the county’s future was bright and the chamber used to do things like that.
The summit identified a number of issues that could ether enhance or hinder future development and job growth within Merced County’s cities, Castle Airport and Business Park, or at UC. One element was future city and county revenue sharing agreements.
It appears the board of supervisor, who county CEO James Brown works for, has forgotten that cities drive economic growth – not counties. So here we are, 10 years later, and as a tradeoff to an equitable agreement, we hear yearly reports of missed economic opportunities, stagnate job growth and increased crime. This is an example of why a change of leadership is needed at the city and county levels.
A truly equitable revenue sharing agreement would break down barriers to drive city growth, reduce costs and crime, increase jobs, development, road construction and county revenue that it so desperately needs.
Jarred Simmons, Atwater
This story was originally published April 18, 2016 at 3:18 PM with the headline "Jarred Simmons: County should get out of the way of cities."