By David Strecker, SJFB President
It was 18 years ago that the state of California had a recall election, of then Gov. Gray Davis. That election resulted in the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger. This past month, the Endorsement Committee of San Joaquin Farm Bureau met and discussed the current recall election of Gavin Newsom. The discussion was quick and swift and the committee unanimously supported the recall of the governor. When presented to the SJFB Board of Directors of, the board unanimously supported the Newsom’s recall.
San Joaquin Farmers United PAC also supports the recall of Gov. Newsom. The committee for the PAC also unanimously voted to support the recall of Gov. Newsom and has put together an informational packet on the process of the election. You should have received a post card in the mail encouraging a yes vote.
Additionally the Farmers United PAC Board has put together a questionnaire that was sent out to the many candidates to be the next governor. Those that have responded will have their answers published in this month’s newspaper. The questions were ag related to cover what we as agriculturists would find most important. If a candidate responded we have included their answers, if we did not hear from them they are not included.
Within the agricultural community, the reasons for recalling Gavin Newsom are quite obvious. At the top of our list of important topics in agriculture is water. Predicting the weather and how much water availability there will be is never 100%. I, however, can 100% guarantee that Gavin Newsom has never been concerned about water for farmers nor will he ever be.
Gavin Newsom 100% supports High Speed Rail, Delta Tunnels and is the No. 1 proponent of raising property taxes in the state. Each of these affect large amounts of prime agricultural land and would decimate the family farms of California. The Delta Tunnel would destroy agriculture in the Delta which encompasses most of the west side of our county. Wildfires continue to grow larger and larger each year. It’s time someone was governor of California and worked to be proactive in preventing these fires rather than reacting to them once they are started.
Much like this past November when San Joaquin Farm Bureau and Farmers United opposed Proposition 15, the sell to the agricultural community was not needed. Again, I am asking you to talk to family and friends outside of agriculture of the importance of recalling Gavin Newsom and voting YES! The following are some key facts that affect all California Citizens:
- $2 billion in unemployment fraud
- Unemployment checks to prisoners/felons in the amount of $500 million
- Unemployment to those who lost jobs due to COVID on HOLD
- Granting clemency for felons who committed heinous crimes
- AB-5 – Affecting truckers and independent contractors
- Highest homeless rate in our nation
- Sanctuary state for illegals and criminals
- Made it legal for illegal aliens to sit on state boards
- Highest state income tax
- One of the highest state sales tax in our nation
- One of the highest state property taxes in our nation
- Highest vehicle registrations in our nation
- Highest poverty rate in our nation
- Prop 47: Reduces felonies to misdemeanors of violent crimes
- Highest gas tax in our nation
- Redirecting the gas tax – Not being used to improving our infrastructure: roads, dams, bridges…
- Refusing to set up water claim system with taxes collected to do just that
- $1 billion purchase of faulty masks from China instead of American made
- $315 million taxpayer dollars on second order of masks from same Chinese company
- $1.3 trillion state debt
- 4% salary increase from Newsom and State lawmakers in 2019; 10% pay cut to all state employees in 2020. Newsom and state lawmakers still making 6% more
- Puts teachers unions’ interests over those of children and families
- Executive order to phase out gasoline powered cars by 2035
- Countless infringements on our constitutional rights
- Closed almost all winery tasting rooms excluding his own
- Zero accountability and transparency on spending
- Rules for thee, but not for he = French Laundry Indoor Laundry
The list goes on and on. Although the regularly scheduled election for governor is 14 months away, it is time for the people of California to take their state back now! The past year and a half have been difficult. Regardless of vaccines and herd immunity a virus will most likely never go away. However, a pandemic will continue for as long as the people of the world allow it. It’s time for all of us to stop this pandemic. The people of San Joaquin County can start by voting YES on the recall of Gov. Newsom.
