The Lodi News-Sentinel and Stockton Record have reported the city of Lodi has allocated $500,000 to create the Armstrong Road Cluster Zoning classification in county controlled land. As we all have read, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors has informed Lodi they must shoulder the application fees associated with the zoning and have assured Lodi there are no guarantees. The interesting analysis regarding this issue is the rhetoric used to discuss this project.

The best starting point is Lodi’s city manager (Blair King) and his alarming comments. Of course one could wonder if it is King talking or the city council, which does not matter at this point based on what is being said/offered; King is but a mouthpiece for the council and should have used his (purported) experience to counsel Lodi’s city council and staff against this matter. The first startling King comment is that “we (Lodi) are not doing this for financial gain.” (“We are not in it to make a profit,” he said to the Board of Supervisors.) Of course the logical response would be, then why are you/city council offering to pay $500,000 for a zoning classification that has nothing to do with Lodi’s sphere of influence or benefit the general fund? One can only speculate that there was some political lobbying between the landowners and certain political opportunist on Lodi’s city council. Nevertheless, Lodi ratepayers are soon to be facing wastewater rate increases because of a $40 million bond debt obligation and remiss financial/maintenance management. This being the case, those on council and the city manager must now be thoroughly scrutinized and held accountable as to the nature of their willingness to spend Lodi taxpayers’ money for projects that do not benefit Lodi’s financial health while citizens’ needs are overlooked.

Another consideration is King claiming that, “we’re (Lodi) not land developers. We’re trying to resolve a land-use issue.” I have to wonder if in fact Lodi’s leadership has decided the citizens can afford to pay the costs for area farmers wishing to cash-in on their property with a zoning classification that will promote county development. What is the issue? If the farmers are in need of money to have the zoning changed, they should provide the money, hire a lawyer, present a plan to the county Board of Supervisors and hope for the best. Another consideration regarding land-use resolution is that once the City of Lodi includes their name on a project, they become liable for any future litigation pertaining to legal matters relating to the project. Expounding on this thought, let us consider that the zoning change and a project are approved by the county and the city of Lodi is attached to the project, if the zoning and project are challenged owing to environmental illegalities, Lodi would once again be facing a costly and lengthy legal battle.


Another rhetorician we have to be skeptical of is Mayor Hansen. Hansen claims that, “We have to be forward thinking.” Need I remind the reader(s) that our wastewater issue was exposed before the Armstrong Road issue was scheduled to be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors. If in fact Hansen is a forward thinking mayor, he would have pulled this issue from the supervisors’ agenda owing to the present financial problems facing Lodi. Looking further into the future, will there be other 2x2x2 (x2--farmers) committees formed when the farmers west, east, and north of Lodi think it is appropriate Lodi becomes involved in land-use issues in hopes of creating other greenbelts?

This zoning issue is an issue between the farmers and the county, not Lodi. If elected city officials feel they would like to have their say in such a matter, a representative from Lodi may attend any meetings and express their views as it relates to the wishes of the citizens.

Lodi does not have an additional $500,000 to throw at a project that does not benefit the city’s general fund and creates the possibility of future litigation. Now is the time to be watching Lodi’s checkbook. According to Mayor Hansen (regarding the wastewater issue), “we (Lodi) are operating in a deficit, and that’s no way to operate a city.” Well if it is the case, King and the city council are irresponsibly operating our city and it appears that $500,000 for a county zoning change should be a moot point. On the other hand, perhaps not for some of our city leaders that think (or know?) there is a mattress in the basement of city hall stuffed with money.

Just a reminder, city official approved taking $300,000 from the general fund and $200,000 “from federal government impact fee program associated with the general fund, which could borrow from street fund because there is not a call for that amount in the near future in that fund.” What, is that legal (or even ethical)!?