Top supervisor: State of S.J. County remains strong
STOCKTON — When Kathy Miller gave her first address as San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair five years ago, she said the state of the county was strong.
On Tuesday, Miller presented her second State of the County, and said she would repeat what she stated five years ago.
“The state of San Joaquin County remains strong,” she said. “That is due to the policies adopted by my colleagues on the board, our incredible and hardworking staff and to each of our amazing residents who make this county a very special place to live, work and play.”
Those progress of those policies — homelessness, fiscal health, good governance, public safety and water — were highlighted during Tuesday’s address, and Miller noted upcoming milestones for each issue.
Homelessness
“Homelessness is front-andcenter in every community in California. San Joaquin County is certainly no exception,” she said. “While we are faced with tough goals, we are making progress and have made great strides to address the needs of the more than 2,500 homeless individuals living in our county.”
One of those strides, she said, has been creating new permanent supportive housing units, new beds for emergency shelters, and new funds earmarked for homeless prevention.
Miller said that in the past year, more than 1,300 homeless individuals were helped and connected with housing and specialized services through partnerships with nonprofits and other local agencies.
Plans are also underway to build Victory Gardens, a 49-unit permanent supportive affordable housing development for homeless veterans on about four acres of county land adjacent to San Joaquin General Hospital, she said.
“I am proud of the board’s policy decision to end homelessness for veterans by the year 2025,” she said. “We are not naive about the complexities and challenges we face, but we are taking informed and caring action and have faith that our efforts will make a difference and to help turn lives around.”
Fiscal Health
Miller said the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year county budget was balanced at $1.8 billion, and reserves have reached a total of $90.2 million.
“We have enjoyed a strong economy and have made sound decisions to leverage and protect our safety net,” she said. “But we always need to be vigilant and realistic. While we are in a strong fiscal position today, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t anticipate and prepare for known and unknown threats on the horizon.”
Those threats, she said, include funding changes at both the state and federal levels the board and county cannot control, such as health care costs, public health costs and new mandates from Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
For the coming year, Miller said the board will be focused on maintaining fiscally sustainable labor agreements, containing pension costs, and tightening the belts of all county departments in order to support its financial stability priority.
Good Governance
One of the most exciting components of the board’s strive for good governance, Miller said, was $3 million in state funding the county will receive this year for child support programs. Some $19.1 million will be allocated to communities throughout California for child support agencies for the first time in 19 years, she said, adding San Joaquin County spearheaded the effort.
In addition, she said Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed additional child support funding for fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Miller also noted the county’s adoption of a new industrial hemp ordinance, which will allow the agricultural community to grow a commodity that will add about $2.6 billion to the production industry.
There are already 734 acres of hemp production already approved in unincorporated areas of the county, she said, along with 257,000 square feet of greenhouse space.
Miller also highlighted Stockton Metropolitan Airport’s recent addition of directs flight to Los Angeles International Airport through United Airlines. More than 22,000 passengers have taken advantage of the new service since flights began last summer, which supports San Joaquin County’s business and economic growth.
Public Safety
Miller said public safety is a critical priority for the board, adding it needs to be approached form every angle. That includes causes, justice and healing for victims.
She highlighted how the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office has helped reduce homicides in Stockton by 41 percent and shootings by 30 percent, through its prosecution programs.
Water
A highlight for the county when it comes to water issues, Miller said, was its ability to complete a mandated Groundwater Sustainability Plan, which outlines how local agencies will conserve groundwater by 2040.
The was awarded $350,000 from the Department of Water Resources to implement the plan, she said.
Miller added that the county will continue its mission to defeat the proposed tunnel project to deliver Delta water to Southern California.
“Any tunnel project – one tunnel or two – cannot ensure water deliveries, solve issues related to climate change, protect infrastructure from an earthquake or improve aquatic conditions in the Delta,” she said. “In fact, the continued focus on a tunnel prevents better alternatives from being considered that actually reduce reliance on the Delta, protect the Delta’s fragile ecosystem, produce more water for California, and secure water supply reliability.”
Miller said the County will continue to “pursue a portfolio approach” to water that does not include a tunnel, whether through negotiations, legislation or litigation.