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• Newspaper attorney says law requires disclosure

• Supporters and detractors of Measure W hit streets of Lodi

• Irksome to some, pollution inspectors in San Joaquin County say they work to clean our air

• LUSD may spare almost 200 jobs from layoffs

• Galt elementary district to ask state for loan to close $3.4M budget gap

• Regional Roundup

• June Hartley pleads not guilty

• Accused teacher ordered to stay away from McNair High

• Clarifications

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• Regional Roundup

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Group investigates reports of haunting

October 31st, 2009

• Area schools have no plans of closing due to H1N1 virus

• Tokay High evacuation

• Gated communities in Lodi

• Finishing touches on Hill House replica

• Regional Roundup

• In remembrance of Kyle Coumas

• Lodi-area Halloween events

• City of Lodi settles case of mistaken identity

• Lodi a reflection of Halloween's retail emergence

• Izzy Laviola and Seth Siddle-Mitchell crowned Tokay homecoming queen and king

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• Gated communities in Lodi (113)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (99)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (82)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (60)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (55)
• Universal health care solves big problems (42)
• Words from our forefathers (26)
• With resolve and imagination, Downtown Lodi can surge once again (24)
• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home (18)

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Improving Lodi without raising taxes

In 1952, California voters gave local cities and counties a new tool to create jobs and improve their communities.

They overwhelmingly approved Article XIII, Section 19 of the California Constitution, and thus Tax Increment Financing and the Community Redevelopment Law became California's only ongoing economic stimulus tool.

According to the California Redevelopment Association, the 397 active redevelopment agencies in the state annually generate 310,000 good-paying jobs, produce $32 billion in total economic activity annually, and $1.6 billion in annual state and local taxes.

While Lodi wrestles with the decision to create jobs through its redevelopment agency, what do some of the most conservative communities in the state — such as Fullerton, Huntington Beach, San Clemente, Coronado, Carlsbad and Poway — know that we don't know? Might it be that they realize that by retaining a greater share of taxes locally, this ensures economic growth and lower taxes?

Of the 164 cities in California with a population over 50,000, why is Lodi one of only eight without an active redevelopment area?

Measure W is the manifestation of the principle that local taxes (which we are going to pay one way or another) spent locally improves local services without raising taxes, which is why I support Measure W.

Glen Barnes
Lodi