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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

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

February 2nd, 2010

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Jumpers across California

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

February 1st, 2010

• Find cuddly alpacas not too far from Lodi

• Public Meetings

• Patients can expect faster, better service when Lodi Memorial Hospital's new emergency room opens

• Man killed by Amtrak train in Lodi

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

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• President Obama's first year (67)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future (60)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (49)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (43)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen (31)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (31)

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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