Jerry McNerney's website

McNerney to host economic summit in Stockton on "Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Renewable Energy"

Congressman Jerry McNerney is moving forward on his commitment to revitalize the economy in the San Joaquin Valley by exploring and leveraging new opportunities for growth and job creation. As the Oakland Tribune's Josh Richman reported recently:

Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, today announced he’ll be the honorary chairman of an economic summit Aug. 22 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton at which business, education, transportation, and economic development experts from across the Central Valley and the Bay Area will discuss how to spur San Joaquin County’s economic growth.

“I am committed to helping create jobs in San Joaquin, particularly in the area of new energy technology,” McNerney said in a news release. “I spent my career before arriving in Congress working with wind energy and other forms of clean energy technology. I know that San Joaquin — with both man-made and natural attributes — is well-positioned to benefit from the expanding use, investment in, and development of these energy sources.”

The “2007 Economic Summit: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Renewable Energy” summit is being organized by the Public Forum Institute. It aims to explore ideas — including tax incentives and reduced regulatory burdens — for empowering entrepreneurs and small businesses to locate or expand business in San Joaquin; identify promising opportunities for further development of renewable energy businesses; discuss creating “smart growth” guidelines for urban planning and affordable housing; and examine what’s needed to provide sufficient job training to local residents while investing more in science, mat, engineering and technology education to create a pipeline for high-tech and entrepreneurial jobs. McNerney will kick it off with an opening address before panel discussions get underway.

Stay tuned for more news on this special event as it develops...

McNerney helps prevent cuts to lab worker retirement benefits

Responding to a blizzard of impassioned calls and emails from employees at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Congressman Jerry McNerney has helped prevent an estimated 20% cut in lab workers' retirement benefits.

Under the new plan, when the new manager takes over Oct. 1, Livermore workers will be given the same benefits as Los Alamos workers currently have under their new corporate manager, rather than lesser packages as was planned.

One month ago, lab workers deeply concerned about the impending cuts asked Congressman McNerney and other members for assistance. Congressman McNerney responded by signing a letter to Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and hosting a special town hall with lab workers and their families:

In June, Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, co-signed a letter with Tauscher and others to Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman expressing concerns about planned benefits.

McNerney said his office was receiving more than 10 calls and e-mails an hour on this issue, and several hundred people showed up at a meeting he held July 2 to hear employee concerns about their benefits. He said younger employees gave him the impression that they were ready to leave the lab over the issue.

"The real concern is that if they don't offer attractive benefits, they aren't going to be able to attract and retain the caliber of personnel needed to assess national security issues," McNerney said.

In a separate press release, Congressman McNerney said:

"I met with hundreds of Livermore Lab employees last week and heard from hundreds more through emails and phone calls to my offices," Rep. McNerney said.  "Late last week, I took all of those comments and concerns and brought them directly to the NNSA and Energy Secretary Bodman.  Based on feedback the proposed plan received, the Department of Energy will now offer a benefits package on par with benefits received by employees at Los Alamos National Laboratory," Rep. McNerney continued.

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"It is critical that the compensation provided to Livermore Lab employees is good enough to attract the best talent for the laboratory," said Rep. McNerney.  "The original NNSA-proposed package was not in the best interest of the laboratories, the scientific community, or national security."

"This move is a great first step towards providing lab employees with appropriate benefits.  I will continue to work with the NNSA and the Department of Energy to ensure employees receive the benefits they deserve, thus ensuring that Lawrence Livermore can continue the groundbreaking work in the national interest, for which it has a richly deserved reputation," Rep. McNerney said.

Stockton Record editorial: McNerney's life "on speed dial"

Congressman Jerry McNerney is a busy bee these days. The editorial board of the Stockton Record noticed, recounting what McNerney did last week during the congressional "recess":

After less than four months in the House of Representatives, (Jerry McNerney's) life is on speed dial as he pursues a personal agenda to learn about issues and residents in the 11th Congressional District.

During a four-day period last week, McNerney announced formation of two advisory committees to help him better understand constituent concerns.

On April 9, he met with his health-care advisory board in Brentwood. Five of its nine members are from San Joaquin County.

On Thursday, McNerney announced creation of an agricultural advisory board. Six of its nine members are involved in farming and agribusiness in the county.

As the editorial mentions, Congressman McNerney is committed to meeting with these various new groups several times per year in an effort to be more fully informed about the issues of most concern to his constituents.

You can read the rest of the Record's editorial here.

Manteca Bulletin: "McNerney Vows to Secure Road Money"

As the Manteca Bulletin reports, Congressman Jerry McNerney understands that channeling highway funds to San Joaquin County can bring much-needed new jobs to employment centers served by these transportation projects:

He views it as a way to create economic opportunity for a region that he describes as “the new Appalachia” in reference to the historically poverty stricken region in the East.
McNerney noted the San Joaquin Valley as a whole leads the nation in two of three key indicators of poverty — high infant mortality, hunger, and low education. Per capita income is lower in the eight-county San Joaquin Valley and public assistance is higher as well than in the 68-county Appalachia region based on a 365-page Capital Research Service study issued in 2005.

“Right now, California receives 90 cents on every dollar it sends to Washington, D.C.,” McNerney said minutes after congratulating San Joaquin County leaders for landing $282.4 million in state bond money to widen Highway 99 from Manteca to central Stockton from four to six lanes. “The Democrats in California are working with Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi to change that.”

McNerney concurred that many out-of-state leaders have the impression that all of California is wealthy. McNerney promised to work as a member of the powerful House Transportation Commission to work with Manteca and San Joaquin County leaders to secure federal assistance for interchanges at McKinley Avenue and the Highway 120 Bypass as well as a new Austin Road/Highway 99 interchange.

Both interchanges will access new employment centers — 850 acres at Austin Road and several hundred acres at McKinley Avenue. The job creation is expected to provide a mixture needed to reduce commuting over the Altamont Pass to higher paying Bay Area jobs as well as provide jobs for the unemployed in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

For more on how enhancing Highway 99 can improve quality of life in Manteca and surrounding communities, read the Manteca Bulletin article here.

Lodi News-Sentinel: McNerney's "water bill could help Lodi"

The news that Congressman Jerry McNerney passed his first bill in the House of Representatives is rippling across the 11th Congressional District as local leaders determine how the bill may impact their community if it becomes law. 

In Lodi, officials are hoping to apply for funds from the "Healthy Communities Water Supply Act" to clean up contaminated sewer lines. The Lodi News-Sentinel reported today that:

Lodi can apply for money to help clean up the hazardous materials TCE and PCE, which contaminate the city's groundwater and underwater soil, Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, said in a conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon.

And San Joaquin County, its cities and local water districts can apply for up to $3 million for projects that use surface, or river, water to replenish the parched groundwater basin, the congressman said.

"If we find ways to use surface water to recharge groundwater supplies, it's a good use of this money," McNerney added.

The News-Sentinel also reported that House Resolution 700 is only the "second bill authored by a freshman member of Congress to be heard by the House this year."

Click here to read the rest of reporter Ross Farrow's article.

Pleasanton Weekly: 200 join McNerney to open new Pleasanton office

The Pleasanton Weekly covered Congressman McNerney's Open House in Pleasanton on Saturday:

The afternoon celebration was the second that day, with McNerney, his wife Mary and Andy Stone, McNerney's communications director in Washington, D.C., also opening another District field office in Stockton earlier.

"It's great to be here in Pleasanton and to see this wonderful group of suporters coming here to celebrate our victory," McNerney said. "This District office is here for all constituents in the 11th District."

You can read the rest of the Weekly's report here, including photos of Jerry McNerney talking with constituents.

McNerney in Manteca; talks transportation, jobs, wetlands

Congressman Jerry McNerney traveled to Manteca on Friday to meet with Manteca Mayor Willie Weatherford, City Manager Bob Adams and other city officials.

Among the topics on the agenda? Transportation issues, of course. Here's a brief excerpt from the Tri-Valley Herald:

McNerney experienced some of those perils firsthand. Representatives were stuck in traffic on Interstate 205 on the way to Manteca, spokesman Andy Stone said.

"There is a definite need to make sure that our freeways work at maximum efficiency and to also improve (Altamont Commuter Express) train service, hopefully by getting more trains going every day," McNerney said.

However, McNerney said he did not support continuing a feasibility study on alternative freeway connecting the San Joaquin Valley to the Bay Area that had been championed by former Rep. Richard Pombo.

The real solution is to create jobs in this area, he said, adding that he wanted to work to bring new energy jobs, particularly solar, into the Manteca area.

To check out the rest of the Tri-Valley Herald story, click here.

The Manteca Bulletin added even more depth to coverage of the meeting, highlighting an idea that McNerney found intriguing:

McNerney said he is open to local jurisdictions “bringing innovative solutions to him” for consideration for transportation and other district issues.

McNerney noted that he liked Manteca’s idea of diverting clean recycled wastewater to 200 acres in the southwest portion of the city to create new wetlands.

The city had approached Pombo on creating the wetlands for assistance as a federal demonstration project. Pombo said the idea intrigued him but nothing came of it.

Weatherford believes it would be a model to show how recycled wastewater can be used to restore wetlands as well as addressing water quality concerns and preserve open space in an urban setting.

Read more at the Bulletin by clicking here.

McNerney visits with Lodi leaders, talks transportation

Congressman McNerney visited Lodi recently and met with city officials, including Mayor Bob Johnson, Vice Mayor JoAnne Mounce, City Manager Blair King and other senior city staff.

One of more prominent issues discussed was a possible ACE train extension to Lodi. According to the Lodi News-Sentinel:

McNerney said he discussed the issue of bringing a commuter train to Lodi. The Altamont Commuter Express train is considering expanding service from the Bay Area to Sacramento with a potential stop in Lodi. McNerney, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said he was "excited" about the idea of bringing more passenger rail service to the Central Valley.

"It's an issue that is very important to the committee," he said.

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Johnson said the meeting was a good chance to get to know the congressman and introduce him to the issues.

"It seemed he had an interest in many areas of our concern," Johnson said. "He seemed cognizant of the issue of light rail and seemed interested in seeing that move forward."

Congressman McNerney also discussed a number of other issues, including groundwater contamination cleanup, renewable and new energy technology, Homeland Security funding, and Community Development Block Grants.

To read more about the Lodi meeting, click here.