I have been critical at times over the City of Simi Valley spending money on a "Shop Simi Valley First" campaign because I remain unconvinced it is effective use of government money.
This blog entry though isn't on that program. It is to give credit to Simi Valley City Council Member Glen Becerra for using his campaign funds to help local businesses while getting some buzz around his own name.
Glen Becerra is often mentioned as a potential candidate for open seat elections for the state assembly, state senate, and the US House. People might say he is doing this to improve his own standing in the community and I agree. But that shouldn't be viewed negatively. This should inspire other politicians to think of ways of promoting our communities and themselves, instead of the same tired attacks and the same cliches year after year.
Compare Glen Becerra's ad with the recent op-ed by State Senator Tony Strickland titled " Nevada looks pretty attractive compared with California". I do agree with some of State Senator Tony Strickland's arguments but I don't know if we need the constant reminders of how the failure of California State legislators, including him, to compromise continues to drag down our state.
This is the smartest political move I have seen Glen Becerra do in the years I have been paying attention to local politics. It sure beats the time he helped Governor George W. Bush campaign in Oxnard as a new type of conservative.
The Great Timm Herdt, Ventura County Star Reporter, has already reported on this ad. Click here for Timm Herdt's blog entry.
If you want to help bring shoppers to Simi Valley click on the buttons below to share it on a social network like Facebook.
Mike Chandler, the blogger behind VoteSimiValley.com also is supportive of the ad by Glen Becerra.
Click here for his take on it.
Additional Comments:
We usually talk of federalism as states being the incubators of democracy or states competing with each other for citizens and businesses. But this move brings up the idea of cities competing with each other to attract citizens and businesses. I like the idea that cities need to compete by offering a talented workforce, business friendly policies, and more with each other.
Many of us depend on the infrastructure that the new tax in Los Angeles County will go towards so we shouldn't gloat too much. But a modest rivalry is fair.
I could go into the many advantages that Los Angeles has but I will leave that up to a Los Angeles based blogger. Any takers for the challenge?
I spoke with Glen Beceera about this picture I had photoshopped of him that I posted with a story that he was helping Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appeal to latinos and he said he liked it.
![Glen_Becerra[2].jpg](http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/vcs/dennert/Glen_Becerra%5B2%5D.jpg)
Glen, I am posting it again because I like your ad.
I am also posting it to remind people you helped Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaigns. Sorry, but I couldn't go a whole blog post without mentioning it. By the way, he could really use your help now.
Here's the comment I left over on Timm's blog:
One of the few checks we have on leviathan government is the ability to "vote with our feet". Dictatorships typically restrict emigration, to prevent their victims from fleeing to freer lands. You can generally tell the relative levels of liberty between two nations by the direction of population flow. And the United States has historically been the country that oppressed and downtrodden people flee to. We benefit and tyrannies are weakened by this "brain drain".
So it also is among the states within our country. When taxes and regulations in some states (e.g., California) become too heavy, the most productive people move to more congenial locations (e.g., Nevada). They take their skills and entrepreneurship and money with them. Raising taxes even higher to make up for the loss becomes counterproductive, as it just accelerates the outflow.
So it also is among localities within the states. A city like Los Angeles, with its high taxes and corruption and mismanagement and poor services, is going to lose out to well managed and lower tax cities like Simi Valley. Glenn Becerra's ad to publicize the difference will not only benefit Simi Valley in the short run, it will also benefit Los Angeles in the long run if it pressures L.A. to begin long-overdue reforms. And if L.A. remains obstinate, people there can "vote with their cars" and come shop here.
hmmmm! practice what they preach. it appears they want us to shop simi 1st however why did the city hire republic electric & terex to sync the traffic signals , they have tennessee plates on their boom trucks i spoke to one of the workers at a gas station & inquired about the license plates from tennessee the gentleman told me it is cheeper to register their work trucks in tenessee. i guess its ok for people in our state to reduce work hours & pay like for 1 california department of motor vehicle thanks mayor i will remember to shop simi valley. can someone verify which state is cheaper to register boom trucks