One Voice Sees Results from Visits to Legislators

This is the sixth year that a One Voice delegation has advocated for needs in Merced County by visiting with legislators and agencies at the state and federal capitols. Over the past few months, the One Voice program has learned of several positive results from last year's visits.

Appropriations

The road to getting appropriations (earmarks) for specific projects is a long one. In January of this year, MCAG, on behalf of the One Voice program, submitted three appropriation requests. Of the list of priority projects developed by One Voice participants and approved by the MCAG Governing Board, only these three were eligible for earmarks: Los Banos bypass, Campus Parkway, and the Merced Union High School District's Engineering Academy.

Our federal representatives then submitted their lists to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. One of those three made it through the final discussions: $420,000 for the MUHSD Engineering Academy model program.

Los Banos Bypass

Los Banos bypass project was awarded $950,000 to help begin construction of Segment 1, the eastern part of the bypass connecting Highways 152 and 165.

Pacheco High School

This school in Los Banos was under construction when the State froze $29,000,000 committed to this project. Unfortunately, stopping construction would have been very expensive -- $10,000,000 in damages, legal fees, and other related costs. Following our One Voice visit to Washington, D.C., Congressman Cardoza's staff took interest in the project and contacted the appropriate people in Sacramento to get the funding reinstated.

Economic Development

Scott Galbraith of MCEDCO announced another hefty grant from USDA which he said was a result of One Voice-MCEDCO collaboration. $130,000 has been granted for technology training and business assistance for entrepreneurs, and capacity building to attract new businesses.

Healthcare

At the state level, healthcare facilities had petitioned for a locally controlled program called a County Organized Health System which would allow local agencies to provide Medi-Cal reimbursements. The COHS would have the ability to give local medical providers a higher reimbursement due to reduced costs of managing the program. A couple of weeks following the One Voice visit to Sacramento, a smaller Merced County delegation met with decision-makers at the Dept. of Health Services, where it was announced that the COHS application had been approved.

Other benefits

Of course, the relationship-building part of the program with legislators, staff, and key agencies cannot be measured in dollars. More and more decision-makers are becoming aware that California is more than just Hollywood, and that Merced County has needs and issues that are quite different from many other areas.

Those who go on the state and federal visits, do so at their own expense. Anyone may participate in One Voice. Please read the program protocol.

For further information, contact Lori Flanders at (209) 723-3153, ext. 308 or Lori.Flanders@mcagov.org.