Congressman McNerney Proposes Task Force on San Joaquin Valley Economy

Press Release

Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) wrote to President Obama to ask for the creation of a national task force to address the economic challenges faced by communities in the San Joaquin Valley. The task force would be made up of representatives from every federal agency that would coordinate with each other and work with local leaders to help improve the region's economy.

"I am determined to make sure the residents and businesses in my district and the entire Valley can take advantage of every available federal resource as our area continues to recover," wrote Congressman McNerney. "It's essential that we work to create good, family-wage jobs in the Valley that will ensure our region remains strong in the years ahead. Partnering local, state, and federal agencies with the private sector will help foster economic growth, and ensure that we use our tax dollars as efficiently as possible."

The Congressman noted in his letter to the White House that the region receives far less in federal aid than other communities in the state and the nation. Per capita, the Valley only receives about $6 in assistance, compared with nearly $9 in California, and over $10 nationwide.

The interagency task force proposed by Rep. McNerney improves on the successes of a previous task force created by President Clinton in October 2000. Rep. Jim Costa joined Congressman McNerney in sending this letter to President Obama.

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