Endorsements

A wide range of community, elected, and business leaders have endorsed Jeff Grover. Click on the link to read the quote:

LATEST ENDORSEMENT:  Modesto Bee 10/08/06

• Stanislaus County Deputy Sheriff's Association
• Stanislaus County Farm Bureau
• Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Modesto School Board Members
• Mayor of Modesto
• Retired Sheriff of Stanislaus County
• Modesto Chamber of Commerce
• Modesto Chamber of Commerce Magazine "Progress"
• Modesto Bee
• Comprehensive list

Modesto Bee 10/08/06 Endorsement
Grover, Keating for Supervisor
Source: http:///www.modbee.com/2006/election/story/12852900p-13536103c.html

In November, Modesto-area voters will elect two people to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.

One will be a new face, replacing the retiring Ray Simon, arguably the most influential player in local politics for a quarter-century.

Five candidates sought Simon's District 4 seat in the June primary. This runoff election features the top two vote-getters: Modesto City Councilwoman Janice Keating and former state Sen. Dick Monteith.

In the other runoff election, the incumbent District 3 supervisor, Jeff Grover, is being challenged by the same man he defeated four years ago — Modesto City Schools board member Gary Lopez.

The Bee's recommendations:

District 3: Lopez and Grover have both been endorsed in the past; Lopez for the school board and Grover for his current position.

In this contest, Grover is clearly the stronger candidate, and we encourage his re-election.

Grover is a genuine leader, capable not just of representing the interests of his geographic area but also of marshalling consensus and advancing an issue from concept to reality.

He was instrumental in the turnaround of the Stanislaus Council of Governments from an ineffectual bureaucracy to an agency that is meaningfully coordinating long-term transportation plans.

Grover, 50, a successful businessman, is often impatient with the slow pace of government. He pushes county staff to move quickly — and toward a high standard. In his first term, he has earned widespread respect within and outside county government for his professional style and hard work.

Grover has not been timid in trying to figure out how Salida should grow. Seen by some as a proponent of fast growth, this lifelong area resident is, instead, a proponent of smart growth. Aware of techniques that maximize production on formerly marginal lands, he's not afraid of losing "prime" ag land to houses and businesses — as long as the location of those houses and businesses make sense and developers pay their way. In Salida, he's behind an ambitious plan that would have home builders finance major improvements — the first leg of a cross-county expressway and the infrastructure for a business park. He favors Salida incorporating as a city and his plan would provide the money so it could happen.

Lopez, 45, a Modesto Fire Department captain, also supports Salida growth. He accepted more than $10,000 in contributions from developers who seek residential growth even beyond the boundaries Grover has supported. Lopez also is part of the school board that is putting Gregori High School in the middle of a planned business park — anticipating the area would have more houses than businesses.

Lopez and other school board members are hypersensitive to criticism about the repeated delays for Gregori. It is, however, an appropriate issue for debate, especially because most Salida teens are going to the crowded and largely unair-conditioned Davis High School.

But the bottom line is leadership. Lopez is a conscientious member of a board whose direction is largely determined by the district administration. Grover, on the other hand, has been setting the agenda for county government and regional cooperation over the last several years.

Residents will benefit from Grover's leadership as a supervisor for four more years.

District 4: Janice Keating is an elected official who pushes, digs, works hard and demands answers.

Her five years on the Modesto City Council haven't always been smooth. She has sparred publicly with colleagues, notably former Mayor Carmen Sabatino. In the last couple of years, her demeanor has softened a bit, but not her determination.

She helped unearth unauthorized projects being completed by city staff; she demanded answers to why the new city water rates were bungled. Although she has taken significant contributions from developers, she has insisted they live up to higher standards for storm drains and other features.

Keating won our respect when she spearheaded the push to create a downtown homeless shelter; she also attends community meetings on public health and neighborhood concerns. Her interests reach beyond routine city business.

Keating, 40, gets things done — even if she has to scuff her shoes to do it. We have no doubt she would take that same energy to the county.

Dick Monteith, 74, is running on his reputation as a state senator from 1994 to 2002. But the fact is, he wasn't a dynamic or particularly effective legislator. He suggests the state as a solution for county problems, but the state has made it clear that it expects counties to solve their own problems.

Leadership finds solutions at hand, and we believe Keating would provide that kind of leadership.

Between the two, Keating is the better choice, and we recommend her election as the District 4 supervisor.

Grover for Supervisor
2006 Endorsements

Bill Bassitt, CEO, The Alliance
JP Batmale
Richard Beal
J. Allen Beebe
Dave Benn, CEO, Memorial Hospital
Tony Borba, Superintendent, Salida School District
Carl Boyett
Jack Bray
Sheila Carroll
Daniel Cipponeri
Randy & Sandy Clark
Nancy Cline, Modesto City School Board member
Assemblyman Dave Cogdill
Dan and Denise Costa
Jeff Cowan
Rod DeHart
Kirk Delamare
Tony Diaz, President, Hispanic Chamber
Ted Dickason
State Senator Jeff Denham
Supervisor Jim DeMartini
Tom Eakin
John and Wendy Evans
Bob Endsley
Don and Susie Fagundes
Armando Flores
Lou & Kenni Friedman
Manuel Furtado, Board Chair, Paradise School District
Dr.  Curtis Grant
J. D. Grothe
John and Linda Grover
Mike Grover
Will Grover
Robert Hagopian
Julio Hallack, past President, Hispanic Chamber
Dave Hedrick
Bruce and Diane Hinkley
Allen Layman
R. Kirk Lindsey
Michael Lipomi
Dr. Ream Lochry, Superintendent, Hart-Ransom School District
Gary McKinsey, Chair of the Board, Modesto Chamber of Commerce
James MacMillen M.D.
Joy Madison, CEO, Modesto Chamber of Commerce
Roger Marks
Cindy Marks, Modesto City School Board member
Supervisor Tom Mayfield
John Mensinger
Jocelyn Singh-Newburn
Alicia O’Brien
Supervisor William O’Brien
Mike Passalaqua, Chief, Woodland Ave. Fire Department
Jerry Powers, Chief Probation Officer, Stanislaus County
Congressman George Radonovich
Mayor Jim Ridenour
Jerry Rhine
Chris Ronson
Walter Ruppel
Bill and Kathleen Seavy
Mark Sconyers
Supervisor Ray Simon
Dale Skiles, Chief, Salida Fire Department
Bette Belle and Jean Smith
Doug & Bobbie Sweetland
Craig Top
Tom Van Groningen, Chair, Modesto Irrigation District
Paul Van Konynenburg
Mark and Nancy van Overbeek
Les Weidman, Sheriff, Stanislaus County, retired
Paul Wenger,1st Vice Chair, California Farm Bureau
Gary West
Jeremiah Williams
Dennis Wilson
Gil Wymond
Peter Zeff
Wayne Zipser, CEO, Stanislaus County Farm Bureau
Stanislaus County Deputy Sheriffs Association
Stanislaus County Farm Bureau
Modesto Chamber of Commerce
Latino Community Roundtable
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Central Valley Association of Realtors
BIACC

Modesto Chamber of Commerce Endorsement
District 3 County Board of Supervisors, Jeff Grover

The Modesto Chamber is impressed with Jeff Grover.  It’s as simple as that.   The Modesto Chamber of Commerce endorsed Grover, new to politics, three years ago because we liked his business acumen.  Grover was not new to the Chamber.  He served on the Modesto Chamber Board in the 90’s and has been an economic development champion for as long as we’ve shared an affiliation. 

The Modesto Chamber was absolutely right to entrust Jeff as a County Supervisor for Stanislaus County.   It is his leadership today that will ensure we have the transportation local option sales tax vote in November. 

Grover was elected to the Board of Supervisors and inherited a transportation mess.   StanCOG was in turmoil.  Nothing had been done for years in the way of implementation.  Lack of trust on the Policy Board exacerbated coming together on any issue.  Jeff is a listener.  He cultivated a spirit of cooperation among his colleagues.  Because of his leadership there is a long-term plan developed for transportation.  Today there is a new director and a forward direction at StanCOG.   And while each city and unincorporated area is afforded dollars for improved transportation, it is the citizens who benefit the most from Grover’s hard work. 

Grover tackles projects with extended timelines, are extremely complicated and lack splashy headlines.  Known more for his accomplishments than his politics Grover methodically goes about getting things done. We know the Enterprise Zone wouldn’t be here without him.  Grover keeps a list of projects he wants to get finished -- projects like a growth management plan for all 9 cities and the county, water, and developing “shovel ready” acreage.  And being the businessman he is, Jeff Grover insists plans and projects have a funding source. 

Jeff Grover is a proven leader.  He has earned re-election to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.