From Chick-fil-A to soccer stadium, Stanislaus County leaders talk economic growth

The second installment of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s summer advocacy series was held Friday, this time focusing on “wealth” from the city’s motto, “Water, Wealth, Contentment, Health.”

The series, which runs monthly through September, was held at the Petersen Event Center. The last session was on water, led by Dorene D’Adamo, vice chair of the California Water Resources Control Board.

Supervisor Mani Grewal, Councilmember Nick Bavaro and Assemblymember Juan Alanis spoke. Alanis took the place of City Engineer Toby Wells, who was initially slated to be on the panel. Attorney and owner of Point Political LLC Megan Belair moderated the discussion.

Attendees were served lunch and invited to submit written questions on notecards for the panel.

Panelists were asked why they chose to run for office, what initiatives they believe will positively impact regional economic development, the challenges they face in that area and how to grow local wealth and economic opportunity.

Alanis spent much of his time criticizing state legislation, including Proposition 47, which downgraded several drug and property crimes to misdemeanors. He argued that the proposition harmed small businesses and contributed to rising homelessness. He voiced support for Prop 36, which passed last November, essentially undoing Prop 47.

“Now, with the passage of Prop 36, businesses are already reporting that they’re seeing a big change,” Alanis said.

He added that improving public safety is critical to a thriving business climate and said Prop 36 will also help connect unhoused individuals with needed services.

Bavaro said the region needs more skilled labor training programs for those who don’t want to go to college, but still want to make a living and afford a home.

Grewal cited a Brookings Institution study that found a dual-income household in Stanislaus County needs to earn $28.58 per hour per person to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.

“We are vastly low on those types of jobs that have upward mobility, have the health benefits or other benefits,” Grewal said.

He said the county is working to attract better jobs to the region, particularly in sectors like the bioeconomy and childcare. Programs like Nurture, he added, have not only helped grow the number of childcare businesses but also expanded access for parents, allowing more of them to enter the workforce.

Challenges in Stanislaus County

One challenge Grewal pointed to is the difficulty of making spending decisions amid ongoing uncertainty, largely driven by cuts to federal and state funding, which make up most of the county’s budget. As a result, the county has taken a more conservative approach to spending to preserve reserves and avoid layoffs.

Grewal added that Modestans need to stop being apologetic about the region when promoting it to businesses and potential talent. He emphasized the importance of community investment to help the area thrive. With support from the city, he said he’s working to bring a Chick-fil-A to Modesto — a comment that drew cheers from the crowd.

“Be a cheerleader and get people to invest in Stanislaus County. That’s what’s going to change our destiny over the next 50 years,” Grewal said.

Bavaro said homelessness in Modesto remains a significant challenge, often making it harder to attract businesses and skilled workers to the area.

“Sometimes the view of our city with our homeless population, sometimes it works in a negative way. So I think we need to really find ways to better manage,” Bavaro said.

Alanis said an overload of regulations and legislation makes it difficult for business owners to stay open or start up. He pointed to the Private Attorneys General Act, which allows employees to sue on behalf of the state for labor code violations, and ADA compliance laws as examples of burdens that can discourage businesses.

“Keep in mind, that’s just here in California. It’s another reason why other businesses are going to other states,” Alanis said.

Alanis also argued that raising the minimum wage for fast food workers has hurt businesses by forcing them to compete with higher wages. He said problems like these often stem from local jurisdictions not knowing how to address issues at the city or county level. That, in turn, leads to statewide legislation that may not suit the needs of regions like Stanislaus County.

Soccer stadium

Bavaro said the city’s plans to build a soccer stadium is one initiative he believes could boost Modesto’s economy. He said the stadium would serve as a regional attraction, and plans also include redeveloping the nearby golf course into housing, apartments, a park and shared soccer training fields for use by Modesto City Schools.

“We are really focused on making downtown the economic hub for the city,” Bavaro said.

The city has been in negotiations since September with the United Soccer League, which is seeking an expansion venue with at least 5,000 seats to host professional men’s and women’s matches just below its top-tier division.

Bavaro said that alongside plans for the soccer stadium, there are efforts underway to expand the Modesto City–County Airport. At the most recent City Council meeting, members approved funding for a feasibility study for the airport.

“You can’t have professional soccer if you don’t have an airport for them to fly into,” Bavaro said.

The city is meeting this week and next to discuss it further.

Details on the upcoming soccer-focused meetings:

• July 28: 5:30 p.m. at the King-Kennedy Memorial Center, 601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in west Modesto. 
• July 29: 5:30 p.m. at Greens on Tenth, 953 10th St. 
• Aug. 5: 8:30 a.m. at Modesto Centre Plaza, 1001 K St.

The next session in the summer advocacy series will be held Aug. 15 at the Modesto Junior College Mary Stuart Rogers Theater and focus on “Contentment: Education, Opportunity, and Cultivating a Thriving Community.” It is open to the public but costs $35 to attend. Registration can be found on the Modesto Chamber of Commerce website.

Panelists will be Stanislaus State President Dr. Britt Rios-Ellis, MJC President Brian Sanders and Stanislaus County Office of Education Superintendent Scott Kuykendall