Was it something we said? Stanislaus advocates no longer at governor’s side

Gov. Gavin Newsom must reverse the recent, startling mini-exodus of our people from the Capitol in Sacramento.

In the same week he assumed office in January 2019, the governor seemed to send a message to our Northern San Joaquin Valley by paying a visit with his cabinet to Stanislaus County. He further positioned himself as a friend to the Valley by appointing Bill Lyons of Modesto as his agricultural liaison, a cabinet-level position that Newsom himself created. And Newsom also made Turlock’s Lenny Mendonca the governor’s chief economic and business advisor and chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority.

Both men presented an inside track for Stanislaus County to the Democratic governor. But both were gone within 16 months. And now so is Modesto’s Paul Van Konynenburg, an appointee to the California Transportation Commission by Newsom’s predecessor, Jerry Brown.

“I was totally shocked,” Van Konynenburg said in an interview. He had ascended to the powerful commission’s chairmanship, but Newsom last week declined to reappoint him to a second four-year term.

The Modesto businessman never forgot his roots, always looking out for us and other neglected stretches of the state. He found himself increasingly at odds with bureaucrats backing projects benefiting traditional power bases — Southern California, San Diego and the Bay Area.

At a joint meeting with the California Air Resources Board, audience speakers from all eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley, including ours, pleaded for help, and all were met with silence. Van Konynenburg ruffled some feathers when he took our part.

“It’s frustrating and sad because I thought I was doing a good job,” Van Konynenburg said. “I stuck up for the little guy and that sometimes made a few people uncomfortable.”

Van Konynenburg lacks a “D” behind his name; his voter registration shows no party preference. That wasn’t a problem with Brown, but Newsom’s administration puts a premium on partisan loyalty.

Valley losing clout in Sacramento

So the governor went in a different direction. This comes at a bad time, if you have the Valley’s best interests at heart.

Nothing suggests that Mendonca or Lyons were shown the door.

Newsom spoke glowingly of Mendonca when in April, after little more than a year near the governor’s elbow, Mendonca stepped aside to focus on family and business. And Lyons, who had previously served as agriculture secretary to former Governor Gray Davis, cited age and the grind of required travel when he left Newsom’s side in February.

The trio had provided three strong Stanislaus voices that no longer will be heard by the man wielding more power in California than any other.

“I do feel Stanislaus County is getting marginalized in this deal,” Van Konynenburg said.

Lyons echoed that, saying, “I would like to see more people from the Valley up there in administration roles.”

Turlock churns out leaders

We’re fortunate that some area folks continue in the Newsom regime. Turlock’s DeeDee D’Adamo has served on the crucial State Water Resources Control Board since 2013. Randy Fiorini of Turlock is vice chairman of the Delta Stewardship Council. And John Eisenhut remains on the California Air Resources Board, where he has served nearly seven years; he continues to look out for Valley interests, he said Tuesday, although he no longer lives in his native Turlock.

It’s troubling to see Valley voices grow weaker at the Capitol even as our air, water and transportation needs have never been more critical.

Newsom must prove that he still values the Valley by seating more of our people in his inner circle. He must choose at least another from among us to keep our previously ignored interests from being forgotten.