Los Banos Rotary Club History
Tells of Need For Valley Group

John A. Reynolds, Fresno, executive secretary of the newly formed Central Valley Empire Assn., explained the need for and possibilities of the association to members of the local Rotary Club at their luncheon Tuesday noon.

Reynolds stated there are two primary needs for such an organization in the valley. First, to herald the virtues of this area to tourists and prospective new citizens; and second, to protect our interests in state and national politics.
The section of the San Joaquin valley from Kern county north to and including Stanislaus, Reynolds said, is the greatest agricultural producing area in the world, and the products of this district exceeds the manufacturing resources of the entire state. From the tourist standpoint of scenic attractions, the area has more mountains, more lakes, more rivers, and more scenic beauty than all of Switzerland. There is only one drawback—we who live here are the only ones who know it.

Pointing out that this is the only large district of the state that does not have at least one salaried person stationed at Sacramento to protect and fight for our interests in the legislature, Reynolds said that Los Angeles usually has from 10 to 15 paid representatives at every session of the state legislature; San Francisco has seven or eight; and other areas are represented.
As one example of the effectiveness of such representation, Reynolds emphasized that from standpoint of highways alone, this area has received far less than its share. The area has 17 per cent of the critical highway mileage in the state, yet only 7 per cent of the state highway money is allotted to the district.

As to the organization itself, Reynolds explained that it is an organization conceived and supported by all county and city Chambers of Commerce in the section. Its governing board is composed of four delegates and four alternates from each county. Financing is accomplished by contributions from the Chambers of Commerce and from business organizations and individuals.

One of the first projects of the new body, Reynolds said, was to carry on an educational campaign urging voters of this agricultural empire to vote "NO" on Proposition 13 at the general election November 2. This proposal would reapportion the membership of the California senate on the basis of population. State senators are now elected on a territory basis, on the same principal as members of the United States Senate.

September 10, 1948

---