Modesto Poverty

Poverty in Modesto has risen to an astounding 19.9%, making us the sixth poorest city in the nation.  Thanks to my father's work in non-profit, I have been involved in volunteer work my entire life.  I have seen the impacts of poverty first hand.  Now that one in five Modesto residents are living in poverty we must make this a top priority.  Poverty doesn't only impact those living below the poverty line.  Poverty impacts us all.  We must work together as a community, partnering government with non-profit and private industries alike to see that we find the best solutions for this and other issues facing our community.

As always, you voice matters to me,

Joshua Esteves
vote4esteves@gmail.com
209-534-6471

Donations

While walking precincts today I met with a supporter who asked about making donations.  After talking about how to donate, he said he would just check my blog and get the information from the blog.  That was when I realized I didn't have the information on my blog so I will post it now.
There are several ways to donate. 
You can donate online through Paypal by sending a donation to:  vote4esteves@gmail.com
You can go into any branch of Mocse Credit Union and donate to:  Friends of Joshua Esteves for Modesto City Council 2011
Checks made out to Friends of Joshua Esteves can be sent to:
1504 Sylvan Ave.
Modesto CA  95355

Or, you can contact me at: 209-534-6471 and I will be happy to make arrangements to pick any donations.

Also, a side note about donations.  Donations under $100 can be made anonymously.  However, donations over $100 require a name, address, and employer.

Thank you all very much, I look forward to serving you.

Josh Esteves

Interview on Morning Mayor

Yesterday I was on the Morning Mayor.

The League of Women Voters Forum for Districts 5 and 6

Last night the League of Women Voters hosted a forum at Beyer High for the district 5 and 6 candidates.  I think it went quite well.  Here is the Bee's article about the event.

Smart Voter

I just posted some of  my info on the Smart Voter website.  You can check it out here:  http://www.smartvoter.org/2011/11/08/ca/stn/vote/esteves_j/

Modesto Bee

The Modesto Bee just published a piece on the District 5 candidates.  It can be found here:  http://www.modbee.com/2011/10/02/1887087/district-5-voters-will-get-to.html

Clean It or Lien It

Modesto has greatly been impacted by the foreclosure crisis but very little has been done to help solve the issue.  A foreclosed property brings down property values for all the homes in the neighborhood, it can increase crime, fire, and health hazards.  It is time for Modesto to implement a Clean It or Lien It program.  Such property abandonment programs have been successful in other California cities such as Chula Vista and Murrieta and will be very beneficial to Modesto. 

The program would hold lenders responsible for their foreclosed properties by forcing them to register the property with the city, then they must maintain their properties to neighborhood standards.  The registration lets the city know who to hold accountable for each property, and at a registration fee of $70 a foreclosed property, the city could easily raise over $40,000 to start the program.  Then the lenders are forced to maintain their properties or they could be fined anywhere from $100 to $1000 a day depending on the violation. 

Such programs have been very beneficial to the communities where they have been enacted and it is time for Modesto to hold lenders accountable and to protect our citizens.  Join me and together we can get a Clean It or Lien It program here.

Reaching Voters

It is no secret that I am running an extremely low budget grassroots campaign.  However, I can't think of a better way to campaign.  I have had the great pleasure of talking to hundreds of voters.  I am getting a good overview of what people find important, as well as a lot of positive feedback.  Most people I talk to want new leadership and new ideas and are happy to see me running for office.  I'll keep you posted on how things are going and if you would like to help you can contact me at: vote4esteves@gmail.com and we can discuss the many ways you can volunteer.

A New Endorsement

I am proud to announce that I recently received the endorsement from the Stanislaus-Tuolumne Central Labor Council.  I have a long history of working with Organized Labor to protect working families and I look forward to building this relationship going forward to ensure the people of Modesto have a voice in local government. 

Getting out to the people

Yesterday I walked two precincts and in a few hours I'll be hitting the streets with seven volunteers to cover a few more.  The people of Modesto are the most important part of my campaign and I am taking my message straight to them.  Let me know if you want to join us.

First Video Interview

I just had my with video interview with Athens Abell and On Watch.  The link should be available Friday and I'll post it once I get the link.

Tomorrow is also the Heal America event sponsored by the Nurses Union.  They will be offering food for the hungry, have live music, and have some speakers, myself included.  I hope to see you tomorrow.

Welcome to my Blog

Hello,

I am Joshua Esteves and I am running for Modesto City Council District 5. 

I work as an Appliance Repairman, as I go from home to home repairing appliances, I have heard many people voice their concerns about the direction our city is taking.  After hearing enough people complain, I decided to run so I could address their concerns.

There are many problems facing our city today, but we cannot solve them with the same mentality that caused them.  We need fresh ideas.  One of my ideas I am most excited about is bringing a Clean It or Lien It program to Modesto.  Such a program would hold lenders accountable for their foreclosed properties and protect our families from much of the hazards that come with a foreclosed home.

Another major issue is jobs.  Everyone agrees we need to bring more jobs to Modesto.  I will work to help our local businesses expand, and to attract new businesses to our city.  However, I will also to go a few steps further.  I will work to bring good jobs to Modesto.  We don't need more minimum wage jobs, we need good jobs so that people can afford to raise their families here.  We also need to keep the jobs we have in Modesto.  The city needs to keep their employees working and not outsource anymore work to out of town contractors.

Land use is a much less discussed topic but it is something that needs to be addressed.  Modesto has long talked about how great we value our farm land while continually building over it.  That must stop.  We need to preserve our farmland, fill the vacant buildings, and redevelop the underutilized areas of downtown.

I am running to represent you, and in doing so I need to hear from you so I can understand your concerns and have an opportunity to address them.  If you have any questions or concerns for me, please contact me here or at: vote4esteves@gmail.com

Thank you,

Josh Esteves