[artichokegrower]

If you want to read about real hard times in the Salinas Valley research John Steinbeck. Steinbeck wrote about a time during the Great Depression when there were no EBT cards, no Section 8 housing, no Medi-Cal and no free lunches at the local schools. These were very hard times but Salinas did not have the crime the murder rate and such as it does no. Could it be because of the different ethnic and cultural makeup of that time? Could it be that the Nanny States fosters civil disrespect?

[Don Corleone]

Leave it to Moonbeam and the Marxists. They will take California to the garbage dump in record time.

[Texas Eagle]

Could it be because of the different ethnic and cultural makeup of that time?

What are you saying? A lot of lutefisk pickling Swedes in Salinas?

Come right out and say it, you Norse-ist.

[Jim from C-Town]

They also didn’t have a large swath of third World illegal immigrant illiterates as a primary part of their ‘diverse’ ‘community’.

[PGR88]

“Rich in land. Rich in Values. Ripe With Opportunity,”

The exact same could be said of Argentina, but it has labored under statist, socialist, progressive, crony-capitalist politics and economics for 70 years. Why should Salinas (or California) have a better fate if they follow the same policies?

[gaijin]

All that, and ZERO mentions of the word Mexico or Mexican or welfare.

[Paine in the Neck]

“Rich in land.
 Rich in Values.
 Ripe With Opportunity.
 Crushed by Progressives”

[Texas Eagle]

I DO care about Salinas. I almost moved there a few years ago. Cost of living is more reasonable than Monterey. Climate is better. Small town feel. What a shame.

'Course this may drive property prices down even further.

Hmmmmmmmm.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

The Mexican illegal immigrant brought their dysfunctional culture with them, as they created Mexico Del Norte. In addition by not enforcing our immigration laws I suspect the message is being sent to the effect “our laws are meaningless have at it!”

[spodefly]

These cities started as smaller towns and grew to have the problems of urban places, while retaining the weak local governments of small towns. And California’s governing system gives local officials little discretion to shape their communities’ destinies.

"Problems of urban places" = Diversity.

"Weak local governments of small towns" = Big bloated unionized, powerful, forceful governments are needed to deal with "diversity".

"governing system gives local officials little discretion to shape their communities’ destinies" = The community shaped the communities direction just fine until the diverse urban "you didn't build that" population moves in, then you better have a redistributionist apparatus in place or the "victims" will burn it all to the ground.

[William Tell]

From the article: "People in Salinas are very good at starting things — but finding the public resources to maintain them has been harder."

The author of the article needs a little help here. Let me paraphrase that sentence:
"People in Salinas are very good at buying things - but paying for them has been harder."

I'm sure the author believes that it would be more "fair" to increase taxes on Silicon Valley companies in order to buy a golf course for Salinas.

The liberals' chickens are coming home to roost and it will not make for a pleasant world.

[old gringo]

i have hauled a lot and i mean tons and tons of produce out of there,i liked the place.

[Mariner]

It does not take a rocket scientist to know what is wrong with Salinas (God's terra perfection on earth).

Just go there for lunch and you'll see for yourself.

AT LEAST 80% of the population is Hispanic and AT LEAST 1/2 of those are illegal and speak no English.

Every stinkin' on of the radio stations is in Mexican.

All the public shoos speak more Mexican that English.

Coming soon to an America near you.

[DownInFlames]

No water equates to no farming and the end of salinas:

[PoloSec]

SCSC...

The Socialist Communist State of California.

Coming soon to a state near you!

Like the USSR boy, you don’t know how lucky you are...

[GingisK]

Do you worry about the future of California?

I do, I really do. I had hoped it would have slid off into the ocean long before now.

[CreviceTool]

You can get some visibility into the residual effect of unbridled unlawful immigration of low-to-no skilled workers in this PBS documentary:

http://carolynebrown.com/films/the-salinas-project/

Excerpt: East Salinas - Leaders in the community say Alisal is one of the most densely populated in California – some say more densely populated than Manhattan, New York. Immigrant families, who work in the fields, live in cramped, unhealthy conditions because of the high cost of housing in Monterey County. Alisal is a young community: 37% of its residents are under the age of 18. Only 4% are over the age of 65.

As you drive around Alisal you see garages with messy foam insulation outlining the garage doors. These are converted garages, where families, sometimes multiple families, live, with questionable electricity and water, often on a cement floor, with rodents abundant.

Alisal High School has had major problems with gang violence, but students, faculty and staff show great pride in their school. The high school’s demographics: 97% of the students are Latino; and 77% are eligible for free or reduced lunch. That’s compared to a 41% average for the state. Salinas is home to an estimated 16 street gangs, with at least 3,000 members.

[miss marmelstein]

I visited Salinas several times only based on my beloved John Steinbeck novels!

[Organic Panic]

I lived in Watsonville for a while. Salinas, Watsonville, most of the central valley are indistinguishable from Mexico. The “youths” run wild. They don’t work, they don’t have to, and they join gangs. You have MS-13, the Border Brothers, Nortenos, and Suarenos all fighting it out. Best to avoid those places.

All acts of love I’m sure.

[elder5]

Spent a lot of time there when I was stationed at Ft. Ord in the early 80’s. Put the 7th ID back there and watch the area grow again.

[rcofdayton]

I don’t care about California. When it collapses I will be filled with joy.