Richard Silverman gives the City of Manteca an A-.
“There are a whole lot of things they are doing right,” Silverman said rattling off things such as adding more firefighters, adding more police, stepping up street work, getting developers to upgrade amenities, and preparing to break ground on a new police station, to name a few.
Silverman, who last month was presented the Manteca Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his impact on the community, has spent the last 22 years as a Manteca resident serving in various volunteer positions and being involved in city politics.
Silverman served as a councilman from 2015 to 2018 and was preparing to run in 2024 before throwing his support behind Regina Lackey.
“Gary (Singh) and the entire City Council, have done a good job moving Manteca forward,” Silverman said.
Silverman noted one doesn’t have to look too far to see cities that have severe challenges due to how things are run at the top such as in Stockton, Lodi, and Patterson.
“Toni Lundgren has grown well in her role as city manager,” Silverman added.
After initially opting not to endorse anyone for mayor, Silverman has come out supporting Singh as being the best choice for Manteca.
Silverman’s signature achievement as a council member was not only being the elected official who championed Measure J — the ballot proposal to increase the hotel room tax from 9 to 12 percent — but then led the campaign to secure voter approval.
That 3 percent increase in the room tax today generates roughly $1 million annually in general fund increase to support day-to-day services such as police, fire, and streets.
Other accomplishments during his tenure on the council include:
*Completing the agreement that secured the 500-room Great Wolf indoor water park resort.
*Instituting 24/7 staffing for fire station 4 (Lathrop Road by Del Webb) after it was “browned out” 40 percent of the time.
*Breaking ground on the fifth fire station at Atherton Drive and Woodward Avenue.
*Putting in place the first community resource officer dedicated to handling homeless issues.
Silverman back in 2018 famously described Great Wolf as a “giant billboard for Manteca right at the city’s entrance” on the 120 Bypass.
He noted not only does having the Central Valley’s largest hotel at 500 rooms say a lot about Manteca, but Great Wolf does extensive advertising promoting its Manteca-San Francisco location.
That is part of the reason why, when traveling elsewhere in California when people ask where he is from and Silverman says Manteca, he no longer has to say midway between Stockton and Modesto or 60 miles east of San Francisco and 60 miles south of Sacramento.
“Now they know about Manteca,” said Silverman.
Silverman, who is not a big fan of taxes but concedes they are a necessary in order to pay things a community needs, cut his teeth — if you will — in Manteca politics volunteering in 2006 on the phone banks for passage of Measure M half cent public safety tax to hire more frontline public safety personnel.
He then served on the citizens oversight committee for the public safety tax from 2006 to 2014 and 2019 to 2020.
Silverman praised the current council for doing what they said they would do with the three-quarter cent 20-year Measure Q sales tax for spending it as promised on streets, police, fire, and such as listed on the ballot. He noted the city keeps track of the revenue and spending in a separate account and has a citizens oversight committee in place.
Silverman offered “I’m a fan of the arch, but not the ($625,000) price” adding it is a source of community price.
As for the price, it’s an example of things that people may not be aware of or privy to.
The arch is anchored on both sides 30 feet into the ground with 10,000 pounds of concrete.
It is such “hidden costs” that aren’t front and center when people question the price of city projects.
An example is the $92 million price for the new police station breaking ground this fall on South Main Street.
Not only is it a public building that has enhanced security needs, but state law dictates all new police, fire stations, as well as hospitals built anywhere in California to be able to withstand an 8.0 earthquake.
Silverman’s long list of
volunteer endeavors
Born and raised in Los Angeles where he graduated from Fairfax High in 1963, Silverman joined the U.S. Naval Air Reserve.
The first six years he was a crewman on an anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The last six years he served as a data processing tech with the West Coast Naval Air Intelligence Unit.
Silverman joined Pacific Bell as an installer/lineman in 1965.
He was promoted to the IT department in 1968 and then transferred to the San Francisco headquarters in 1969.
He worked for 32 years with Pacific Bell before taking an early retirement.
During his PacBell career he earned an AA degree in Administration of Justice from LA City College and a BA degree in Management from St. Mary’s College in Orinda.
Silverman started his volunteer work as a reserve police officer with the Concord Police Department in 1974, serving for 14 years.
During his time as a Concord resident from 1970 to 2004, he served two terms each on the city’s Community Services Commission as well as the Redevelopment Advisory Commission.
Silverman and his wife Linda — they were married 47 years ago — moved to Manteca from Concord in 2004 to be closer to grandchildren living in Tracy and Elk Grove.
That also when the first Manteca issue popped up that they got involved in — a proposal to create a tennis center with significant parking in Woodward Park, three blocks east of their new home.
Since then — besides his council and oversight committee work — Silverman:
*Served on the San Joaquin County Civil Service Commission for a year.
*Served two years on the San Joaquin Commission on Aging.
*Was appointed to the San Joaquin Republican Central Committee in 2010, elected to the committee in 2021, served as the SJ GOP representative for Congressman Jeff Denham from 2016-2020, and served as treasurer from 2018-2024.
*Joined the Manteca Seniors Aiding Fire Effort (SAFE) in 2006.
*Joined the Manteca Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in 2008.
*Currently is representing Manteca and serving as treasurer for the San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District that he was appointed to in 2021. He was board president from 2025-2026.
*Has been a member of American Legion Post 249 since 2015 and has served as the finance officer since 2022.
*Member (and past president) of Sunrise Kiwanis since 2016.
*Joined Manteca Police SHARP volunteer unit in 2021 and has been a unit captain since 2022.
*Joined the Manteca Chamber of Commerce in 2018.
Making ‘things just
a little bit better’
Silverman said volunteering is important as it helps contribute to society “even if it is to make things just a little bit better.”
He encourages others to volunteer as well.
“It gives you a good sense of purpose,” Silverman said.
Among Silverman’s previous recognitions include:
*The Manteca Mabel Brocchini Community Service Award (2020-2021).
*The 2014 Punjabi American Association of Manteca community service award.
*Kiwanian of the Year 2017.
*The Kiwanis’ Willian Dunlop Fellowship honor in 2022.
*Concord Police Department Outstanding Service Award 1973-1984.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
