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Manteca clout will grow in future SSJID elections
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Manteca has enough votes under all redistricting scenarios on the table to determine who will serve on the South San Joaquin Irrigation board from three of the five districts in future elections.

The SSJID board is scheduled Tuesday to select from the three proposals to redraw district lines when they meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the district office, 11011 E. Highway 120.

Manteca is currently split between four of the five SSJID districts. Under the three competing reapportionment proposals, Manteca will end up helping a say in the election of all five SSJID members.

In three districts currently represented by Dave Kamper (District 3), John Holbrook (District 5), and Dale Kuil (District 4) the majority of voters within the districts are Manteca residents For District 1 represented by Bob Holmes the combined population of Escalon and the rural areas within its boundaries will edge out Manteca’s population within its boundaries. In District 2 represented by Ralph Roos, the majority of the population is in the City of Ripon. That district includes most of the City of Manteca south of the 120 Bypass.

The three options reflect the fact Manteca – with 67,096 residents based on the 2010 census – now represents almost 68 percent of the district’s 98,849 residents.

Currently District 1 – represented by Holmes  – is the only district that doesn’t include part of the City of Manteca.

The SSJID added more than 23,058 new residents in Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon between 200 and 2010 as the 72,000-acre district continues its 102-year trend of population moving from a rural base to urbanized centers.

Census tract figures reflect minimum gains in rural portions of the district but big gains in urban areas.

From the 2000 to 2010 census:

• Manteca went from 49,258 to 67,096 residents.

• Ripon went from 10,146 to 14,297 residents.

• Escalon went from 5,963 to 7,132 residents.

Manteca’s net gain of 17,738 residents was three times that of Ripon and Escalon combined. Ripon gained 4,151 residents and Escalon added 1,169 residents.

The goal is to have each district come close to average 19,970 residents.

Should the San Joaquin County Local Agency Formation Commission give the green light for SSJID to pursue its quest to take over the retail system, each division director will become the ear for thousands of urban and rural power costumers who may have concerns and complaints. Right now, the five directors field calls routinely from farmers with concerns about irrigation water deliveries the district provides. The district also delivers treated water to Manteca as well as allows its irrigation canals to handle the city’s storm run-off as it does in Ripon and Escalon.