Take a glass.

You are going to add water to it.

The goal is to quench your thirst.

But first, a few questions.

Does it have to be poured from a bottle of Perrier or will water from a faucet suffice?

If you go with Perrier, are you willing to pay extra for it?

Is it essential to have a lemon added?

It would be nice touch, but is it necessary?

When you pour water in the glass, stop at the midpoint.

Now for the chicken and egg question of the ages.

Is the glass half empty?

Is the glass half full?

And does it really matter?

What you poured is going  to be used to cover a basic need— hydration.

Now place a logo on the glass.

Make it the City of Manteca logo.

Is the water now different with the city’s logo is  on it?

Do you now think your choice of water should have now been between Evian Virgil Abloh and tap water?

Google Evian Virgil Abloh.

See how the arrogantly rich hallucinate in mirages when they seek water.

It’s a mere $207 a liter.

At the end of the day when it flows through your body, it does exactly what the tap water does — sustain life.

But if you’re not directly forking over the $207 a liter, what does it matter?

It’s a different take on the tried and true observation: of having champagne tastes on a beer budget.

But with government, we have a disconnect.

We demand champagne.

But then we don’t make the connection we have to pay for it.

Instead, we want it at the beer price as in the absolute cheapest beer available.

We demand more but won’t spend more.

We want that water to be at least the caliber of Perrier.

And that is without the city having more money per capita to make it happen.

Mayor Gary Singh on Thursday likened his State of the City address presented at the Great Wolf Lodge conference center as being akin to being an annual rundown on Manteca’s health.

As an aside, Great Wolf knows the value of water given 98 percent of what it uses for its indoor waterpark is recycled on site

That’s important to know because it illustrates the importance of what you don’t  see about Manteca’s innovation and attention to basic services.

Now let’s ponder that glass of water emboldened with the City of Manteca logo.
Does water flow from our taps?

When we flush our toilets, does the sewer system work?

If it rains, does storm runoff disappear?

Does a call to 9-1-1 bring needed police and fire services?

Are there community recreation opportunities for all ages?

Can those that aren’t able — financially or otherwise — rely on a car to get around town?

Aside from obvious potholes and washboard pavement, are most streets still more than passable?

Is an effort being made to tackle the perplexing problem of homeless that plagues the nation?

Has the city made it possible for Manteca to secure what retail we have and then retail such as Costco that Lathrop wishes it had, and Bass Pro Shops that a slew of other NorCal communities wish they had?

Are our parks more than just grass and backstops?

Can most of us walk to parks within a half mile of our home or access a major arterial within less of a mile of where we live?

Has the city made it possible to have visitors booking rooms at Great Wolf help cover the cost  of providing services for local residents?

Are we paying less per capita for general fund services than most every city of 30,000 or larger in the region?

There is little doubt the city can do better.

That goes for all of us.

Our yards could be tidier and more water efficient.

Our homes are likely in need of basic maintenance from wear and tear as well as aging.

At the same time, upgrades would make them look like the houses everyone seems to be coveting today.

We also may be getting a bit cramped in our homes due to family growth and desire to expand or buy a new home.

Guess what?

All of that takes money.

 Money we may or may not have.

If we’re wise, we concentrate on basics, pull back on non-necessities, rarely dab in luxuries, and build  a bit of a cushion for the proverbial rainy day.

To do otherwise means we end up putting more of our paycheck to covering interest on debt.

It also can mean painting ourselves into a corner where we need to downsize — or in the city’s case, reduce services.

In a worst case scenario, it can mean bankruptcy.

None of this means that you and I — or the city — can’t do better

We can change our approach.

Jettison what isn’t working.

Clear out the garage, so to speak, to discard what once was useful but is now excess baggage that is impeding our ability to use resources effectively.

Instead of adding on a room, we repurpose space in our homes that was designed for another era into something that serves a modern-day purpose.

However, at the end of the day what matters is that we cover the basics and cover them well.

Councilman Charlie Halford is right when he points out the real bottom line of most people is that they have basic services and that they are adequate.

Adequate, of course is in the eyes of the beholder.

But if using neighboring communities as a metric, Manteca is neither the Papa Bear or the Mama Bear of cities when  it comes to the comfort level of residents but more like the Baby Bear zone where it is “just right” for most.

That doesn’t mean “most” don’t want Manteca to have more in the way of public amenities and services.

It’s just that the city’s a comfortable fit for basic needs and at price point not as high as nearby cities.

And if Manteca was as messed up as some make it out to be 1,500 to 2,000 more people wouldn’t be moving here every year into new homes that cost $600,000 and up to buy.

At the end of the day, the State of the City is a State of Mind.

This column is the opinion of editor, Dennis Wyatt, and does not necessarily represent the opinions of The Bulletin or 209 Multimedia. He can be reached at dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com