Josh Harder vs. Tom Patti: Candidates for 9th Congressional District talk Valley issues
Josh Harder
Party: Democratic
Age: 36
Birthplace: Turlock
Residence: Tracy
Occupation: Congressman
Education: Modesto High School; bachelor’s degree, Stanford University; MBA, Harvard Business School; master’s of public policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Offices held: Congressman (since 2019)
Website: harderforcongress.com
What is the most important issue in your district right now? What immediate actions would you take and what legislation would you propose?
The Valley has been my family’s home for generations, and now my wife and I have a daughter of our own. Right now, the cost of everything from gas to housing to health care is out of control and it’s making it way too hard to live and raise a family here. That’s why I’m leading the fight to make Sacramento and Washington politicians suspend the gas tax to bring gas prices down by almost a dollar a gallon. We also have to take on the pharmaceutical industry to lower the cost of prescription drugs. No one should have to ration medicine in order to put food on the table. Finally, we have to declare homelessness an emergency to get people off the streets.
What are the three biggest changes you’ve seen in the Valley since you were a kid? Are you optimistic about those changes? If not, what needs to be done?
Costs have skyrocketed, homelessness has gotten out of control, and drought is a constant existential threat to our economy and way of life. We have to get things headed back in the right direction and that starts by putting our Valley first and political party last. I remember when it was under $1,000 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Tracy. Now it’s over $2,000. Our families’ paychecks simply can’t keep up with that. We need to get housing prices down while bringing the good paying jobs back to our community. We have to make it affordable again to raise a family here.
Growing up in the Valley, I rarely ever saw a homeless person on my paper route or my drive to school. Now, you see encampments all over the place. I have a comprehensive plan to declare homelessness an emergency, get folks off the streets and provide the mental health care services folks need to get back on track. We have to get this under control. Finally, our battle to keep water here in the Valley has been going on for generations. However, it’s reaching a breaking point as climate change and a lack of political will is causing us years of historic drought. We have to protect our Valley’s water by stopping the Delta Tunnel water grab and we have to work together, Democrats and Republicans, to build the Valley’s first new water storage project in a generation. Water is the lifeblood of the Valley — we have no more time to wait.
Based on what we know as of Sept. 1, should Donald Trump and/or Joe Biden run for president in 2024? Why or why not?
Donald Trump should not run for president ever again. His dangerous agenda puts our economy, our security, and our democracy at risk. I voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and though his term hasn’t been perfect, I believe it’s significantly better than if Donald Trump had a second term. I’ve worked with the president to pass legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand health care to more than five million veterans, and make the largest investment in water storage since the Hoover Dam.
Are there issues where you differ with your party? If so, where do you stand?
I will always put the Valley before party politics, and I’m not afraid to call out Democrats in Sacramento or Washington, D.C., if their agenda is threatening the Valley. I’ve consistently pushed Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to suspend the gas tax. With gas prices so high, we absolutely should be helping families deal. I also believe Gov. Newsom and Sacramento are dead wrong on their plan to build the Delta Tunnel and ship the Valley’s water down to L.A. They need to stop this water grab right now and focus on solutions that will actually help the Valley, rather than stealing our water. And when President Biden threatened our family farms by considering repealing the Stepped Up Basis tax provision, I stood against him and won. No farmer in the Valley should get a crushing tax bill for trying to pass their farm on to their kids or grandkids, and we made sure they never will.
Tom Patti
Party: Republican
Age: 58
Birthplace: New York
Residence: Stockton
Occupation: County supervisor/businessman
Education: Stagg High School, San Joaquin Delta College
Offices held: San Joaquin County Supervisor, District 3
Website: tompattiforcongress.com
What is the most important issue in your district right now? What immediate actions would you take and what legislation would you propose?
Families in San Joaquin County and throughout our district are being crushed by inflation and the price of gas that is directly related to policies being passed in Washington, D.C., and supported by my opponent. D.C. politicians have voted to raise our taxes, voted against making sure our domestic oil wasn’t sold to other countries, and have placed a mountain of debt upon the working families of this country.
As a county supervisor, I am proud of my record in making life more affordable for San Joaquin County families. I am proud to have reduced taxes and fees for residents, reduced fees for restaurants and small businesses by 250%, improved the local wine ordinance to help create jobs and opportunities for local businesses, and worked to achieve pay equity for our local deputies. As our congressman, my top priority will be to work towards reducing inflation by building on my record of reducing taxes and reining in reckless spending, and reduce gas prices by promoting American energy independence.
What are the three biggest changes you’ve seen in the Valley since you were a kid? Are you optimistic about those changes? If not, what needs to be done?
San Joaquin County certainly has been transformed since my childhood. We were once a relatively rural, largely agricultural community. Today, our population has swelled with folks who are seeking a better quality of life and more welcoming communities from where they are moving from. I welcome all those who wish to call San Joaquin County home, but we must be prepared to address the new challenges that are facing our region. We must work to address the price of housing for working families, continue to work to reduce homelessness as I have done as a county supervisor, and make sure that we protect our water and agriculture that local farmers have depended on for decades.
Based on what we know as of Sept. 1, should Donald Trump and/or Joe Biden run for president in 2024? Why or why not?
I believe Americans will have the opportunity to weigh in on their choices for president as we get closer to that election. I am focused on winning this election and delivering results for the residents of the 9th district.
Are there issues where you differ with your party? If so, where do you stand?
Members of both political parties have lost touch with the needs and concerns of working families in my district. I talk to voters in our district who are tired of gridlock and inaction from leaders of both parties in Washington. As a county supervisor, I have worked with members of all parties to achieve measurable results for families in San Joaquin County. As our congressman, I will do the same for the families of the 9th Congressional District.