A little bit about a lot of things:

• The economy may be in the tank, but that isn’t stopping a number of local agencies from asking voters to tax themselves when November rolls around.

Stanislaus County voters are expected to decide the fate of a half-cent sales tax measure for new roads and other transportation improvements, Gustine voters will act on a proposed three-quarter cent sales tax measure earmarked for public safety and those in the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District will be asked to okay a $25 million school bond measure.

Now, maybe I’m just out of sorts because of the heat, or perhaps I’m grumpy because I just shelled out more than $50 to fill up my reasonably fuel-efficient Chevrolet Malibu, but the more I hear about government coming to cash-strapped voters seeking approval for new taxes, the more my immediate reaction is, “Enough, already.”

I suspect I’m not alone.

That reaction is in no way a judgement on the worthiness or necessity of each measure. It is simply a sign of the times.

I’m not weighing in on the merit of any of the proposals. There will be plenty of time for that later, and also plenty to debate.

And certainly, there are things that we can all agree on.

Do we need better roads in Stanislaus County and its nine cities, including Newman? Yep, we sure do.

Do we want to see fewer police officers on the street in Gustine? Of course not.

Wouldn’t that nice new elementary school look just great sitting just off Barrington Avenue? You bet.

But the reality is that many people in our communities are feeling the pinch of the tough economy and housing crisis, and are doing their best just to make ends meet. Jobs are hard to find, gas, food and other expenses only seem to keep going up, many businesses are feeling the impact of the sluggish economy and some farmers are letting crops die and land go fallow for lack of water.

Government doesn’t need to tell voters about tough times.

People already feeling squeezed from every direction are trying to make ends meet with what they have, and are going to take a long, critical look at anybody asking them for more money, whether it is a teen asking for the latest gadget, Uncle Walt needing a hand with his maxxed out credit cards or government wanting to pave a street.

Right or wrong (and I reserve the right to be as wrong as wrong can be), that’s the atmosphere which I believe even the most worthy tax or bond measure is up against this year.

We’ll find out in November, of course, but those campaigns certainly seem to have their work cut out for them.

• Hot rods galore! The West Side is a hotbed for hot rod and classic car enthusiasts, and there were plenty on hand Sunday for the Westside Auto Club’s 29th annual Linguica Run in Gustine.

More than 300 vintage vehicles were on hand for the event, from early-day Model T’s to muscle cars to VW bugs to classic hot rods.

I couldn’t tear down a lawnmower engine (let alone put one back together). and certainly don’t have the patience to restore or maintain a classic vehicle, but it was easy to appreciate all the marvelous vehicles on display Sunday.

Many were flawless, perfect down to the smallest detail – reflecting the countless hours invested by their proud owners.

Great show!

• Just a reminder......the filing period opened Monday for council and mayoral races in Newman and Gustine, and for seats on the West Side Healthcare District Board of Directors (West Side Ambulance).

Public service is not for the faint of heart or the thin-skinned. The pay is not great, the hours can be long and you can bet that being an elected official is far different than it may appear from your safe and comfortable seat in the audience.

But at the same time, those who serve usually find the experience rewarding and fulfilling in its own way, and our communities have been blessed with some fine public servants over the years.

I encourage anybody with an interest in serving, a desire to work toward positive change, common sense, the ability to make difficult decisions and a genuine love of the community to throw their hat into the ring.

Those with self-serving agendas, special interests or axes to grind need not apply.

I hope that each race draws candidates.....not because I take issue with any of the incumbents, but because I believe a strong field of well-qualified candidates reflects an involved community taking an interest in local government.

We’ll see how the races shape up......the filing periods close Aug. 8 (but are extended to Aug. 13 for races in which all incumbents have not filed).

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