The Platform
The Turlock Horizon — Jeremy Rocha's Policy Platform for Council District 1 2026
A five-pillar platform built on responsible growth, long-term planning, and a simple commitment: every decision should benefit the people who live here today and the generations who will call Turlock home tomorrow.
A Note on This Plan
A STARTING POINT FOR DISCUSSION — OFFERED IN GOOD FAITH
The Turlock Horizon is a platform built on responsible growth — growth that is planned carefully, shaped by public input, and designed to benefit the people who live here. Every initiative starts as a conversation, not a commitment. Nothing moves forward without community support, proper study, and formal approval.
At the center of this plan is a belief that Turlock's growth should expand opportunity for current residents and future generations alike — more homeownership, better services, a stronger local economy, and a city that is genuinely well-run.
This platform is offered in the spirit of honest dialogue — a starting point for working together to build a Turlock that works better for everyone who calls it home.
Resident-First
Every initiative is evaluated by one standard: does it make life better for the people who live here today and the families who will grow up here tomorrow?
Public Input
Nothing in this plan is imposed. Every major initiative depends on community conversation, public study, and the formal approval of Turlock residents.
Good Faith
This platform is an honest attempt to think seriously about Turlock's future — not a list of promises, but a framework for the conversation ahead.
Why Jeremy Is Running
A HIGHER STANDARD FOR TURLOCK
The Turlock Horizon is built on one simple idea: growth should benefit the people who live here. That means responsible planning, genuine public input, and a commitment to expanding homeownership and opportunity — for current residents and for the next generation of Turlockers who deserve a city that is well-run, affordable, and full of possibility.
How the Plan Works
DISCIPLINED, PHASED,
AND BUILT TO LAST
The Turlock Horizon is not a wish list. It is a real plan built around four principles: responsible growth, long-term planning, public input, and putting residents first. Every initiative is broken into achievable steps that match what the City can actually deliver. Governance reform and transparency come first. Larger investments follow only after the planning, community input, and approvals are in place. Nothing gets promised before it is ready.
Funding comes from multiple sources — public-private partnerships, state and federal grants, developer fees, and revenue-generating assets — so no single source carries all the weight. And while many Horizon initiatives reach beyond city limits, Turlock always leads from a position of local control. The City initiates, structures the agreements, and makes sure the benefit comes back home — to current residents and to the generations who will grow up here.
01
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH
Growth is welcome — but only when it is properly planned, fiscally sound, and structured to benefit the people who already live here, not just developers.
02
PUBLIC INPUT FIRST
No major initiative moves forward without genuine community conversation. Residents shape the plan — not the other way around.
03
HOMEOWNERSHIP & OPPORTUNITY
Expanding homeownership and economic opportunity for current residents and future generations is the measure of whether growth is actually working.
04
LONG-TERM THINKING
Every decision is evaluated not just for today, but for the Turlock that current families and future generations will inherit.
Five Pillars
THE PLATFORM IN FULL
GOVERNANCE
The Integrity & Efficiency Standard
Objective: Make city government faster, more accountable, and more responsive — with clear ethics rules and a structure built for a growing city.
- →Charter City Transition — give Turlock voters direct control over how their city is governed
- →6-District + 1 Mayor model so every neighborhood has its own voice at the council table
- →Full-time City Council meeting weekly — no part-time leadership on full-time problems
- →Performance-based pay benchmarked to what Turlock families actually earn
- →Lifetime term limits and a strict $1,000 campaign contribution cap
- →4-year residency requirement — you should know Turlock before you lead it
- →AI Efficiency Task Force to speed up permitting, budgeting, and city services
- →Independent forensic financial audit every four years
- →City commissions restructured and aligned to the five pillars
"Experience only matters if it produces results. After years of the same approach, we're still dealing with preventable problems. It's time for a higher standard."
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Opportunity & Infrastructure Standard
Objective: Grow Turlock responsibly — with proper planning, public input, and a focus on expanding homeownership, strengthening the local economy, and creating opportunity for current residents and future generations.
- →Downtown Master Plan — mixed-use redevelopment focused on walkability, housing, and transit, shaped by community input
- →The Civic Anchor Project — new City Hall, Grand Plaza & Park, Veterans Memorial, Amphitheater, and Central Parking Garage
- →Road Infrastructure Reserve — a long-term fund to keep roads maintained without future debt
- →Expand attainable homeownership — condos, workforce housing, and first-time buyer programs so more Turlock families can own
- →Attract private investment and commercial development that grows the tax base and reduces the burden on residential property owners
- →Ensure all major development decisions go through proper public process — study, community input, and formal Council approval
"Responsible growth means planning ahead, listening to residents, and making sure the people who live here today — and the families who will grow up here — are the ones who benefit."
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE
The Academic & Public Safety Standard
Objective: Build a clear path from kindergarten to career — connecting Turlock students to real opportunities in public service, healthcare, business, and beyond.
- →Tri-Agency Collaboration — a formal, standing partnership between the City, TUSD, and CSU Stanislaus
- →Standing Tri-Agency Coordination Council with joint grant applications and shared priorities
- →K–12 through graduate pathways aligned with what Turlock employers actually need
- →Master of Public Safety (MPS) Degree — the Central Valley's first unified public safety education pipeline
- →MPS Tracks: Law Enforcement, Fire & Emergency Services, Emergency Management, Administration, Community Crisis Response
- →Expanded after-school and extended learning programs — ASES integrated into a full ELOP framework
- →CSU Stanislaus as a research and policy partner for smarter city planning
- →Park-to-Plate Entrepreneurship Program — connecting youth to food, agriculture, and local business
"These experiences have given me a clear understanding of how local government should work — and where it needs to improve."
ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA
The Entertainment & Economic Vitality Standard
Objective: Expand Turlock's entertainment and cultural economy through responsible, resident-supported development — creating local jobs, generating tax revenue, and giving families more to enjoy right here at home.
- →Pursue entertainment venue and event development through proper planning, public input, and phased investment
- →Attract private operators and developers — not taxpayer-funded speculation — to grow Turlock's entertainment economy
- →Support live music, performing arts, cultural events, and family-friendly programming that serve current residents
- →Explore media and broadcast opportunities that raise Turlock's regional profile and attract outside investment
- →Ensure any new entertainment facilities include priority access agreements for CSU Stanislaus and TUSD
- →Connect entertainment growth to local job creation, small business development, and hospitality
- →Require all major entertainment development proposals to go through full public process before any City commitment
- →Position Turlock as the Central Valley's destination for family-friendly events — for today's residents and future generations
"Entertainment and culture are part of what makes a city worth living in. Done right — with proper planning and real public input — they create jobs, generate revenue, and give Turlock families more reasons to stay and invest in our community."
COMMUNITY
The Connection & Regional Diplomacy Standard
Objective: Strengthen families, improve quality of life, and lead the Central Valley through cooperation — so every Turlock resident feels the difference.
- →Animal Services Modernization — a modern shelter through public-private partnership with better outcomes and diversified funding
- →Fire Services Modernization — updated Fire Master Plan, new station assessment for high-growth areas, MPS-aligned recruitment
- →Regional cooperation with the City of Merced and surrounding counties
- →Public-facing city dashboard — track projects, spending, and timelines in real time
- →Community listening sessions across all districts to hear directly from residents
- →Utility Affordability Program — direct relief for seniors, fixed-income households, and working families
- →PARCC programming expansion and youth development woven into every Horizon initiative
- →Regional diplomacy to position Turlock as the economic and civic leader of the Central Valley
"My goal is simple: make government work, grow our economy the right way, and make sure residents feel the difference."
Signature Initiatives
EXPLORE THE HORIZON
"Defining Excellence, Building the Future."
READY TO BUILD A STRONGER TURLOCK?
Jeremy Rocha's vision for Turlock starts with you. Lend your name, spread the word, or invest in a campaign built on deep roots and high hopes.