Something in our fair Fat City to rave about: 

>Stockton's Alder Market<

    There has been a lot of talk the past few years about other cities as models for Stockton.  From San Antonio, Texas  to Pleasanton, California, it seems there is no shortage of ideas about how Stockton can imitate and borrow from other city’s examples of civic renewal.  I would like to contribute my own suggestion of a model city for Stockton to strive to emulate: Amsterdam, Holland. 

    A survey of the similarities between Stockton and Amsterdam will show the logic of my argument. 

1.  Both cities have unromantic names.  Ours is named after a relatively obscure Naval officer, theirs aftera piece of technology.  Most outsiders think Stockton’s name has something to do with livestock.  I suggest we start a campaign to pronounce it Stock - TONE, much like the Dutch pronunciation of Amster - dAHm. 

2.  They are flat, we are flat.  This accounts for the millions of bicycles used for transportation in their city.  We could take all those confiscated bikes languishing at the police impound yard, get Goodwill  to refurbish them and paint them dayglow orange and distribute them around the city for use by anyone who needs one.  Reduce air pollution and stay fit at the same time.  It’s a win-win solution. 

3.  They have canals, we have canals.   Our canals and port are under utilized as tourist attractions. Taking out the sinking parking lot down town and cleaning up the waterfront is a start.  We could also clean up Smith Canal and maybe put a beach in Yosemite Lake.  Get some canal boats and gondolas. A wave machine.  Let’s take full advantage of being the doorway to a thousand miles of waterways. 

4.  They have windmills, we have windmills.  You have to go out into the countryside to see theirs, much like a trip to the Altimont.  Theirs are few and old.  Ours are many and new. 

5.  They have drugs, we have drugs.  Theirs are legal, or at least marijuana is available at certain shops which are strictly monitored and heavily taxed.  Stockton could be on the cutting edge of social reform by establishing not just medical marijuana outlets, but also Amsterdam-style smoke shops. 

6.  They have prostitutes, we have prostitutes.  Again, theirs are legal and ours are not.  But anyone who has seen the influx of tourists on any given weekend in Amsterdam, cannot deny that these ladies contribute substantially to the city’s coffers.   And again, Stockton could be on the leading edge of social justice by decriminalizing this victimless crime between consenting adults.  Not to mention the health benefits. The income to the city from the smoke shops and a red light district would easily pay for many more civic improvements. 

    I have listed  the more obvious similarities between these two great cities.  But there are more subtle similarities as well:   They make wooden clogs to negotiate the peat bogs, we build Caterpillar tractors for the same purpose; They have Vincent Van Gogh, we have Albert Beirstadt (and Jack Tesch);  They are tall and blond, we are short and dark. 

    The list could go on, but I think I have made my point.  It is a new century and a new millennium. Our civic leaders need to retire their old worn ideas and look to the future with new pragmatic thinking.  Just picture it: Stockton - The Amsterdam of the West. 

- Bill Maxwell