LINDSAY — When State Senator Melissa Hurtado, who represents the 14th district, campaigned in Lindsay a little more than three years ago, she said she was struck by the needs of the community.

“I was shocked at what I saw,” she said. “What I saw is a community desperately more attention.”

Hurtado added that comment wasn't directed at the community leaders who cared about Lindsay. Hurtado said the comment was aimed at the State Legislature in Sacramento.

“We don't get our fair share,” said Hurtado about small, rural communities. Hurtado made her comments during a press conference on Thursday at Lindsay City Hall in which she announced an effort to address the lack of attention to small, rural communities from the state.

Hurtado announced $1 million from the Senate Bill 170 Budget Act was being devoted to fire and public safety for the cities of Lindsay, Woodlake and Sanger in her district. In addition, another $750,000 from SB 170 will go to a new fire engine for Farmersville, also in Hurtado's district.

The city of Lindsay will use its share of funding to provide resources for its fire and public safety, with the bulk of the funding going toward vehicles. Funding will also be used for other safety equipment.

Hurtado spoke about the need Lindsay has for public safety vehicles when she talked about a ride-along she took during her campaign trip to the city.

“I kid you not, it stopped,” said Hurtado about the vehicle during the ride-along. “It stopped right in the middle of the ride-a-long.”

Hurtado also said it was also hard for her to believe when she found out while campaigning in the city that Lindsay has a public safety department in which the fire and police departments are combined into one department. “I've heard of that in my entire life,” Hurtado said.

She said Lindsay have to combine its fire and police departments into one departments represents the struggles of small, rural communities.

Those representing Woodlake, Sanger, Farmersville and Lindsay at Thursday's press conference said the state funding provides for needs that would have otherwise had to come out of their general funds. “This is a big opportunity for us to help our fire and police,” Lindsay Mayor Ramona Caudillo said.

And Hurtado promised more help for the small, rural communities she represents. “It's just a down payment,” said Hurtado about the funding she announced on Thursday. “We are going to work hard to make sure we get more next year.”

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