Get on board, Juan Arambula and Mike Villines.

Invitations await Jeff Denham, Dean Florez, Chuck Poochigian, Dave Cogdill, Bill Maze and Nicole Parra.

Just to show I don't hold grudges, the door is also open for Roy "Death to Salmon" Ashburn, too.

The event is the creation of the state Valleypublicrat party.

I know some of you are loyal Democrats and some are loyal Republicans.

I understand you must serve your particular party.

But you know how Fresno State football coach Pat Hill talks about painting the San Joaquin Valley green?

Well, your job is to bring the green to the Central Valley and sometimes the only way is to replace the "R" or the "D" next to your name with a big "V."

You held together pretty well last week while politicians north and south dismantled Gov. Schwarzenegger's big infrastructure bond proposal and tried to rebuild it with a pittance for the Valley.

From a bond package totaling $49 billion, the Senate plan would have included

$750 million for Highway 99; the Assembly plan $1 billion.

What's more, neither proposal included funding for a proposed dam at Temperance Flat above Millerton Lake.

Add it up and what was on the table? A 2% slap in the face to the state's fastest-growing region.

You rejected it, and bully for you; now the bonds aren't on the June ballot.

I wasn't surprised Senate and Assembly leaders wanted to stiff us. The northern and southern parts of the state treat us like a colony.

We send them world-class fibers, fruits, vegetables, beef and water; they send us garbage, sewer sludge, convicts and a few legislative bones.

They didn't even allow us a University of California campus until last September, and we still don't have our own medical school.

Getting our fair share requires leadership, cunning and sticking together. And now, with the publicized bonds blown up, the time is ripe for you to flex your muscles as V'publicrats.

If Bernie Sisk -- who brokered many a deal for the Valley during his long tenure in Congress -- were alive, I'd ask him to lead a strategy session.

As it is, you'll meet with the Valley's congressional delegation Friday in Fresno to figure out what we need and what percentage of the next bond proposal we should seek.

Listen to what they say because the delegation -- Republicans Devin Nunes and George Radanovich and Democrats Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa -- have been hanging together, too.

Party leaders will charm you and threaten you and want you to break ranks. Some might try to pick you off with a promise of campaign funds for your next race.

Here's how to stand firm: Know that a revived bond package is vital to the Valley. Know that with a bond needing two-thirds approval, you have clout. Remember you're only asking for what's fair. Remember who you represent.

Now, all you R's and D's, repeat after me:

V is for Valley, V is for Victory.

The columnist can be reached at bmcewen@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6632. Check out his blog at fresnobeehive.com.