Our View: 3 Cheers for the careful approach the City Council is
taking thus far with regard to the future roadway development on
the Hecker Pass corridor. The devil is in the details on this
one.
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
JEERS: For the Gilroy Unified School District, which is spending $250 per meeting with a San Jose company for airing its meetings on local TV tape delayed when it could be spending $50 and airing the meetings live. In the context of the $119 million GUSD budget, it’s not a staggering sum. Yet, we’re sure there are plenty of teachers out there who could surely use that $200 for classroom supplies. Moreover, working with the local TV station would provide more of an opportunity for ongoing partnerships with staff and students. It’s time to send the right message and make the switch.
CHEERS: For the news that embattled San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales, who is ending his mayoral career in a state of disgrace, has stepped down from two key panels, the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority Board of Directors and the Coyote Valley Specific Plan Task Force. The VTA and the Coyote Valley Task Force have treated South County with disdain for years just because they could. Perhaps San Jose’s next mayor will truly believe in the concept of working together on a regional basis. Meanwhile, it’s time for our local representatives to push back hard on Coyote Valley development plans at the VTA plan for yet another sales tax to fund the bottomless pit that is BART to San Jose.
JEERS: For the whopping PG&E price increases that are hitting Gilroyans in the pocketbook this month. Huge energy price increases rob consumers of buying power and increase debt. Conservation can help, of course, but the deregulation of the energy industry in California has allowed unbridled increases without significant review.
CHEERS: For the Gilroy High School basketball teams, which continue their spirited drives for league titles. Both teams are a joy to watch. Turn to the sports page, pick up the schedule and catch a live game at the GHS gym.
JEERS: For the news that 112 seniors in the Gilroy Unified School District still need to pass the state high school exit exam or they will not graduate. The good news is that some community members are volunteering to help tutor students who have one more shot to pass the test. Sure, not everyone will pass, but cutting that number in half is a more-than-reasonable goal.
