Mayor Tom Springer, who has served four years in Gilroy’s top
political job, and four years prior to that as a city council
member, has announced that he will not seek re-election this
fall.
Mayor Tom Springer, who has served four years in Gilroy’s top political job, and four years prior to that as a city council member, has announced that he will not seek re-election this fall.
“After a lot of thought and soul searching, I have decided I will not seek re-election as mayor of the City of Gilroy. I have decided to pursue other things in my life, and I do not anticipate having a future in politics,” was the message Springer left in the voice mailbox at The Dispatch.
Springer has reached this conclusion, he says, because is troubled by what he sees as questionable decisions by others – a vote by member of the special arts and cultural center committee choosing a site for the facility, and his fellow councilmembers’ decision to annex 60 acres near Day Road. Springer has implied that these decisions were ethical lapses – allegations that are based on thin evidence and have understandably offended their targets.
We agree that it is time for the Springer era in Gilroy to conclude. His style, unfortunately, became his substance. And he burned many a bridge by favoring Machiavellian politics over straightforward stances.
Nonetheless, we’re sorry to see Springer’s service conclude on such an unnecessarily acrimonious note.
Whether or not you agreed with his politics, Springer always gave 100 percent to his mayoral duties – and that’s more than we can say for some local politicians.
Though you may not have agreed with his conclusions, you could always be sure he had done his homework. He never failed to “crack the seal” on the council packet, as it were.
He represented Gilroy well on regional boards – especially as a member of the Valley Transportation Agency’s board of directors – securing funding for road work that allowed the development of the mammoth retail development at U.S. 101 and Highway 152, for example.
But the area at which Springer excelled – attracting retailers to Gilroy – is nearly built out. How many more do we need or want, anyway?
The Springer era has passed. And with that, there seems to be a change on what Gilroyans want to focus on. Quality-of-life issues top that list.
We want park development to coincide with housing development. We want a vibrant, secure, well-lit downtown that is a haven from the frenzy at the outlets and the big box stores that surround our eastern flank. Gilroyans are ready to fix their downtown – and that will take the vision and leadership of a different mayor to accomplish.
So despite Springer’s wish to the contrary – “I don’t care about legacy. If I’m not remembered that won’t bother me, I don’t even want an obituary written about me in the newspaper,” he said – we salute him for his many important contributions to Gilroy.
And an important one is the wisdom to know when it’s time to pass the gavel. Enjoy your retirement from the political hot seat, Mayor Tom, and best wishes.
