DEAR EDITOR:
Thank you! Thank you to Steve Peat (local owner of McDonald’s)
and Bob Kraemer (School Board member) for their diligence in
getting my answers to me so quickly regarding the upcoming Measure
I (for improvement!) Bond.
DEAR EDITOR:
Thank you! Thank you to Steve Peat (local owner of McDonald’s) and Bob Kraemer (School Board member) for their diligence in getting my answers to me so quickly regarding the upcoming Measure I (for improvement!) Bond. Steve tracked me down after calling my home, cell and work phone numbers. Bob, also, called me at home, asked for a meeting in person and sent me a very informative e-mail outlining Measure I.
Along my journey of researching Measure I, I learned things I didn’t know.
I was surprised, disappointed and pleased all at once! Some things I discovered really surprised me. I didn’t know developer’s fees on new construction were reduced from $4 per square foot to $3.13 per square foot for school growth. In a recent audit, it was determined the $4 figure was not enough to keep up with our rapid growth.
Obviously, the $3.13 falls way too short. New home construction and builders should be held more accountable and more responsible! Beautiful brand new homes are great, but they really add a significant strain to our already suffering schools. Some things I discovered disappointed me. In approximately 15 years, we will most likely need to fund another bond to complete the second half of the new high school.
It’s a reality but a necessity, as well. Some things I discovered put a smile on my face. I found out 13 of our schools will be affected in a positive manner from the passing of Measure I. (That includes Luigi Aprea and Rod Kelley with technology upgrades). I also discovered that there are no secrets. If you can’t see the answers to your questions in writing, then ask. The answers are there and they are black and white.
Going to a community to ask for a bond to improve schools is nothing new. Gilroy is not an exception to the rule. In fact, Gilroy Unified School District was one of the only bonds that did not pass this time last year. San Jose Unified School District is well under way making improvements to their dilapidated buildings as a direct result from a passing of a bond last year.
Sunnyvale School District is at the tail end of their $34 million bond measure passed in 1996. Sunnyvale was able to make significant improvements to their 40- to 50-year-old buildings to bring them up to modern standards but they are nowhere near completion on what needs to be done. More than 100 portable classrooms still must be replaced. Water, sewer and gas lines are over 40 years old and need immediate attention.
They are going back to the voters and asking for another bond. Gilroy is not an exception! Our schools need serious attention and, yes, we may have to be approached in 15 to 20 years for additional funds to pick up where Measure I did not cover and to finish Phase II of the new high school. Our community deserves this bond, our teachers deserve this bond and every single child in this community deserves a YES ON MEASURE I.
You say you don‚t have kids in the local schools? Do you have neighbor kids? Did you have kids that went through Gilroy schools? Will you have kids in the future who may go through the Gilroy schools? Do you live in Gilroy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you owe it to the kids, yourself and the community to improve our schools. We are not asking for palaces for our kids. We are asking to modernize our schools and bring them to an acceptable environment and to a standard that we would all expect our children to have the benefit of. No more … no less. Is that unreasonable?
Sheri Meskimen, Gilroy
Submitted Tuesday, Oct. 22 to
ed****@ga****.com
