No tea tax for this patriot
Dear Red Phone:
”
I got a flyer in the mail recently called Gilroy American
Patriot. My question is who is putting out this flyer. I sure would
appreciate the information. I just hope we the taxpayers aren’t
paying for it.
”
No tea tax for this patriot
Dear Red Phone: “I got a flyer in the mail recently called Gilroy American Patriot. My question is who is putting out this flyer. I sure would appreciate the information. I just hope we the taxpayers aren’t paying for it.”
Dear concerned,
No we the taxpayers are not picking up the tab for the newsletter. Red Phone also saw a copy, and after reading through it came to the conclusion that Chris Cote was behind the venture. And – surprise, surprise – Red Phone was right.
Cote said: ” The Gilroy American Patriot is privately funded – no public funds whatsoever. The publication’s mission is to inform Gilroy residents about our community’s rapid rise toward becoming the greenest small city in America, (give) private sector objectives to improve local education, and better public health brought about by privately funded initiatives designed to improve our local environment. The publication is mailed to all Gilroy households that are registered voters.
“The American Patriot is privately owned by a consortium of local socially responsible business concerns led by Gilroy Independence Solar Homes, South Counties’ only local developer of highly environmental solar homes.”
That organization was founded by Cote.
Semi-angry?
Dear Red Phone: “I see commercial trucks parked along Highway 152 at Santa Teresa Boulevard, sometimes for days or weeks at a time. Can I go and take my RV out of storage and park it there too?”
Dear wondering,
The short answer is no, and yes.
Red Phone can hear the sarcasm dripping from the phone and called Traffic Engineer Don Dey. He said the city is in the process of banning vehicles from parking along Highway 152 at Santa Teresa Boulevard. But Caltrans oversees the area, so taking some sort of immediate action is out of the question.
“We have to go through a process which means the city has to recommend to Caltrans that we put in red curb or no parking signs,” Dey said.
Now, if you’re talking about the dirt lot west of Santa Teresa Boulevard, that’s another story. Feel free to park your RV there, but don’t call the city if it gets towed. That dirt lot is private property.
“The west corner is private property so unless the owner complains, the city has no jurisdiction,” Dey said.
Showing off our new colors
Dear Red Phone: “Hey, Red Phone, nice to see you took down that old ratty American Flag and replaced it with a brand new one. Now, if only other merchants in town would follow suit. And, I hope you properly disposed of the old flag.”
Dear Stars and Stripes,
Thank you for noticing. It does bring a sense of pride to all seeing a new Old Glory waving in the winter wind. We agree that all merchants who fly flags should replace them when they get old. As far as the disposal is concerned, Red Phone suggested the flag be turned over to local Boy Scouts who will properly dispose of the old flag.
