Dear Editor,
I have been sitting on the sidelines watching the unbelievable
unfold as the Gilroy City Council flexes its muscle in an attempt
to show the Gilroy Police Officers Association who’s boss.
Gilroy Gardens over the police department – does it make sense?
Dear Editor,
I have been sitting on the sidelines watching the unbelievable unfold as the Gilroy City Council flexes its muscle in an attempt to show the Gilroy Police Officers Association who’s boss.
I could understand draconian measures being taken if there were no reserves and no saleable assets. This is just not the case. Two years ago, I spoke before the City Council and warned them that real estate speculation was a serious threat to our resources in the bail-out and purchase of Gilroy Gardens. I even posed the question about a possible downturn in the economy. I was reassured by the mayor that we had plenty of reserves to cover an emergency.
Fast forward to today. Directed by an unknown majority of the council, City Administrator Tom Haglund directed the chief of police to make a list of 10 sworn officers to be fired if the POA refuses to take a 16 percent pay cut. The city has time and time again threatened the public safety employees with these measures to force them into a compromise. At the center of this, the binding arbitration clause in the POA contract. Keep in mind that you, the residents of Gilroy voted for this clause as a way to avoid messy labor situations.
As a result, Gilroy has built one the finest police departments in the region. I believe an immediate stay of these layoffs should be initiated since there is no immediate danger of the city being insolvent with somewhere around $15 million in reserve. Sadly, just the threat has caused five very talented officers to contact their former agencies requesting re-employment. These agencies realizing the value of well-trained and seasoned officers is a no brainer, and it appears we are already losing these good people. There are still five other officers on the list, but they aren’t waiting to find themselves in the unemployment line.
The loss of 10 sworn officers and all the multi-service and community-service officers will translate to a greatly weakened police department and a welcome mat to gangs and thugs. Criminals will be able to commit crimes in our city with a police department the size of which hasn’t been at these low staffing levels for 30 years. What about the Garlic Festival? Without an adequate police force, the festival will have to be canceled. I guarantee that officers from neighboring agencies will not come to Gilroy once word of this assassination gets out.
So it appears that the Council has chosen pretty pieces of property over the safety of residents. It is an outrage that screams for a recall of this very egotistical and shortsighted Council. My solution would be to freeze these layoffs immediately and have public hearings to allow residents to sound off on their priorities and to reign in an out of control City Council. Also, I would like to see an immediate sale of the money-sucking Gilroy Garden’s to the highest bidder and if need be, the closure of the sports park.
The loss of these two assets are truly sad, but our safety is more important than the Council’s ridiculous choice of aesthetics over safety, people and personnel. If this is not done, I will seek a coalition of support to immediately work to recall the councilmembers responsible for this outrage. Even if they reverse course, the officers and their families may still leave fearing for their financial future. The hostility that Mayor Al Pinheiro and some Council members have shown towards the police and fire associations is unforgivable. Binding arbitration, whether I like it or not, was voted in by the people. To restore the good reputation that Gilroy has had to attract good and talented public safety employees will take decades. Oh sure, the city could hire a bunch of wet-behind-the-ears rookies or rejects from other agencies, but it will take hundreds of thousands of dollars and years, not to mention the possible loss of life and property Gilroyans will surely suffer. Already there has been a marked increases in murders, stabbings, bank robberies, graffiti and burglaries.
Ironically, one of the officers on the list was nearly killed by a former City Councilman’s son, saved only by a jam of the scumbag’s gun. This is how the mayor shows appreciation.
Mayor Pinheiro does have options, yet he chooses the nuclear one. All this because big egos at City Hall have visions of, “Central Park” in Gilroy as stated by one starry eyed former councilman who happened to be employed by the park at the time. My hope is that they will reconsider and stop the hemorrhaging of our excellent public safety professionals. If not, I hope to make all the councilmembers responsible for this travesty former as well.
Mark A. Zappa, Citizens Against Waste & Fraud, Gilroy
Illegal immigrants pay their taxes? C’mon, don’t even waste the ink
Dear Editor,
Columnist Tom Elias spent his whole article trying to convince me illegal immigrants pay their taxes. But it is my understanding the president is unable to fill his cabinet because he is having a hard time finding someone who has not failed to pay their taxes related to the employment of immigrants.
And I wonder how many immigrants standing in front of the Home Depots around California have paid their taxes?
Bruce Giberson, Gilroy
