The Dispatch recommends
Mayor
Roland Velasco
Perry Woodward has deep local roots and political experience but got the city sued when he bypassed the general plan to expand Gilroy’s boundaries. Velasco showed much better judgment on that issue, as well as with his votes to continue funding for the Gilroy Welcome Center and campaign finance.
City Council
Daniel Harney, Cat Tucker, Tom Fischer
It’s a good crop of local candidates for the city’s top office. We don’t think you could go wrong with almost any of them, although we can’t say that about Craig Gartman, who pleaded guilty to stealing money from the Memorial Day parade. Paul Kloecker and Tom Fischer have been thoughtful members of the planning commission and are straight shooters. Dan Harney is an articulate, thoughtful Silicon Valley exec. Architect Reid Lerner has fresh ideas, as does downtown businessman J. Brennan, but no experience. Fred Tovar has been on the school board for two terms and is the only pro-Measure H candidate. We worry that he missed two big candidate forums. Cat Tucker has experience and voted no on the 721 acres but probably would have switched her vote when the matter came to LAFCO. Without her, though, the council would be a boy’s club.
GUSD Board of Trustees
Mark Good, James Pace, B.C. Doyle
Vote for anyone but Paul Nadeau. Nadeau has dropped out of the race because of a conflict of interest and if he places in the top three the board will be able to appoint someone in his place for the next two years with no election.
Gilroy Measure H, Urban Growth Boundary
Yes
Setting a growth boundary, in which land beyond it can only be developed with voter approval, was a tough call. We don’t want to do anything to stop important commercial development in Gilroy, but we don’t want to see the place become San Jose. Requiring future development beyond the boundary to be decided by the voters is the best way for everyone to have input. And there’s enough room within the boundary to grow business and housing.
Gavilan Board of Trustees
Rachel Perez
She has decades of experience working at all levels in the school and understands the issues community colleges face.
Measure A
Yes
Don’t just talk about helping the needy; do something.
Measure B
Yes
It’s time to do something about transportation and this has some real South Valley benefits.
Prop 51
Yes
A bond to help school safety and construction.
Prop 52
Yes
Extends a law that funnels money from the federal government to needy patients.
Prop 53
No
A measure that would stop water and transportation projects by taking the vote from the locals who need them.
Prop 54
Yes
Will increase government transparency.
Prop 55
Yes
Continues a successful tax on earnings of over $250K to help schools.
Prop 56
Yes
Raises tax on smokers to offset health care costs.
Prop 57
Yes
Opens up reviews for lesser sentences for nonviolent criminals.
Prop 58
Yes
Allows parents to pick the best language for their bilingual children in school.
Prop 59
Yes
Protest against Citizens United, the federal law that allows unlimited political contributions from corporations.
Prop 60
No
Sets up extraneous government monitoring of the adult film industry.
Prop 61
Yes
Takes aim at cutting state prescription drug costs.
Prop 62
Yes
Replaces death penalty with life in prison, which comes out as a savings for taxpayers.
Prop 63
Yes
Extends background checks to ammunition buyers.
Prop 64
Yes
Legalizes recreational sales of marijuana.
Prop 65
No
Won’t prevent use of plastic bags.
Prop 66
No
Spends more on death penalty.
Prop 67
Yes
Bans plastic bags statewide.
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