Dear Editor,
Is the glass half empty or half full,
Mr. Taylor?
After reading the opinion column by Dennis Taylor in the Sept.15
Dispatch, I felt I needed to comment on Mr. Taylor’s attempt to
insinuate that Gilroy’s Economic Development Director had given us
only
”
half of the economic equation.
”
Dear Editor,
Is the glass half empty or half full,
Mr. Taylor?
After reading the opinion column by Dennis Taylor in the Sept.15 Dispatch, I felt I needed to comment on Mr. Taylor’s attempt to insinuate that Gilroy’s Economic Development Director had given us only “half of the economic equation.”
Glen Loma Group is the Developer of the Southpoint Business Park, a commercial and industrial development project. I think I am at least qualified to comment on the matter since I’m involved daily in the process of attempting to attract retailers and employers to our community.
First of all, Gilroy is one of the only a handful of cities in Northern California performing in the economic black. This is not due to the city’s attempt to control it’s spending habits. Rather, revenue provided by the retail and commercial businesses at Southpoint, newer stores in the Tenth Street and auto dealers region are filling city coffers. Bill Lindsteadt should be lauded for his efforts, since most of us who are directly involved in the process consider his efforts to be invaluable.
Further, Bill has been directly involved in the attraction of new jobs, industrial and manufacturing businesses to Gilroy. These companies do not get a lot of press since they are smaller and not retail in nature. But those companies have come here from other cities and are now growing in Gilroy. Over the next 12 months, we will break ground on projects that will bring over 250 new jobs to Gilroy at Southpoint Business Park. These projects are happening largely due to Bill’s efforts.
Mr. Taylor should consider the facts. The real reason that the glass isn’t completely full, is because industrial and manufacturing rental rates have fallen in the North County and increasing costs of construction and the ever escalating city fee burden has squeezed margins to the point that only developers that purchased their properties many years ago at lower prices can afford to take any risk to build anything new.
If the increased fees currently under review by the City Council are adopted, then there will be very few industrial or retail projects built in the future.
Bill Lindsteadt is the best cheerleader this city has. His efforts should not be criticized but, rather, congratulated.
Craig P. Filice, Gilroy
