The following individuals and organizations deserve either
CHEERS or JEERS this week:
The following individuals and organizations deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
CHEERS: For all the good customers and all the wonderful volunteers who worked together to make this year’s Gilroy Rotary Club flower sale a blooming success. More than $48,000 will be plowed back into the community in the form of grants and scholarships. The Goldsmith family deserves special thanks for all their hard work and donations over the years. It’s one impressive event that keeps getting better.
JEERS: For the logjam between the school district and Glen Loma Development Group regarding the price for property that will be used to build a new elementary school to replace decrepit Las Animas Elementary School. Hopefully, this will be cleared up soon so Gilroy Unified can move forward on its timeline to meet a 2006 deadline.
CHEERS: For San Francisco Giants legend Barry Bonds, who passed Willie Mays on the all-time home run list this week. It’s an amazing accomplishment made even better by the humility Bonds displayed in its wake. And the more home runs he hits against the Dodgers, the better.
JEERS: Again and again for the proposed $26 million Gilroy police station. Morgan Hill’s ready to move into its new station for $9.45 million, and it’s on time and under budget. By all accounts, the officers and the administration are happy with their converted 43,000-square-foot building. Meanwhile, Gilroy is left wrangling over how to build the “Taj Mahal” and Morgan Hill is moving forward with its new aquatic center. Yeah, we know … police impact fee money cannot be used for other purposes. But, if you believe as we do – that public safety and community recreation go hand-in-hand and that out-of-the-box thinking is necessary for large-scale civic projects – then there should be a way to make a $26 million city expenditure cover more than simply a police station.
JEERS: For the news that PG&E’s emergence from bankruptcy will cost consumers $1,700 each. Thanks former Gov. Gray Davis. We’ll be digging out from under that policy hole for years to come. Hopefully we’re getting closer to cleaning up the worker’s compensation mess he left us.
CHEERS: For tenacious John Gurich, Gilroy’s first All-American wrestler by virtue of his eighth-place finish in the High School Senior Nationals. The two-time Central Coast Section champion has been polished and purposeful in his pursuit of excellence.
JEERS: For the tax burden placed on Americans. Every year it takes longer to pay Uncle Sam’s freight bill. Now we work for the government from January to mid-April. If it doesn’t stop, there will be an anti-tax revolution or our economy will grind into prolonged stagnation.
CHEERS: For all those who continue to work toward a better downtown Gilroy. With the continued focus, revamped city policies and serious attention from the mayor and city councilmembers, change can happen. It’s going to take a team effort, money and commitment, but Gilroy can do it. We deserve a vibrant downtown.
