Dear Editor, I couldn’t help but smile wryly as I looked at the
recent photo of County Fire
”
practicing
”
where
”
firefighters can park the fire truck close to a fire hydrant and
still use the hoses without snarling.
”
Fire Hydrants in Front of Parking Spaces Downtown a Not-So-Funny Charade
Dear Editor,
I couldn’t help but smile wryly as I looked at the recent photo of County Fire “practicing” where “firefighters can park the fire truck close to a fire hydrant and still use the hoses without snarling.”
I now reference my letter to the editor of Feb. 13, in which I pointed out the paradox of placing fire hydrants in front of downtown parking slots under the guise of “improvements.”
As the situation with downtown parking has not changed since my last letter, I can’t help but wonder how things would go if there were a real fire with access to the hydrants hindered by cars parked in illegal parking places.
It is obvious that the city planners did not consider the practicality of the placement of these hydrants; my question remains, has the GIlroy Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department or California Highway Patrol tagged anyone yet for the illegal parking and/or is it enforceable?
What is the city doing to rectify the situation? Maybe there is too much thought being put into the lure of an archway for downtown – a rather frivolous occupation when safety in all of GIlroy should be a priority.
Heide Unger, Gilroy
Mayor, City Administrator ‘Should be Fired’ and the Council Just Runs Scared
Dear Editor,
In response to the opinions from columnist Robert Dillon and The Dispatch, both made good points concerning the city administrator and council and the mayor, but the problem is bigger than just secret deals. What about Gilroy, this town comes first doesn’t it?
Sidewalks still need repair. Downtown still looks like a mess. Streetlights need to be safer, not to mention the traffic problems and a town that’s over crowded. Crime is up, and people are selling things on the street just to name a few.
There are more homeless and poor all over town, and people are concerned about shopping carts? Do you guys see the people on the streets in our neighborhoods selling food and other things?
I want action in this town, people need to care. The mayor, council, and city administrator are too laxed, lazy, spoiled and have gotten soft in their part-time jobs.
What are you guys waiting for, another child to get killed on our city streets? Fix our city and help the poor, do something with substance. The issue here is what kind of job public servants are doing, and while there has been some success, there needs to be a a lot more.
Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for the city administrator. Why can’t we vote him and mayor out together? They both should be fired. I don’t know about you but I’m tired of the mayor’s arrogance. He seems to think people in this town like his ego trip right?
And what about the city administrator – he seems to think he can do no wrong. Nonsense!
Both of these guys are the problem. The solution: get rid of them. Is the City Council afraid? It, sure looks like it. What’s the matter guys too scared to act?
These guys have been wrecking this city for years just look at it. After this joke maybe people will wake up but I doubt it. Everybody’s too busy counting their money, while they abuse their power. We won’t forget this Jay, and for Al, the elections are coming.
Daniel Garcia, Gilroy
BART to SJ Expensive, But Well Worth It To Reduce Dependency on Arab Oil
Dear Editor,
In response to a recent editorial regarding public transportation, I must disagree wholeheartedly.
In a time where hundreds of thousands of OUR nations young men and women (including my own family and friends) have had their lives put at risk overseas to fight a “war” to protect the U.S. supply of foreign oil, our country should be seriously thinking of ways to decrease national oil/ gasoline use, including investing in public transportation.
Sure the BART extension to San Jose is expensive, but it’s not going to get any cheaper, nor is funding just going to magically appear.
Federal government needs to take charge and provide funding for this project. They should be setting an example instead of just talking big about resource/energy management. And our local governments need to really look at the implications of land development (i.e. urban sprawl) in relation to this problem (spreading city boundaries promotes driving over other transportation).
VTA ridership levels are ultra low (just look at a route 68 or a route 19 bus as it passes by) for many reasons, but the main problem is that Gilroy’s infrastructure is built with public transportation as an afterthought. Look how well MUNI and BART work in San Francisco and Oakland where that type of travel is heavily sponsored and supported by city legislation!
I love cars and in no way propose that our freeways be replaced by an all-encompassing, centralized form of transportation. But when you see the caravan of commuters hitting Fitzgerald to Masten to U.S. 101 at 6am every morning, it becomes obvious that expanded rail or bus routes, like those found in the Bay Area, are feasible with the right support. No buzzwords like “Soviet”, “Marxist”, or the ever powerful “un-American” can be used to undermine that.
I’m extremely excited about what is planned for Coyote Valley, I just pray that it will prove successful enough to influence its neighboring cities in a similar manner.
Lydon George, Gilroy
GUSD Accountability in Question; Disinformation Spread on Bonfante Deal
Dear Editor,
Your March 22 editorial, “$20 Million … for the Dirt”, raises several challenging questions that, most likely, will never be answered. The editorial states: “… the land prices for Christopher High School will devour nearly 30 percent of the entire $69 million Measure I bond.”
The questions:
n Does the Gilroy Unified School District have 30 percent of Measure I money remaining to pay land prices and all construction/outfitting costs for the new structure?
n Does any GUSD employee and/or any member of the once-Measure I-only Citizen’s Oversight Committee (state law requires a COC for voter-approved bonds to provide a full accountability of bond money use) know how much remains of Measure I money?
These questions, which demand detailed information, will never be answered because there has never been any Measure I accountability. When the COC was initially formed, Gilroy’s Jane Howard became chairperson. Within months, GUSD’s Board of Untrustables “asked” the COC to oversee 16 district projects, thus negating the Measure-I-only-COC and its commitment to provide full accountability to Gilroy citizens. Mrs. Howard, knowing there never has been nor will be an open, honest and detailed Measure I accountability, has continued to promise such full accountability.
On another matter, Councilman Dion Bracco, who apparently feels all Gilroy should rejoice if the City Council buys Bonfante Gardens outright, is missing several pertinent facts each time he compares Bonfante to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park or New York City’s Central Park. Both those parks are within easy walking/bus ride distance for a large segment of each city’s population and both are open – no parking problems, fees and no cost for admission.
Mr. Bracco speaks, without specifics facts or numbers to support his position, as though all Gilroy residents want or need to visit Bonfante because it is “their” park. Perhaps, before he becomes too exuberant, he should poll the community, at his own expense, and find what impact, good or bad, Bonfante has.
Since the City Council is seriously considering the acquisition of Bonfante shouldn’t the mayor, the community’s “leader”, be doing more, specifically, than “due diligence”? He could provide daily information concerning “behind the scene” actions so Gilroy’s residents will understand the reasoning when, or if, Council chooses to spend millions of their tax dollars to acquire Bonfante.
James Brescoll, Gilroy
Editor’s note: The editorial regarding the price the Gilroy Unified School District is paying for the Christopher High School site
omitted the fact that the state will pay half the cost.
Money Owed to Schools Won’t Be Settled Fairly to the Detriment of Education
Dear Editor,
Dick Mountz’s statement that $3 billion is going to underachieving schools is correct, but his analogy fails miserably. These are constitutional, state-mandated funds the governor withheld from public education two years ago, and was sued for its return.
Instead of the funds going back to Prop. 98 and disseminated to all schools via state formula, the settlement’s seven-year payback will be directed to only 500 of the 1,500 eligible decile 1 and 2 schools in the state. So what about the other 1,000 low-achieving schools bypassed in the $3 billion “lottery?” Apparently nothing happens.
For them, it will be status quo attempting to overcome poverty, hunger, immigration and second-language barrier issues. But, hey, the current status of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act lumps all students into the same boat, and in the guise of No Child Left Behind, is taking on serious water.
This doesn’t sound like a reward to me; it sounds more like a punishment. One could say it’s like a swat on the butt for not getting good grades.
Dale Morejón, Gilroy
Questioning Calstar Use and Trauma Evaluation Isn’t Against the Law, and It’s an Important Discussion to Have
Dear Editor,
In a letter written by Mark Zappa, Calstar Advisory Board Member, he wrote about the Invaluable service Calstar is to the Gilroy area. I understand the value of having such a service available to our community and surrounding areas, however I think that when there are “so-called trauma’s” they need to be evaluated better before the decision is made to use this rout of transportation.
I am not a medical doctor, however, I do work in the medical field and I am also a Calstar member. I understand there is no price for the safety and health of a child – and I know what I would do in that situation – but not everyone has medical knowledge or the understanding of what is going on during a situation like that.
Since our community is growing so rapidly, it’s unfortunate our hospital is not. I realize that the paramedics and hospital staff must follow guidelines they have in place for incoming patients and that the “Golden Hour” is very important. Don’t mistake risking your child’s life to just wanting to understand the situation. St. Louise Hospital in this day and age should be able to determine a “real trauma” and at least have the ability to determine if Calstar is really necessary.
There are also other factors to consider. Should Calstar be so readily available for minor traumas? What if a very serious accident occurred at the same time? Could a ambulance with trained paramedics or EMTs escort the patient up to San Jose for less money without jeopardizing their health?
Mark Zappa said he would of been happy to pay the $10,000 or more. Unfortunately not everyone can say that so freely. I by no means am saying that this little boy’s life was any less valuable then any other It just seems like Calstar is should not be the only way.
Jody Swift, Watsonville
