DEAR EDITOR:
A letter to the editor printed Jan. 23 said,
”
Bit by bit, Council is turning Gilroy into a mini-San Jose.
”
People have been moving to Gilroy for the past 20 years building
homes on what were pristine hillsides and prime agricultural land.
Now, suddenly, they don’t want to see new homes springing up?
DEAR EDITOR:
A letter to the editor printed Jan. 23 said, “Bit by bit, Council is turning Gilroy into a mini-San Jose.” People have been moving to Gilroy for the past 20 years building homes on what were pristine hillsides and prime agricultural land. Now, suddenly, they don’t want to see new homes springing up?
Many of these people chose Gilroy because housing was affordable, and they decided to commute to jobs in Silicon Valley where they make the money to pay for their homes, shop in the large malls, enjoy movies and dinner, and buy gas. None of which adds to Gilroy’s coffers.
During the past 20 years more and more native Gilroy pleasures have disappeared. Farmers have actually seen the value of their land drop because it is not zoned residential or commercial. Gilroy crops have also lost value because the same items can be obtained more cheaply from the San Joaquin Valley or Chile and Argentina. It has become harder and harder for the small farmer or agricultural land owner to make a living.
My family belongs to one of those groups struggling to maintain agricultural land. Our income barely covers the cost of taxes and insurance. Yet because of people who already have theirs, but don’t want to see more housing or growth, the land remains part of an agricultural preserve and is worth considerably less than when our parents owned and farmed it. Now, some of the properties have even been contaminated by perchlorate.
Look around. Gilroy already has many traits of a larger city. If you don’t think so, try to get to the hospital via Leavesly at 5 p.m.; read about the recent drive-by shootings and other gang-related activities; walk through a downtown that is need of renovation; buy your produce at Costco where it is imported from another country.
And consider this, too: If new housing is never approved, where will our children and grandchildren someday be able to find housing? Oh, wait, that’s what San Benito and Monterey counties are for, I guess.
Becky Lorenzet, Gilroy
Submitted Saturday, Jan. 24 to
ed****@ga****.com
