These are certainly difficult times for elected officials. They
can no longer spend indiscriminately on pet projects as in the
past.
Dear Editor,
These are certainly difficult times for elected officials. They can no longer spend indiscriminately on pet projects as in the past. They have to learn, like those of us in the private sector, how to live within a budget. The government can no longer use the taxpayers as their personal ATM machines. That is something that rankles politicians who live in ivory towers with grandiose agendas.
It is those elected officials that dig in their heels like Mayor Al Pinheiro whose refusal to even consider the sale of Gilroy Gardens or the land earmarked for the “cultural center” downtown. This is the same mayor who was quoted recently in a Bay Area newspaper saying, “We have our problems,” Pinheiro snaps. “But let’s not get the media hyped up and point to Gilroy as a hard-core gang kind of place.”
This is a classic example of Al Pinheiro’s single-minded approach to leadership – deny, deny, deny. I am not sure what ivory tower the mayor lives in, but just last week, while sitting at Starbuck’s on First Street with Councilman Perry Woodward, we witnessed a gang fight between 10 young Latino males in the parking lot of McDonalds. This is not a totally uncommon occurrence. Just weeks ago, there was a drive-by shooting next to KFC and another shooting on El Cerrito Drive where a young woman was shot in the abdomen by a stray bullet.
Add to this the other gang murders, stabbings, tagging etc. etc. Clearly the council under the leadership of Mayor Pinheiro has lost focus on what is important to their constituents. Public safety is number one on most people’s minds, not circus trees or culture. Since recalling all members of the council who deserve to be removed from office creates insecurity, surgically removing the mayor makes the most sense. It will send a strong message to the other starry eyed members of the council who the real boss is.
Mark A. Zappa, Gilroy, RecallGilroyMayor.com
Garbage, recycling aren’t going into the same slot on the truck
Dear Editor,
I would like to clarify the concern your reader has regarding recycling and garbage going into the same truck. In January 2008 we implemented single-stream recycling in Gilroy. At that same time we began using specially designed “split body” trucks. These trucks are designed to accept two different streams of material.
If you look from the back of the truck you can see there are two compartments, one for garbage and one for recycling. Though it may appear all material is being combined, in fact it is not. Recycling goes on one side, and garbage goes on the other side. When the truck gets to the transfer facility, recycling is dumped in one place and garbage in a separate place. I can assure you, recycling is not being mixed with garbage and all recyclables ultimately are sent to the recycling facility. So keep up the good work recycling.
Phil Couchee, general manager,
South Valley Disposal and Recycling
Pit bull attacks a tiny dog at Miller Park and people just stand there
Dear Editor,
On Saturday, July 11 at approximately 1:15 p.m. we were having a bible class under a tree at miller Park. Our friends took their tiny little dog with them.
All of a sudden a good-sized pit bull attacked the little dog. She was tied to a tree next to us. What took place during the next few minutes seemed liked forever as we struggled to get the little dog away from the pit bull.
I kicked it and punched at it along with everyone else, all trying to do the same thing. Finally we got the little dog away.
Common sense – you don’t let a pit bull loose at a park where people take their children and their pets. Nobody helped us, though there were lots of people at the park. I can’t believe how spineless some people are. What if it had been a little child? These people would likely have done the same thing – nothing! Shame on you.
Thankfully the little dog will live, though it took a bad mauling. I hope this never happens to any person’s pet who stood by and did nothing, but if it did they probably would just do nothing.
People who own pit bulls should not be allowed in city parks. Next time it could be a child. We keep hearing the same baloney story, “I didn’t think my dog would do this.” Enough!
Pete Clive, Gilroy
Union Pacific won’t even let the bullet train on its tracks, so …
Dear Editor,
If Union Pacific won’t permit the bullet train to go on, over or under UP’s tracks, what on Earth are they talking about? You need to alert your readers of the pending debacle – wasting tax dollars to an extent never seen before in our history
Joe Thompson, Gilroy
