Letters: More election commentary

A crucial decision

This election, Gilroyans can vote for a strong incumbent, Mayor Marie Blankley, or a candidate with absolutely no experience in city government. In my opinion, that would be reckless and very risky. I believe this city deserves Marie as mayor for another term. She has great work ethics. Diligent, dedicated, smart, tenacious.

She put in eight years as a planning commissioner; a very important position which gave her the opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts of how city government works. Planning commissioners decide which projects will go forward to be voted on by the city council benefiting our town.

Marie was then elected to the city council and served for three years at which time, I encouraged her to run for mayor where she was elected and has been our mayor for the last four years. 

There are many important issues such as the homeless problem facing our city which requires a mayor with experience to make stable, safe and well thought out decisions. A mayor who can work with other members of the council. 

No one person on the council makes decisions for you; collaboration is key. She is endorsed by the Gilroy Police Officers Association. That’s very important, because your safety is the ultimate requirement by your mayor and council. 

Mayor Blankley has the experience and ability to handle the top priorities. It is crucial that you re-elect her to another term. 

Don Gage

Former Mayor, City of Gilroy

New leadership is needed

My name is Steve Janisch and I have lived in Gilroy for 47 years. I am a longtime volunteer for the Gilroy Garlic Festival and have served as the head calamari and scampi chef in Gourmet Alley. I am writing this letter to emphatically endorse Greg Bozzo for Mayor of Gilroy in this upcoming election.

I have worked with Greg at many of the past festivals and have seen his commitment to the community of Gilroy through his hard work and “get it done” attitude during these events. Greg has a can-do attitude that I believe Gilroy is in dire need of. 

As a PGA golf professional, I interact on a daily basis with local residents, many of whom are business owners. A common theme when I talk with them is that many believe we need new leadership. I believe Greg Bozzo is that leader.

He is running on a platform that contains the commitment to make City Hall work better for our local businesses. Along with this is a commitment to bringing back the Gilroy Garlic Festival that has been a life blood source for our nonprofits and the great work they all do.

I hope the people of Gilroy get out and vote to elect Greg Bozzo for Mayor!

Steve Janisch

Gilroy

The truth is out

I am outraged to discover that the identity behind “Building Tomorrow,” the sponsors of the mob-like hit piece against our mayor, is none other than Ten South Management Inc, the applicant for a housing development project at 315 Las Animas Ave. in Gilroy where Mayor Blankley was one of four councilmembers (Blankley, Bracco, Marques and Cline) who would not side with this developer when they wanted to circumvent the City’s housing development application process that identifies impacts to the public that must be mitigated and paid for by the developer. 

I am further outraged to see that this same “Building Tomorrow” paid for campaign mailers in support of Hilton, Armendariz and Tovar, the three council members who supported this developer’s request to circumvent the city’s development application process. This stinks of corruption! 

An outside developer is paying for promotional campaign ads for three council members who have gone along with the wishes of the developer while sending slimy, mob-like materials that seek to unseat our mayor for opposing them. If this doesn’t smell of corruption, I don’t know what does.
I have been a Gilroy resident for 58 years, and a planning commissioner for 12 years. I have never seen such tactics and strong-arm bullying used like this in Gilroy, and from an outside developer no less with loads of money who cares about only one thing: the profits of their development. 

How can anyone profess to care about Gilroy and not be outraged by this, and at the candidates who are accepting the campaign support from the very same “Building Tomorrow” sponsor used to hide the real identity of Ten South Management, Inc.? 

And what about the silence coming from the mayoral candidate who stands to gain from this group? Does he care more about himself than about Gilroy? Has he already agreed to be their fourth vote? 

He too should be outraged at the disrespect shown by this developer for our city’s election process, for hiding their identity and interfering with our local election. He should be publicly denouncing any affiliation or support for the efforts of Ten South Management, Inc. to interfere with our election. 

The truth is finally out there. I hope every Gilroy voter stands up to this developer with the same integrity of Mayor Blankley. Show them your outrage. 

Joan Lewis

Gilroy