Readers support the mayor, call for a complete change in elected
city leadership and bark out a heads up on a niffty dog event
Mayor Al and the Rubber Stamps on the Council – It’s a Bad Show that has to Stop
Dear Editor,
It is a city spinning out of control – a rudderless schooner, rounding the cape dangerously close to the rocks. The folks at the helm are none other than Captain Al and the Rubber Stamps. You couldn’t make this stuff up. The buffoonery is limitless, and it has to stop.
Mayor Al Pinheiro and almost every Councilman save Craig Gartman should be made to walk the plank. Their crimes? It appears that the mayor and the city, improperly, possibly illegally diverted $1.45 million to Al’s Legacy Project downtown from water user fees according to documents I downloaded from the city’s website.
When the Council was coming up short on grant money to complete the “streetscape” project, they suddenly got the brilliant (think City Administrator Jay Baksa) idea to move perfectly good underground water pipes that were not even identified in the city’s Water Master Plan to be replaced, moved or otherwise touched.
Well, now, since they have to move the pipes, they of course had to tear up the street and, presto! Now they can continue their pet project unabated by such inconveniences as a budgets and spirit of the law. The spin from the city and the mayor will be that “we” would replace the pipes early since the streets were torn up anyway. Well Council, the streets wouldn’t be torn up without the $1.45 million the council lead by Mayor Pinheiro boosted from water user fees.
But fear not fellow citizens, the mayor and his stamps voted for a 3 percent hike in your water bill to fill the gap, Councilman Gartman being the lone dissenter.
Some councilmen accuse Gartman of taking these stands for political gain. Well if that is true, then that makes him smarter than they are because everyone I have talked to agrees with Gartman. People don’t want higher taxes. Fees are taxes. People don’t want elected officials with big ego’s spending their (the resident’s) money on pet projects. People want their damn sidewalks fixed! The Council’s response? Shift liability for personal injuries from sidewalk cracks to the adjacent homeowner.
This legal maneuver shifts all financial liability for injuries to you and me. Wait. Don’t we already pay taxes to repair the offending sidewalks? The spin on this decision will be that this will enable your insurance to pay for the injuries rather than the city. The resulting effect will be astronomical increases to your homeowners’ policy premiums or complete cancellation of policies as well as insurance company’s refusal to write new homeowners policies.
The mayor should have delayed the gratification of completing the streetscape and concentrated on fixing items that were higher on the list in the minds of the citizen’s. While I am sure that the streetscape is attractive, it could have waited until safety issues were dealt with. I will continue to be critical of the mayor for his lack of leadership. He has no clear vision and is dependent almost entirely on city staff for his direction.
The fact that he leads four or five of the other councilmen by their handles is not leadership.
To the rubber stamps, this challenge. Do your own homework and don’t be afraid to stand sometimes on your own. Then you won’t look or be referred to as rubber stamps.
Mark A. Zappa, Citizens Against Waste and Fraud, Gilroy
Leadership, Not Dissension – It’s Pinheiro for Mayor
Dear Editor,
I am disappointed in Councilman Craig Gartman’s not-so-subtle tactics as he runs for mayor. As a resident of Gilroy since 1964, I’ve seen this city go through many changes. We were mostly farmland while I was an elementary student at Rucker School. My freshman year in high school was the first year the current Gilroy High School campus was open. I’ve seen many City Councils try to better downtown, to provide for a healthy mix of commercial, industrial and residential land zoning, to consider traffic flow, public parks, public safety and fire protection, among other things. I served on the Planning Commission for seven years and learned a lot about the process through with change can occur, which brings me to my point.
As I read today’s Gilroy Dispatch headline story, I was disheartened to see the manner in which one particular council member continues to behave. I know it’s an election year, and he’s running for mayor, but I know from experience that if you truly want an answer to a question, you would allow those to whom you ask the question the time to answer it. Intentionally surprising your peers and city staff with “anonymous tips” and accusations can serve only one purpose – to cause dissension.
Like others, I have my own opinions on the issues and will vote as I see fit. But I know that voting for someone solely on the basis of shared political opinions would be a wasted vote if that person does not know how to work with others. You cannot effect change, or much of anything in this world, all by yourself. The mayor must lead by example, be respectful of others, and form consensus by getting council members to talk and debate the issues together. These are qualities I have yet to see in Craig Gartman. As I have been for years, I continue to be very much in favor of Mayor Al Pinheiro’s leadership for our city.
Marie Blankley, Gilroy
Responsible Dog Ownership is a Right and a Privilege, and There’s Plenty to Learn at Oct. 13 AKC Event
Dear Editor,
Americans have embraced the joys of dog ownership for centuries, from George Washington and his American Foxhounds to George W. Bush and his Scottish Terriers.
Today, there are approximately 73 million dogs in the U.S. and their roles in society have shifted from hunter and working dog to family companion. When we hear of unfortunate incidents involving dogs, such as a bite, it’s often a result of carelessness on the dog owner’s part to take responsibility for the animal they chose to own. There are two ends of every leash and responsible dog ownership begins with the “man” not the “best friend.”
Each year the American Kennel Club hosts Responsible Dog Ownership Days to educate the dog-loving public about the importance of being a responsible dog owner. It’s a national initiative with approximately 500 organizations around the country holding community events throughout the month of September. Just some of the topics these events address are safety around dogs, the right breed for your lifestyle, training and competitive events for your dog, tagging/microchipping ID options, canine health and much more. The AKC, the nation’s largest registry and leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of purebred dogs, recognizes that canine companionship is not only a right but also a privilege that must be respected and nurtured.
In return for this privilege, dog owners need to respect reasonable, enforceable, non-discriminatory legislation governing the ownership of dogs, such as local leash laws, curbing policies and licensing regulations. The saying “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch” rings especially true in terms of dog ownership. All dog owners – or even specific breeds themselves – can easily be misjudged by the deeds of one thoughtless individual. We hope you’ll take time to “bone up” on responsible dog ownership whether you are looking to add a puppy to the family for the first time or are a lifelong dog lover.
As a licensed club of the AKC, the Gavilan Kennel Club invites you to celebrate Responsible Dog Ownership Day with us on Oct. 13th at Christmas Hill Park from 9am to 3pm. We’ll be offering a Meet the Breeds Fair and a host of fun and educational activities for dogs and owners including a question-and-answer session with veterinarian, Dr. Pete Keesling, obedience, rally, lure coursing and carting demonstrations, games for you and your dog, and much, much more.
There will also be an all breed AKC conformation match that you may enter with your AKC registered purebred dog. To download a match entry form and more information go to www.gavilankc.org. Come. Sit. Stay and learn what it takes to be a responsible dog owner. Your best friend is counting on you.
Pam Rubio, RDO event coordinator for Gavilan Kennel Club, Gilroy
