Gilroy’s City Council should halt approval of housing
developments until there is a solution to the ongoing
school-facilities crisis
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
JEERS: For the City of Gilroy’s ongoing approval of large-scale housing developments without mitigation for schools. In the “Eye on Growth” story published in Thursday’s edition on page A5, 229 homes are up for City Council approval next week. Every City Council member knows full well that the cost to build new schools is far and above what the state gives the Gilroy Unified School District. What are Mayor Al Pinheiro and the rest of the Council members going to do? Sit idly by and approve development after development while our schools become more and more crowded? It’s time for this nonsense to stop. It’s time for the city to find a way to help, or put a stop to building until the developers agree to mitigate growth.
CHEERS: For Gilroy High School’s Erin Magill who earned a field hockey scholarship to the University of California at Berkeley. Nice shot!
JEERS: For the news from the Gilroy Police Department that youth gangs are on the rise. That’s a strong signal that crime trouble is brewing, but the good news is that the first step in addressing a problem is becoming aware of it. Let’s make sure there’s a concerted effort of prevention and intervention now knowing full well that young criminals grow into adult perpetrators with violent tendencies.
CHEERS: For the South Valley Symphony which brings beautiful music to our neck of the woods. The late-afternoon holiday concert Saturday is a special treat and a wonderful interlude from the busyness of the season. Curtain goes up at 4pm. Ticket info at www.southvalleysymphony.org.
JEERS: For the latest deadly accident on Pacheco Pass Highway last Sunday in between Lover’s Lane and San Felipe Drive. When are our state legislators – Anna Caballero are you listening? – going to do something about this road?
CHEERS: For new San Jose Mayor-elect Chuck Reed. What a breath of fresh air to hear the leader of the largest city in our county make common sense when it comes to the development of Coyote Valley. Reed acknowledges that there’s no reason to rush the development of Coyote Valley until the economy can fully support such a move. At last, at last … intelligence.
