The city’s new hardscrabble stance on the vacant unreinforced masonry buildings downtown is, understandably, born of frustration. Years of trying to cajole, incentivize, plead, push and assist have resulted in hardly any change. Vacant buildings dominate the central block. It’s an embarrassment to the community, and it’s no wonder that Mayor Don Gage, a born-and-raised Gilroyan, has had enough.
Mayor Don Gage has opened up a can of worms with his invitation to the City Council and, of course, the community to discuss a city bond measure that would fund “wish list” items. We’re glad he did.
Imagine a medical emergency that requires an ambulance. Fast forward a month or so and imagine getting a bill from the Rural-Metro for $10,000 give or take with a notice declaring that the company, unfortunately, doesn’t contract with your private medical insurance carrier. You’re on the hook for the bill, maybe you’ve been unable to work and then the aggressive calls from the collection agency start.
Having the Santa Clara County Office of education step in and forcibly take over the finances of the Gilroy Unified School District is more than a community embarrassment, it points out a critical issue in Superintendent Debbie Flores’ administration.
With city contract bargaining season in full swing, it’s imperative that the city not just hold the line in one key negotiable area, but roll it back further to ensure long-term financial stability.