Editorials

The Editorial Board has serious concerns about the direction the fledgling “Quality of Life” sales tax or bond proposal is headed. What began as Mayor Don Gage’s idea to see whether Gilroyans would support some sort of tax increase to pay for capital improvement projects has morphed into a tax hike that would support city operations, specifically police and fire protection.

In the best case scenario Saint Louise Regional Hospital, which is on the market along with the entire group of hospitals owned and operated by the Catholic Daughters of Charity, will be sold to a compassionate organization intent on providing quality health care to South County residents. In the worst case, scenario, there would be no takers and Saint Louise would be shuttered.

Amidst current discussions and controversy about the merits and challenges of the new “Core Curriculum,” a less dramatic yet equally important issue is the trend away from teaching “cursive” in our schools. As a retired teacher and current voter, genealogist and sports fan, I think the loss of the ability to write (and therefore read) cursive is another step in the increasing “depersonalization” of our culture with potentially disastrous consequences. I was further reminded of this as I went to vote by mail, where, on the envelope, you are told emphatically to sign your name (not print it) for your vote to count.