Guest View: Slash fossil fuel subsidies instead of the climate budget
California is struggling (again) to balance its state budget. Forecasting a $31.5 billion deficit for the next fiscal year, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting $6 billion from the historic $54 billion climate budget approved last summer—and the state Legislature agrees on some $5 billion...
Guest View: 2026 will be another busy year in Gilroy
With 2025 in the rear-view mirror and the 2025-26 legislative work plan already established, the Gilroy City Council will dive right into items that need to be completed in 2026. Once the new city council is seated after the Nov. 3, 2026 election, a...
Guest View: Moving Gilroy forward in 2022
To my council colleagues, city staff and the public, I am very excited to be a part of the many changes coming to Gilroy this year. I will continue to bring the views of my constituents to these meetings, as well as my own.
We...
Guest View: More police does not mean more safety
There was a lot of discourse in September about having police officers at high schools in the area. While there was talk from people like Councilmember Zach Hilton and District Attorney Candidate Sajid Khan about the lack of effectiveness of safety, there was a...
Guest View: Gilroy must ensure housing is available for all income levels
Having a house should not be a privilege; it should be a right. Every individual deserves to have a place they can come home to daily.
Beyond the four walls lies a magical dream that no one deserves to let go of. Once a family...
Guest View, Marie Blankley: Considering the future of the transit center
With my support, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority held two community meetings in Gilroy to introduce the possibility of and receive feedback on an affordable housing project at the Gilroy Transit Center. However, the project described in their request for approval to authorize...
Religion: Praying for the dead
July 28 used to be one of my favorite days of the year. On the Roman Catholic calendar, it is the feast day of a minor saint, Pope Saint Victor I, who was martyred by the Romans around the year 199 AD. Pope Victor...
Guest View, Zach Hilton: Moving Gilroy forward in 2021
To my council colleagues, city staff and the public, I am very excited to be a part of the many changes coming to Gilroy this year. I will continue to bring to these meetings not just the views of myself but those of my...
Mayor’s Update: On the Housing Element
As a lifelong resident of Gilroy (since 1964!) whose family comes from farming throughout Santa Clara County, I’ve lived through the change of our once prevalent orchards to today’s Silicon Valley. As Silicon Valley developed and job opportunities soared, so did the cry for...
Guest View: Period Project tackles menstruation stigma
Period poverty is defined as the struggle those who have a menstrual cycle face while trying to afford menstrual products. Despite not being able to control a menstrual cycle, those who have one are still left to purchase products that some cannot afford. I...





















