Letters

Across the country, a quiet revolution is changing how small towns and cities operate. It’s not led by billion-dollar investments or top-down mandates, but by neighbors with ideas—and local governments willing to say YES. This movement is called “Idea Friendly,” a term coined by the...

Open letter to Hon. Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation: Re: USDOT F.R.A.'s Notice of Proposed Determination 6-4-2025 In my opinion, the reason for the failure of the CAHSRA’s high speed rail proposal is its reliance on the public sector model of transport funding as seen...

I’ve seen the Caltrain South County ridership numbers: Gilroy, 100 riders per day; San Martin, 22 riders per day; Morgan Hill, 120 riders per day; Blossom Hill, 54 riders per day; Capitol, 42 riders per day.  These five stations south of Tamien are not electrified...

May is Preservation Month, a nationwide celebration led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It’s a time to honor the charming neighborhoods surrounding it, beloved landmarks like the Old City Hall, the Gilroy Museum and the Miller Red Barn in Christmas Hill Park.  Each...

Look what the AI can do…  There’s a curl of fog that crawls across the hill behind my house, misting in the dew and saturating the live oak trees across the hilltop as they drink thirsty from the sky. The marine layer from the Monterey...

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. Legislating policy in house often doesn't require budget allocations, and many of the best practices are already open...

My name is Lee Kalpin, and I was born in Gilroy in 1946. My parents subscribed to the Dispatch as far back as I can remember, and I have been a constant subscriber for at least 55 years.  In fact, in the early 1950s I...

In his Letter to the Editor on April 11, City Council member Zach Hilton misleads readers with several observations and assumptions. He makes erroneous claims about existing Cal Fire service.  And he overlooks some facts that make his support for proposed changes without logic or...

I am writing to address troubling misinformation recently shared by Gilroy City Council member Zach Hilton regarding the status of South County Fire Engine 69 and the future of our city's fire services.  Councilmember Hilton has claimed that Engine 69 has been shut down for...

I was appointed as an alternate to the Santa Clara County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) by the Cities Selection Committee for 2025-28, representing all cities in Santa Clara County. I supported the action taken in January by the Board of Supervisors to dissolve...