DEAR EDITOR:
Recently it came to our attention that our home of 24 years is
in jeopardy.
DEAR EDITOR:
Recently it came to our attention that our home of 24 years is in jeopardy.
We have been following the school-site selection process for Gilroy’s second high school. We read that the site southwest of Day Road and Santa Teresa Boulevard is the number one choice. It would be well-placed and affordable with one willing seller. We were therefore very shocked to read that Mayor Tom Springer is hoping to convince the school district and the city that the site between Kern and Wren Avenues is a better choice. We were more shocked to learn that we would be forced to sell our home.
When we bought this house in 1979, we knew that the neighborhood would grow. We knew we were very close to town and would not stay “in the country” forever. There were only a few homes nearby and one school, Las Animas.
Over the years we have quietly accepted the building all around us of numerous homes and schools, Rod Kelley, Mt. Madonna High, and very recently Antonio del Buono.
Although it is not always pleasant to have schools and their additional traffic nearby, we realize that this is part of being in a community and for the good of all.
Now we are forced to speak out, not because we will be bothered by the changes to the neighborhood, but because we will be forced to leave it. We are not alone, the choice of this site will affect 10 to 20 other homeowners who do not wish to sell.
If this were a better site, we might understand, if there were owners on the other site who were in jeopardy of being forced out, we would understand.
The mayor seems determined to push this through. He is even offering to defray costs by building a city park, (although it seems he could make this offer at any site if he wished to save the schools money). But even if both sites were financially equal, is this the American way? Using the power of eminent domain to force homeowners off their property when there are other alternatives?
We hope not.
Wendy & Jim Spohr, Gilroy, Kern Avenue residents
Submitted Friday, June 6 to ed****@****ic.com
