Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz has changed his tone on the
6,800-unit El Rancho San Benito project from saying during his
recent campaign that it would turn Hollister into a
”
ghost town
”
to this week telling the Free Lance it could
”
put hope back in the community.
”
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz has changed his tone on the 6,800-unit El Rancho San Benito project from saying during his recent campaign that it would turn Hollister into a “ghost town” to this week telling the Free Lance it could “put hope back in the community.”
The recently reelected District 5 supervisor’s prior negative comments about the DMB proposal – which he made during campaign stops, including public forums – came up at Tuesday’s board discussion about an idea, ultimately rejected, to postpone work on larger developments until a new general plan is finished.
Before board members debated the issue, two of the citizen speakers supporting Supervisor Pat Loe’s plan criticized De La Cruz for his previous statements. De La Cruz responded at the meeting by saying his vote today still would be “‘no’ right off the bat.” He also noted, however, that the community-planned project would provide needed housing for families. He then contended it would be unfair to prevent DMB from going “through the process” and pointed out how the public is set to make the final call.
Today, De La Cruz said he’s neither supportive nor opposed to the DMB project off Highway 25 south of the Santa Clara County line. He said his previous statements were in response to pointed questions asking how he would have voted on the development if forced to make a decision then.
He referred to the theoretical vote as a “situation where there’s no information available” and said officials “have to go through the process.”
“How can you vote on anything that’s not a project today?” he said.
De La Cruz acknowledged he made the statement in a public forum at which he said El Rancho San Benito would turn Hollister into a “ghost town.” Asked if he regretted that comment, he said, “My job, again, is to analyze every situation.”
His statements in Tuesday’s Free Lance appear to sway from that “ghost town” sentiment.
“We’re in real bad economic times here and we’re talking about putting this project on hold for up to four years,” De La Cruz said to the Free Lance in the story published Tuesday. “I think it’s in the best interest of the community to continue on the project as we had planned. DMB has a chance to put hope back in the community.”
De La Cruz today said he feels that same way about every development proposal.
“Every project in this community can bring hope,” he said. “Economic development is very important in the community.”
DMB’s Ray Becker, who defended the project at Tuesday’s meeting for the company, could not be reached immediately for comment.
