Protest sewer-fee hike
Wake up taxpayers. And every household that pays sewer fees.
What did you do with the notice City Hall sent you? Did you toss it
or did your read it? I fyou tossed it, shame on you. For those of
you that did not read your sewer bill, it will increase by 30
percent, which amounts to $78.60 per year.
Those of you who are classified as mobile homes,
commercial-industrial (low strength, moderate strength, high
strength), elementary, middle and high schools check the increase
in your category.
I urge you to send your protest by mail to City Clerk, City of
Hollister, 375 Fifth St., Hollister 95023.
Bernice Pedrazzi
Hollister
Protest sewer-fee hike
Wake up taxpayers. And every household that pays sewer fees. What did you do with the notice City Hall sent you? Did you toss it or did your read it? I fyou tossed it, shame on you. For those of you that did not read your sewer bill, it will increase by 30 percent, which amounts to $78.60 per year.
Those of you who are classified as mobile homes, commercial-industrial (low strength, moderate strength, high strength), elementary, middle and high schools check the increase in your category.
I urge you to send your protest by mail to City Clerk, City of Hollister, 375 Fifth St., Hollister 95023.
Bernice Pedrazzi
Hollister
Bush is not above the law
The Bush administration has launched an aggressive campaign claiming that the President’s authorization of massive ongoing electronic surveillance of American citizens is the only appropriate response to “a ruthless enemy.” Karl Rove added that criticism of the President’s policy comes from those who don’t understand “the nature of the threat and the gravity of the moment.”
We should not allow ourselves to fall into Rove’s trap and let this become a partisan squabble over national security. If we do, the President and his cronies on Capitol Hill are going to win. This is not fundamentally a debate about wiretapping or national security. It is about whether presidents must obey the law. A president, any president, who maintains that he is above the law thereby commits high crimes and misdemeanors. Bush purposely violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, disregarding clear statutory language and the Constitution.
Mr. Bush, you are not above the law.
Donald McDonald
Hollister
Gavilan campus vs. smart growth
Some of our fellow citizens are saying that the smart growth concept that forms the core of the Hollister general plan should rule where the proposed Gavilan College campus be located, which is to say, downtown.
Smart Growth is a concept of municipal planning based on old European style high-density communities. It restricts growth to the confines of a boundary around a city, thereby resulting in a compacted population on high-priced real estate. Restriction always increases prices, which is contrary to the goal of affordable housing.
People have not bought into this plan. Example. Portland, Ore. legislated smart growth about 20 years ago and has since seen 95 percent of its growth, including jobs, outside the city limits.
Joel Kotkin, Senior Fellow at New America Foundation and author of “The City: A Global History” reports that media hype to the contrary, people worldwide have a stated a preference for low-density communities. A 2002 California poll found that 84 percent prefer single-family homes to apartments. Young families want suburban living. 51 percent of Americans prefer the suburbs to 13 percent for high-density urban homes. Thirty percent want low-density countryside living.
Smart growth dictates a lot of walking, crowds of people, restricted parking and few backyards.
The proposed location of the Gavilan College campus near the airport next to an area designated for economic development (jobs) makes sense because it would be the easily accessible natural northern limit of a designated area for future development connected to downtown.
Carl Chase
Hollister
Just say no to taxes
It seems to me, City Council, that over the years (and continuing) we taxpayers have provided enough property taxes, sales taxes and bond money that should have been used to maintain and increase necessary city services. Not unnecessary salaries and benefits. There in lies the deficit problem.
When citizens lack money to pay their bills, we don’t allow them to rob banks with guns. So why is it OK for council to replace the gun with a possible proposed tax increase, and attempt to steal more of our money?
You don’t solve money problems with more money. You solve money problems with planning, strategy, maturity and common sense.
Who gets hurt most by more taxes? Senior citizens and disabled persons on small, fixed incomes, those who can least afford another hit to their wallet.
The $26,500 being spent to survey voters is money flushed down the toilet. You can bet the questions that will be asked will be slanted in such a way as to make you feel sorry for, and guilty, the city and its self inflicted financial problems are your fault.
When you receive the phone call, make it short, no more taxes.
Ever wonder why the state of Oregon has no sales taxes and is better off than California? Small state, city and county governments. Small, what a concept.
Regardless of the survey, voters must choose to say no, rather than continue to allow ourselves (particularly the less fortunate) to be taxed into insolvency.
Noreen Martin
Hollister
Stop sign has been a blessing
The letter is in response to Mark West’s letter on congestion downtown.
First, Mr. West, the stop sign at 4th and East streets has served its purpose for four years. In the same period before the stop signs were installed there were 36 vehicle collisions, two pedestrian collisions, a car through the side of my business and a light pole on the side of our business wiped out.
Since the stop signs have been in place there have been three vehicle collisions and two pedestrian ones. Take notice at the kids who know can walk across this busy intersection without the fear of being hit. Take notice of the people who walk to and fro to the bus stop in the morning, too. The intersection works properly.
I ask you Mr. West to call Union Pacific and ask them to send its freight trains during the late night and not at rush hour. The trains stop the signal lights causing big back-ups at the worse times. This train usually impedes traffic conditions for upwards of an hour. The traffic lights at McCray and Fourth streets blink red constantly as the train comes to town.
Pick on another intersection, I live at this intersection seven days a week. If you lived here, maybe you would see what I see.
Bill Mifsud
Owner, Bill’s Bullpen
Hollister
DA committing ‘domestic violence’
For the last several years, District Attorney John Sarsfield has employed an uncertified investigator to aid in court cases. The use of such an individual constitutes an illegal act according to the laws of the State of California.
Almost a year ago, Sarsfield was requested to stop using the investigator in question until his certification could be established. Sarsfield chose to continue using the investigator, even though the legality of the use was uncertain.
This investigator has been used against Araujo, Los Valientes, De La Cruz, Hernandez, and Velazquez and other vindictive acts by Sarsfield.
This continued willful breaking the laws of the State of California constitutes a pattern of domestic violence against the citizens of San Benito County as defined by Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States.
Sheriff Curtis Hill has referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Office and it is being investigated as a criminal matter. However, one function of the Attorney General’s Office is to defend District Attorneys.
The Board of Supervisors is unable to protect the citizens of San Benito County from Sarsfield’s vindictive domestic violence. The Attorney General has a conflict of interests. The proper recourse if for Governor Schwarzenegger be requested to partition the Federal Government for protection from further domestic violence by Sarsfield per Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States.
Marvin L. Jones
Hollister
Adversary takes aim at GOP leader
I do not know what planet Chris Kluga (Pinnacle Letters February 5, 2005) is on. The last time I looked, the court system in this country was open to the public. I show my support for Mr. Carlos Zapata at his divorce hearing and the paranoid Mrs. Zapata cries “stalking.” She has literally accused neighbors walking down the street of stalking. She even accused a legally blind man of being a peeping tom.
Mrs. Zapata is a has-been-that-never-was.
Chris, your ‘facts’ are all wrong.
Reba M. Jones
Hollister
Editor’s note: Reba Jones is the wife of Marvin Jones, a long-time opponent of Jennifer Zapata’s.
America, love it or leave it
In her January 29, 2006 column titled “Tainted Hearts, Tainted Food”, Kate Woods steps over the line of journalism or even reasonable commentary to reveal herself as a total left-wing ideologue whose frustration at having her radical views rejected by the American people shows itself in ad hominem attacks against members of the administration, and worst of all, personal attacks against local individuals.
It certainly appears that Kate Woods likes to criticize with a sharp, insult-powered, tongue, but has little or no tolerance for accepting criticism form others. The pot calling the kettle, as they say. Journalism, when properly practiced, is not for the thin-skinned, but Kate Woods’ skin is in the class of transparent. She raves that her observations are “Freedom of Speech” then goes on in the same breath to ridicule the “Freedom Rally every Friday, where they flap around their pro-war signs.” Hey Woods, it’s called freedom of speech and it is not restricted only to those who write columns. Kate should take a version of her own advice — ‘if you don’t like it the drive somewhere else.’
In this particular column her arguments against the administration and their policies do not even rise to the level of drivel to wit, “But you freaking Neo-Nazi-Cons are so full of mean-hearted crap. Every time I try to warn my friends about yet another flaming dog poop stunt deposited upon us by King George.” Funny, that comment sounds a lot like a bunch of “mean-hearted crap” to me.
Martin G. Richman
Hollister
Appreciates history walk article
Thanks for the great article by Melissa Flores about the monthly historic walking tours sponsored by the Gilroy Historical Society and the Gilroy Museum. The article and excellent pictures by Martin Jimenez proved that your readers are paying attention. More than 20 people turned up for our tour of William Weeks buildings on Feb. 4.
I’d like to give credit where it is due. Although originally owned and restored by the Mussalems, the gorgeous Victorian on Fifth Street in the photographs is now owned by Shauna Lynch. She is the one responsible for the recent repairs and beautiful paint job.
We give the free walking tours on the first Saturday of every month, meeting at the Gilroy Museum at 10 a.m. The tours last about two hours. Advance reservations are appreciated by calling the museum at 848-0470. Hope to see you on March 4 when we will look at bungalows.
Connie Rogers
Gilroy Historical Society
We don’t report to George Bush
No one would dispute that President Bush is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, but Commander-in-Chief of the United States civilian population? I don’t think so! While the military is not expected to function democratically, I believe the rest of us citizens would like to think we are living in a democratic society that follows the rule of law.
Warrantless wiretaps and searches, arrests and jail without charges, abuse and torture of fellow human beings are illegal in this country, and as Supreme Court Justice O’Connor stated, “The President is not above the law.” He and his Administration should be held accountable or we can hardly lay claim to being the leading democracy in the world.
Susan Swanson
Paicines
To hell with job and housing laws
The Kennedys are the worst infection this nation has ever seen. That is why Jack Dwan (letters, Feb. 5) “yearns” for the bad old days of (1) government telling us to whom we can rent, whom we can hire, and what we can do with our property, and (2) activist judges, such as those who put “separation of church and state” into the Constitution (it’s not there as Craig O’Donnell would have us believe) and those in the Ninth Circus who claim the Second Amendment is only for the military.
Dwan is a remainder of the greater socialist infection that seeks to eliminate individual freedom, forcing the European model upon the U.S. As a proud supporter of both President Bush and the P.L.O., I laud the recent Hamas victory in Palestine. Dwan appears to be confused as to who the true thugs are. In Palestine, they call themselves “Israelis,” and in America, “Democrats.”
Alan Viarengo
Gilroy
It’s hard to buy local
Your paper advocates “shop locally.” Sure, there is Target and K-Mart, and a few “boutiques,” but where is a real bakery, or candy store, or Sears, or Hallmark cards, which has left?
To my way of thinking, there is not much for us to shop for locally!
Hazel E. Horsfall
Hollister
Editor’s note: We enjoy the hand-made confections at DeBrito’s, Marich Confections and IsaBella’s Chocolates, the baked goods at local supermarkets, Superior, San Juan and El Nopal Bakeries and the card selection at a number of local stores, including Kelly’s Gift Place, French’s and Penny Wise Drug.
