Letters to the Editor

The RDA should give
The recent announcement at the Aug. 21 City Council meeting that
the Redevelopment Agency would contribute $11 million toward the
sewer plant project was welcomed, but the amount was certainly not
substantial.
The amended RDA plan called for $295 million to be used for
infrastructure improvements. Looking at percentages will give
property owners a much clearer picture of the RDA’s minimal
contribution. $11 million is 3.75 percent of the total tax
increment that the RDA will receive until 2033. $11 million is
approximately 3 percent of the total construction cost of the new
sewer treatment plant with interest. This minimal contribution from
the RDA should not be acceptable to anyone.
The amended RDA plan also increased the bonding capacity of the
RDA from $35 million to $75 million. How much bonding capacity is
being used by the RDA to help pay for the new sewer plant?
The RDA must re-focus and make a commitment to help existing
property owners by increasing the RDA contribution by a substantial
amount. If that means that other RDA projects are delayed or
eliminated, than so be it. Isn’t the new sewer treatment plant a
top priority?
Again, I urge the city council to withhold approving these
excessive rates until the RDA makes a much larger financial
commitment to this project.
Aurelio Zuniga
Hollister
The RDA should give

The recent announcement at the Aug. 21 City Council meeting that the Redevelopment Agency would contribute $11 million toward the sewer plant project was welcomed, but the amount was certainly not substantial.

The amended RDA plan called for $295 million to be used for infrastructure improvements. Looking at percentages will give property owners a much clearer picture of the RDA’s minimal contribution. $11 million is 3.75 percent of the total tax increment that the RDA will receive until 2033. $11 million is approximately 3 percent of the total construction cost of the new sewer treatment plant with interest. This minimal contribution from the RDA should not be acceptable to anyone.

The amended RDA plan also increased the bonding capacity of the RDA from $35 million to $75 million. How much bonding capacity is being used by the RDA to help pay for the new sewer plant?

The RDA must re-focus and make a commitment to help existing property owners by increasing the RDA contribution by a substantial amount. If that means that other RDA projects are delayed or eliminated, than so be it. Isn’t the new sewer treatment plant a top priority?

Again, I urge the city council to withhold approving these excessive rates until the RDA makes a much larger financial commitment to this project.

Aurelio Zuniga

Hollister

Base rates on users

I know we need a new sewer and am willing to pay my fair share. I believe the monthly rate should be based on how many people live in a home.

I live alone and am on a fixed income.

There is a family of five living across the street. They have other relatives living with them.

I know I don’t do as much laundry, dish washing, bathing, showering and flushing the toilet as they do.

Why should I have to pay the same rate?

My PG&E and water is based on how much I use each month. I do not support the rate increase as it is set up now.

Helen Edmunds

Hollister

Act now to on sewer rates

I would like to remind property owners that they need to act now. If they want to protest the sewer proposal their letters must be in the clerk’s office before the meeting on Monday, Sept. 4. Remember, no e-mails. Give your name, address and/or assessor’s parcel number. Be sure to sign your name. Address your letter to:

City Clerk

City of Hollister

375 Fifth St.

Hollister, CA 95023

Remember, if you don’t protest you are voting “yes” to the proposal. Be a good citizen. Get informed and vote.

Virginia Drummond

Hollister

Spend your own money

 

This week’s Pinnacle carried a full page ad urging the building of a new sewer plant, at a cost of $120 million. I wonder how much of that cost will be paid by the local businesses, schools and churches that bought the ad. I suspect that it will be minimal. It’s easy to advocate spending other folk’s money.

Robert Gilchrist Huenemann

Hollister

Vote to halt fee increase

All property owners who recently received your pamphlet from the City regarding the outrageous, and bankrupting for many, sewer rate increase proposal, the answer is no!

As stated in the pamphlet, the new facility is only necessary to serve new growth, not current users.

The pamphlet also states, “If a majority of the affected property owners [all of us] file a written protest [an absolute must] the proposed rate hikes will not be imposed.” The city must define the word majority with a number. “Majority” doesn’t tell anybody anything.

There’s a huge population of people in this community – seniors, disabled and the working poor – who will be bankrupted and homeless by this outrageous unnecessary increase. You’re the very class of people who will never get a raise large enough to accommodate this proposed fee or keep up with the continuing raising cost of living.

People, you must stand up for yourselves by writing and submitting your protest, or lose your homes. It’s up to you.

The protest is simple to write:

Date:

To: Hollister City Council

I/we [your names here] protest the increase in sewer service rates.

Signature

Address

APN [Assessor’s Parcel Number]

In a democracy the City Manager and Council are simply implementers. Objectives, strategy, procedures and priorities are prescribed by the shareholders of the city: landowners, voters and citizens. Ignore this and we will all be subjected to the personal agendas of the few public servants who seem to have their service oriented toward out-of-state mega-developers at our own expense.

Noreen Martin

Hollister

No choice but to build plant

There are valid concerns about some aspects of the proposed wastewater project, especially the effect of higher rates on the elderly and disabled citizens with limited income. The City Council is working hard on those problems, but too many other objections appear to be based on misinformation.

At this point, I have not heard any other options that meet all the requirements for less money. Refusing to build a new plant solves nothing, the problem remains and the costs and the risks go sky high.

Construction costs are increasing more than 20 percent a year. Delay is hugely expensive. An alternative that adds one year must be 17 percent cheaper just to stay even; add 2 years and $120 million becomes $164 million!

There are no free rides for anyone. The current estimate is that developers will pay more than $20,000 just to connect one new home to the sewer system. The RDA is proposing to kick in an initial $11 million to act as reserve, then rate reduction. Together, that’s a chunk of money and those fees and investments will reduce your rates in the future.

The physical plant should last more than 50 years, is easily expandable, and this size supports the next 15 years of growth at the General Plan rate of only 2.5 percent per year before expansion.

What disturbs me most is that some people who claim to be protecting the environment are conspicuously missing in action now that the time has come to pay that bill. Clean water and investment in the future are expensive but essential. Everyone with those concerns should be supporting this plan; unfortunately some are just trying to use it as a wedge issue for political advantage. This is much too important for that.

  

Marty Richman

Hollister

Just say no to a sewer rate hike

Do you know the sewer rates are escalating?

According to the notice to the public entitled “Notice to Property Owners of Public Hearing on Proposed Increase to Sewer Fees,” the proposed increase for single family dwellings for table #1 are as follows:

Year Monthly Rate Yearly Rate

2006 $31.30 $375.60

2007 $46.33 $555.96

2008 $64.86 $778.32

2009 $90.15 $817.20

2010 $124.40 $858.60

2011 $124.40 $858.60

For table #2 potentially implemented waste water rates for single family dwellings are as follows:

Year Monthly Rate Yearly Rate

2006 $31.30 $375.60

2007 $46.33 $555.96

2008 $64.86 $778.32

2009 $68.10 $817.20

2010 $71.50 $858.60

2011 $71.50 $858.60

Homeowners, please write to: City Clerk, City of Hollister, 375 Fifth Street, Hollister, CA 95023 and oppose these increases before Sept. 5.

Renters, I urge you to contact your landlord to oppose these fees, whether you pay these fees or the landlord does it will affect you.

Bernice Pedrazzi

Hollister

Lies, and damned lies

A Democratic President told the American People a big lie on national television. As a result his family and at least one other were severely embarrassed. A Republican President told the American people many small lies on national television. As a result 20,000 families were severely impacted. More than 2,000 grieve the death of brave loved ones, the others face the challenge of helping loved ones recover from the Iraq experience.

Some( including Republicans in Congress) believe the small lies are justified to protect the nation and are inspired by a “higher power.” Wow.

Frank Crosby

Morgan Hill

A litany of attacks

I only read the Pinnacle newspaper when I am visiting my daughter and her family in Morgan Hill, but last Sunday’s (August 28, 2006 ) issue carried a letter by a Rebecca Criss that I have to respond to. Ms. Criss stated that, “We were not hit under Bill Clinton or Bush senior.” That is just plain wrong. Granted she may not be old enough to remember the other times that we were attacked by Islamo Fascists; so I will enlighten her with the following:

Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; Dares Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001; Pentagon 2001.

Saddam Hussein fired missiles at our planes that were enforcing a U.N. mandate, bragged about paying the families of suicide bomber $25,000.00, and provided aid such as medical and training to terrorists.

Even if one does not count Lockerbie, we have been attacked viciously during every President’s term of office since Jimmy Carter.

Bush was the first to hit back.

David Lawson

King City

Had enough of anti-Bush rhetoric

 

I usually do not reply to items in the paper but after reading your “Readers speak out” this weekend I have to comment. The letter by Rebecca Criss is one example of the tragedy of the California education system, media bias, or both! I don’t care that she is no fan of the president, and I do not care that the Pinnacle reprints Ariana Huffington as if anybody values what she thinks. I have my issues with some of Bush’s policies as well. But for this self-proclaimed “informed voter” to lay the blame for 9/11 at his feet and write, “We were not hit under Bill Clinton” shows a dearth of enlightenment scarcely comprehensible. Need I remind your readers of the FIRST World Trade Center Bombing in 1993, or the Khobar Towers attack, or the bombing of the USS Cole, or the US Embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya just 2 months after Bin Laden openly declared war on America? The US has arguably been at war with Muslim extremists since Bobby Kennedy was assassinated and it would do your readers well to try to remember that. Bush has kept us from attack for nearly 5 years and the FAA has had its greatest safety record in its history over the same time period. That is no coincidence. I know it’s an election year but denying history does NOT make our voters look “informed”.

 

Todd Amelio

Morgan Hill

What Hollister really needs

Several problems plague Hollister and San Benito County. Highway infrastructure, schools, water treatment, support for agriculture and small business, fair taxation for college services, property tax robbery by the state, mandated growth, long term water solutions etc.

Highway 156 could be readily shoved into the future by creating either an overpass at Union road, or at least an extra lane at the stoplight so cars can pass trucks. Most of the traffic is because cars accelerate faster than trucks, and for goodness sakes, we don’t need to spend millions and destroy farmland just to wait 5 minutes.

We need another high school on the other side of town to provide academic competition. We need a college without ANY fields, if it is part of Gavilan in or near town. Slow, or managed growth is still growth. Encourage occupancy of downtown buildings and build up, not out. The petri dish will eventually be full. So green line land to be used for ag, otherwise we will be purchasing our food from China and Brazil.

Sue the state to remove the mandated 5 percent growth plan from Sacramento to pay their bills. We need to grow businesses which will encourage commuters to stay here and develop products we can sell to the world rather than just build McMansions that don’t create long-term, high-wage jobs, just revenue to pay retirement packages.

We need government to replace current retirement packages to government workers to be similar to the private sector. These packages are outpacing revenue and inflation and are paid for by mandated growth projections.

Mark C. Dickson

Hollister

We share responsibility for children

The picture of last week’s skateboard artists at the city park raised the issue again, we have very short memories. It also proves that we are so quick to accept without critical, common sense thinking. This is happening in our society among adults, worldwide.  There must be an almost extinct action to judge, to correct. It is easier to accept. We don’t get the acting out of the adolescent.  Wake up, we lost a wonderful child due to the lack of head gear, and lo and behold, we put these kids on a pedestal and reward them for doing wrong and then the adults stand back and say, “look at those bad kids,” well, where are the adults…and who is rewarding actions that should be disciplined? Adults.

 

Sally A. Haydon

Hollister

Happy Sun Cityite wants it here

I am an ex-Hollister resident who moved to a Del Webb community in Henderson, Nev. four years ago. I would move back to Hollister in a heartbeat if Del Webb builds a Sun City there. Sun City provides 55+ adults with activities, pools, tennis courts, golf, clubhouse with pool tables, computers, large gym areas with equipment, arts and craft activities. It has support groups, home assistance directory, various services and the pools have access for the handicapped.

The Hollister area has built-in coastal “air conditioning’ which is something I really miss. With the number of baby boomers sky rocketing, Hollister can provide for this need through a Del Webb community.

It is difficult to move back to California after leaving because of the difference in the price of homes. Del Webb would provide this opportunity because of the variety of both homes and prices.

I understand that there is to be a vote to sample interest in a Sun City Hollister. Please vote for this “Class Project.”

Nancy Howard

Sun City Anthem, Henderson, Nev.

An unlikely Cone ally?

Imagine my surprise to read the letter from ultra right-winger Marvin Jones posing the rhetorical question: Do you, Tracie L. Cone, know the permit process? — then pointing out that indeed I do. He told Pinnacle readers that when I restored the 1924 Henry Berg farmhouse and then, over the next three years, built two out-buildings on my ranch 45 miles from Hollister, I sought and received the necessary permits, including one for a small boutique winery. To all the many callers, no, Mr. Jones, who for four years has been best known for taunting the silent, anti-war Hollister-in-Black protestors every Friday, has not joined my campaign team.

Tracie L. Cone

Panoche Valley

Botelho, Marcus hostile to citizenry

Tracie Cone was far too nice to supervisors in her letter thanking them for making changes in the San Juan Vista Estates Project. I was at that meeting, and they were very rude to her for appealing the project after the planning commission made many changes favorable to the developer.

What’s most important to remember is that if Tracie had not appealed the planning commission decision, the Board of Supervisors would have let stand changes that could have cost the county $444,747 in funding for workforce housing, and the project could have ultimately become much larger than it will be now.

What I learned from the meeting is that the current Board of Supervisors will favor developers unless we force them to consider the community’s best interests. I also learned that a private citizen who challenges the Board better be able to withstand a lot of hostility.

There’s a statement at the top of each board agenda promising that supervisors will treat with respect each citizen that speaks before them. I guess that only applies to some citizens. I suggest Anthony Botelho and Don Marcus reread the statement they paid a consultant $600 an hour to write.

Marian Cruz

Hollister

In campaigns, follow the money

During the first phase of the current Board of Supervisors race for District 4, Tracie Cone spent less than one third of her opponent. If her opponent keeps spending at this rate, he will spend more than what the District 4 Supervisor’s position pays in a full year. People living on fixed or limited incomes can appreciate Cone’s vigilance in her campaign spending. I am sure she will bring this same common-sense spending to the Board of Supervisors. She deserves to be applauded.

Pat McGuire

Paicines

Series captured the essence of Robbins

I loved Melissa Flores’ three-part series on Jon Robbins. It was a little hard to read with tears in my eyes.

He moved across the street right after we lost one of our beloved grandsons. He fit right in and seemed to partly fill the void. I told everyone he was my “adopted” grandson, and no one has ever been nicer to this old lady.

He took in stray cats. I hated one black one who would go potty under my kitchen window. So, as Jon started to go to work, I’d say, “come have breakfast with me.” He’d ask, “what are you having?” “Fried cat,” I’d say. And he would laugh. That cat is still on my street.

He was so proud of his race car. When he’d get ready to go to a race I’d go over and tell him, “bend down here, you fast young man,” and I’d give him a big hug and kiss. And I’d tell him it was for luck and that he’d better make it home.

I can imagine how Sandy Ludlow feels and all the family. My family and I loved him too.

Marguerite Henry

Gilroy

Go slow on 156

As a civil engineer who has spent his life designing wide streets and highways, I am concerned about the permanent damage the widening of 156 will do to the city of San Juan Bautista and the agricultural vitality of the San Juan Valley. The noise and pollution caused by ever-increasing traffic, especially trucks traveling to the East Coast, is devastating to the quiet town of San Juan plus covering crops with dust in the San Juan Valley.

Presently the existing highway right of way between San Juan and Union Road is 29 acres. The proposed 4- or 6-lane interstate highway with frontage roads on each side will remove another 200 acres of prime farmland from the valley. A state highway of this magnitude for moving traffic from the central coast to the central valley and beyond should be built in the Bolsa where there is no need for frontage roads.

The cost of right-of-way and building 6.5 miles of freeway from U.S. 101 above the flood plain of the Bolsa to the 156 bypass west of Hollister would be substantially cheaper than widening the present alignment of 156 and would be far safer for the residents of San Benito County. No existing signals or intersections on 156 would have to be replaced and improved with interchanges in the future, thus saving additional millions of dollars.

Ted Thoeny

San Juan Bautista

Pombo wasted his chance

So Richard Pombo has finally discovered that 580 is a congested mess – where has he been for the past 14 years?

Too busy paving over farms and ranch land to notice? He might have done a lot for our transportation problems as a powerful Republican in a Republican Congress, but instead, he used his clout to help his Big Oil and Big Developer contributors.

Now that the Congress is about to change hands, we need to send a Democrat like Jerry McNerney to Washington.  He’ll work to solve our problems and restore integrity to the job of representing us.

Stu Nuttall

Morgan Hill

Think global warming and vote

After working for NASA-Ames Research Center for many years, I’m convinced America must do something about the global warming problem before it’s too late.

It’s critical for voters this fall to support political candidates who understand how global warming imperils the future of our planet. Fortunately, we who live in the 11th Congressional District can make a difference in November.

Jerry McNerney is a candidate running in the upcoming election against incumbent Richard Pombo. As a wind power engineer, McNerney has been working on renewable energy sources for many years. He’s the best choice in the upcoming election for the 11th Congressional District because, unlike Pombo, he has the knowledge and career experience to provide solutions to the global warming problem.

Ken Mort

Morgan Hill

NJROTC helped my grandson

The program NJROTC at San Benito High School has helped my grandson a great deal. It has brought him pride in himself, confidence and respect. He has learned discipline and has had guidance toward positive things for his future. Mitchell has grown so much in his maturity and grooming, I know he enjoys his involvement and I hate to see any of these young people lose what they have gained and earned.

It is a great outlet for their energies and mental growth. His appearance and carriage have become so mature and he has more self-confidence.

Please reconsider the decision to drop the program.

Shirley Morehouse

El Dorado Hills