Measure S is Another Shipwreck on the Shallow Shoals of
Hollister’s Infrastructure
Measure S is Another Shipwreck on the Shallow Shoals of Hollister’s Infrastructure
Editor,
So, Sun City Developers are spending $650,000-plus to “inform” Hollisterites of their development’s wonderful benefits for Hollister. Yes, there it is in your weekend edition, promise of a DVD in the mail from Sun City’s chief PR blitzer, Ms. Giocamazzi. And what will this message be? She tells us: “lower sewer rates, revitalized business, volunteers for the schools, generate new jobs …” et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
This message, of course, is the theme song for all developers, for all developments. What else could anyone expect, having heard so many of them before?
But there is another story here, a story about “hype,” which is pretty much about all that Sun City represents in this case. You see, once upon a time a young shepherd cried “WOLF!” All the villagers heard, dropped what they were doing and came to help him fight the wolf and save the sheep. But the young shepherd was kidding them. There was no wolf. A few weeks later he cried “WOLF!” again. This time he wasn’t kidding. But the villagers, fooled once, didn’t come to fight the wolf. They thought that they would not be fooled twice. But they were. So the wolf ate the sheep.
Sun City follows a long line of developers heading for Hollister. They have sung Sun City’s song before. But Hollister voters, fooled not once but several times, have no reason to listen to it. Unlike the villagers, they know full well what Sun City’s song is all about. They’ve been paying for their predecessors’ mis-management of growth for years: A State-imposed moratorium on building because the town is beyond capacity for sewage and wastewater; over-built schools with declining enrollment; stagnant economic growth; excessive housing costs because of lack of supply, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Yes, Hollister is paying the price for having listened to developers’ hype several times too many. There is no quick fix for the problems. New City Council leadership, a new “Smart Growth” General Plan, a burdensome sewer/wastewater tax, and a few years more for sewer system overhauling and expansion – all this plus the continuing difficulty in attracting new business and increasing housing supply – it’s obviously no fun. Correcting past mistakes never is.
But these difficulties cannot be avoided. They certainly should not be aggravated by a turn to another developer throwing $650,000 of hype at Hollister voters. Just think of it: if Sun City were truly interested in the welfare of Hollister, would they try to buy the exemptions from Hollister’s General Plan that Measure S proposes? No way. They would get in line – like every other developer!
We are only neighbors of Hollister, residing outside San Benito County’s “second” city, San Juan Bautista. We can’t vote on Measure S. But, as with all of the other Hollister developments, we will live with the consequences of Hollister’s vote. So we meekly beseech Hollister voters to vote a resounding “NO” on Measure S. As we see it, it is just another developers’ shipwreck heading for the rocky shoals of Hollister’s shallow infrastructure.
Rich and Anne Morris
San Juan Bautista
Measure R is Necessary
Editor,
No one likes paying taxes – you, me, any of us. These are challenging times when we struggle to pay bills and provide for our families.
In view of these difficult economic conditions, you may wonder why I am an advocate of a tax proposal.
We need to know that measure R asks one cent of every dollar you spend here and assures the services we take for granted: police and fire protection, youth programs and many others that benefit us all every day in every way.
I state this from any level you can connect with as a resident, as a businessman as a husband and father – and as a neighbor my wife’s safety is worth a penny of every dollar to me, so is my daughter’s welfare and participation in vital programs. It is worth all of us all knowing that gangs will not gain more traction here. I believe that the future of the community is worth a great deal more than a penny of every dollar.
I ask you to consider this message again and again before Nov. 7. When you are in the privacy of the voting booth, decide from the depths of your heart what you want our combined future to be and that a penny well spent gives continuing dividends. Remember R means reassurance.
David Huboi
Hollister
Democrats Are Wrong, Again
Editor,
The news on the talk shows seem to have Nancy Pelosi already the majority leader in the House of Representatives. It may happen. The Democrats may gain control.
If we can get beyond the Harry Reid and Mark Foley scandals, the real consequence of the elections this November may become visible.
The Democrats are wrong in wanting to run and hide from danger and take up the disastrous policies of appeasement and weakness that defined the Carter Administration. Americans should never again face a 444-day hostage crisis in Iran or an energy policy which leads to gasoline rationing. If every American understood the consequences of losing to the terrorists, the Democrats would lose seats this November.
That is my opinion.
Marvin L. Jones
Hollister
