Politics

A 128-page analysis that details the first six months of the City of Gilroy's High-Speed Train Visioning Project is now available (link to the left).

California residents want another chance to weigh-in on the state's controversial and expensive high-speed rail project, according to a poll of 1,000 voters released this week. And if given the opportunity, the majority of them wouldn't vote to approve the project again, the poll shows.

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors decided against implementing a change to the Williamson Act that would have brought in $230,000 in revenue to the county coffers while decreasing property tax savings by 10 percent for rural landowners who have contracts within the provision that allows for discounted tax rates in prime agricultural regions.

Hollister officials Wednesday reviewed the city manager's "austerity plan" involving about $3 million in annual cuts that would be necessary if a Measure T sales tax extension fails at the polls.

Hollister council members Monday appointed Ray Friend as mayor and Robert Scattini as vice mayor.

Hollister City Council members recently approved pay cuts for employees, but did so without having financial figures attached to the reductions.