Letter: Horrified by consultant’s role
I was horrified to read the grim news that our public officials, AKA public servants, hired consultants to “polish their image.” This revelation affected me as if I drove by an accident and noticed the red ooze from the door frame and the crunched metal of the vehicle. With this shameful printed disclosure the red ooze becomes precious taxpayer funds dripping on the wreck of our democracy. This special hiring could be misinterpreted as a cover-up for misdeeds or neglect.
Guest View: Council ignored people on 400 block vote
The Hollister City Council never ceases to amaze me. In my 26 years as a resident, more than 20 of those as a business owner, I have been appalled by many lamebrain decisions. Monday’s decision to sell the property on the 400 block of San Benito Street to developers for retail and condominium space is at the top of list. I can’t begin to imagine what council members are thinking. Have they taken a walk downtown lately and counted the empty retail spaces? Have they driven on the pothole-filled streets that can’t even handle the existing traffic?
Letter: New businesses are a burden
Why should I vote for a supervisor who favors business? New business does not pay its way. We taxpayers pick up the bill. Here is why:
Letter: Family thankful for Marlow outcome
The Koehler family would like to send out a most sincere thank you to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors for approving a generous budget to allow the District Attorney’s office to prepare for the parole hearing of Gustavo Marlow.
Guest View: Intersections can be life or death situations
There was no April fools going on. It was no joke when an older man was speeding down Sunnyslope one morning and rear-ended my vehicle, causing it to spin and end up on the opposite side of the road, totaling it. My car is a material thing, but LIFE is not. Life is precious; we cannot take that for granted. I have been saying this over and over; too many cars are speeding down Sunnyslope and cross streets. There is no traffic control in this area, and this is not the first accident. We need to do something about this. My niece is traumatized and is in very much pain after this unfortunate accident that took place.
Guest View: Measure P is a critical fork in the road
The late Yogi Berra, 15-time Major League Baseball All-Star, once famously said: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” We have come to the fork and local roads are the issue. Measure P is a proposal for a half-cent countywide sales tax to repair deteriorating city and county roads and, eventually, make major highway improvements locally.
Guest View: Farewell to the retiring Congressman Farr
I first met Sam Farr in 2002 when I was the lead reporter for the now dead Pinnacle weekly, based in Hollister. I was doing a story on yet another election year for our elected representatives and wannabe representatives.
Guest View: Tilting elections to local incumbents
When County Supervisor Robert Rivas proposed increased government transparency upon assuming the chairmanship of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors the idea had my full, unqualified, support. However, he has pulled a classic bait and switch.
Guest View: Reader takes exception on dog park piece
This is in response to the “City places dogs before humans with local parks” article that appeared in the March 18 Free Lance. The article was noted to be submitted by the Community Insight Board, which claims to be an independent panel of volunteers.
Guest View: There’s no free lunch with energy programs
A bad decision regarding the selecting and financing of energy programs can cost you a lot of money, make selling your home more difficult and, under certain circumstances, it might even lead you to default on your tax bill, and that’s an expensive proposition.