Letters

I read with interest the article in the San Jose Mercury News regarding the leasing of 27 acres for commercial development by Evergreen Valley College. The persons who wrote the article live in the San Jose ­ Evergreen Community College District. They felt that this decision would have long-lasting, negative impacts on Evergreen Valley College. They cited many legitimate concerns for opposing this lease. It is ironic that the leasing of these 27 acres will also have a long lasting negative impact on the voters/taxpayers of San Benito County. Because the police academy was located on the 27 acres, the academy would have to relocate to another location.

The benefits of recording school board meetings are minor compared to the value of what can be achieved by actually attending meetings and voicing your opinion to the school board members who need to hear from you before they act on matters. Listening to the recording is listening to ancient history; the school board has already made a decision. You will hear the school board talk, but they will not hear you.

I had to laugh out loud regarding the article about insurance monsters. The voting public created them and put them on steroids with Obamacare. It’s about time the public is suffering the consequences of it’s actions. For some reason, people equate insurance with access to health care. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In response to: “Insurance dispute prompts canceled contract”, Free Lance of Friday, March 11, 2016:

I don’t believe that taking the Band-Aid off slowly will make this any easier. It is obvious to me that the San Justo Reservoir, shuttered more than eight years ago for an infestation of zebra mussels, is never going to reopen for any water-related activities such as fishing or boating, and probably not for any public access to the water’s edge.

Opinion: San Benito High School Board meetings should be videotaped and posted online.

After a total expense of more than $287,000 from the Landfill-Solid Waste Fund and months of serious, but ultimately unnecessary, angst among the neighbors, San Benito County’s much ballyhooed Resource Recovery Park exists in name only.

I want to respond to Mark Dickson’s commentary, “Doubts on a tax idea”. The proposed half-cent sales tax recommended by the Council of San Benito County Governments for voter consideration in June is the result of a comprehensive study by staff to address existing roads that need improvement. The COG Board is comprised of: Chair Tony Boch; Vice Chair Ignacio Velazquez; and Directors Anthony Botelho, Victor Gomez and Jerry Muenzer representing the cities of Hollister, San Juan Bautista and San Benito County. The COG board unanimously supports the proposed countywide half-cent sales tax to improve and maintain existing roads in the county.