Letters

In response to Keith Snow’s view on the roads tax, I want to point out a few issues that Mr. Snow neglects to address. San Benito County and its partner cities are losing tax revenue that funds road maintenance due to more fuel-efficient cars using less gas—thus fewer tax dollars—and an increase in electric vehicles on the road that use no gas. Consequently, existing roads that require maintenance are not being repaired, in part, due to a loss in gas tax revenue.

The County’s affordable housing program is not logically constructed. The San Benito County Planning Commission recently had a notably fair and informative workshop on affordable housing. Yet in the end they were not presented with the options they needed to make a program that works, especially in the unincorporated areas where, for political reasons, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors has traditionally shunned high density housing. Affordable housing programs are often illogically constructed starting with the erroneous idea that nothing the county does impacts the market; the opposite is true.

Dear Councilman Friend,

The county chamber of commerce had a $20 a plate luncheon and what was said is that 20 people attended. So that was $400 that they made. It’s all about making money on Measure P. It seems like the whole city and county is just about money. They act like they absolutely need this measure to pass or it’s like the world is coming to an end if it doesn’t. No it’s not.

Kudos to the Hollister City Council and the SBC Community Foundation for supporting and voting to sell the 400 block of San Benito Street for multiuse development. This is the kind of vision that we need in Hollister, to grow our community. But we can’t stop there! Kollin Kosmicki’s last week’s column on “Create new pedestrian square on San Benito” is right on as well!

Monday night, the Hollister City Council accepted a commercial project proposal for a mixed use-retail building and philanthropic office center for 400 block, which is the southwest corner of the intersection of San Benito and Fourth streets. The vote was 4-0; Mayor Ignacio Velazquez had recused himself because he owns the property next door.

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?