Letters

A few weeks ago I participated in the Red Barn Run at Casa de Fruta to raise awareness and funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. I want to recognize and acknowledge the organizer, Lisa Patterson, and all of the volunteers for their commitment and efforts in orchestrating this event. Hundreds showed up and participated in either the 5K or 10K run, and their contributions are commendable. I have a six year old nephew who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2008. He has spent the last three years being treated with chemotherapy at Lucile Packard Children’s hospital in Palo Alto. Robbie is for all intents and purposes now free of leukemia. We are hopeful that he will live a long and healthy life. Events like the RBR do make a difference, and the participants of the run should be proud that in some small but significant way they are providing a piece of the solution in finding a cure for leukemia. I am thankful that our family and community supports the Red Barn Run.

Hi my name is Keith Snow; I would like to wish everyone of our community a happy 4th of July! And thank the citizens for voting to have a two year mayor in our city. I want the people to know, I have 11 years of experience where I used to live in how the system runs in a city, and how the government runs. I used to know a man who was a city council man and became Mayor in Sacramento, CA he is my mentor Tom Serna, that is how I got into politics. I have good ideas to create revenue for the city and areas that need improvement. Such as police and the fire department. One idea is for a homeless shelter in the city, there has not been one here yet. I’ve heard about what they call tent city?I haven’t been there yet but I’ve helped a couple people in the city by giving to people that are in need. We need better course it’s been off. We need a better system then how the city has been running. Such as the higher water here is very outrages, I want to lower prices so people can afford it. I also want more local jobs and to take hold of the city to make it a better place to live for the people’s advantage! I hope what I want the people also want for our community. We need more resources for the people and kids to use. People should be comfortable in the city they live in and their work place. We need to work with the businesses and work with the farm land. What I do know is the San Benito County water sources something they did not tell them, but it was in the paper, that they sold 1million acres cubic feet and more to SantaClaraCounty. Where’s that money going to? You need someone to be a leader; I know how the mayor and city councilmen run. I was honest and loyal to the city I use to live in but that city is corrupted, dishonest and hides a lot of things from the public. So I would make sure that people know what’s going on in there city.  I want things to be better for our children and have things for them to do in the city. I have great ideas! And thank you to the people that have written to me and that care keep writing to me if you have any questions or concerns [email protected] also I found out we can have fireworks here in this city, someone from the city had told me they were not allowed here in our city. I’m a local leader for local jobs and a better future for our kids and community! I’m a retired engineer.

The 2012-13 San Benito High School District budget, developed and presented for adoption in June 2012, represents the best financial planning for the coming fiscal year.

Dog Days of Hollister Committee and Hollister Dog Owners Group would like to thank the following individuals, businesses, and groups for helping to make Dog Days of Hollister event another big success!

I am a new resident here in Hollister, Ca. I have been here for one year, and what I’ve seen so far is not very good. We could have a better community. Our citizens should come closer together to be involved in this community..

I was almost scammed by this person, Michael Oliviera, but he did perform what I paid for, fortunate I guess. I have been in contact with Gilroy PD. They suggested that all persons that have been scammed in Hollister to contact local police and sheriff to get forwarded to district attorney in our county and Santa Clara can work together to see that he is put away for these offenses. I did know where he was staying, his girlfriend that was working with him advised me. I called GPD and they arrested him that night. So if you could inform, via news article, for all who were affected to contact the HPD or sheriff's department.

When you have something as important as this CaHSRA Meeting Agenda Item No. 3, we would be better off giving months' advance notice to the public, putting the whole proposal through some legal procedure like the creation of regulations in the Administrative Procedures Act, where proposals get months and months for review and analysis. Instead, we have unelected, unaccountable (not subject to voter recall) joint power authorities making these public-sector, taxpayers-can-pay-for-it proposals. The Brown Act is the wrong standard for prudent consideration of public policy decisions. They are getting away with murder of the taxpayers by merely "complying" (sometimes yes, sometimes no) with the Brown Act's brief requirements.

The Bush Tax Cuts will expire at the end of this year. The lowest tax bracket will increase 50%, from 10% to 15% of taxable income. The top tax bracket will increase only 13%, from 35% to 39.6% of taxable income.

My wife and I attended the candidates night at the Aromas Grange and were not impressed with Art Medina. Mr. Medina said he decided to run for supervisor “at the last minute.” This bothered us as the supervisors’ position is not one you just step into as the learning curve is too steep, particularly now. For a candidate expressing a need for transparency in government, his answers to questions involved “political speak,” were vague in nature, and some were filled with innuendo rather than facts. For instance, he said he “knows someone in the position to know” that there are several large developments ready to be started. He mentioned one that is on board and a couple that have been stalled, or stopped, for years. One project he mentioned is not on anyone’s radar and is probably nonexistent. Transparency?

A Yes vote on Measure B is a practical choice to make. There is no organized opposition because the advantages are apparent, the rationale solid and such a change will enhance city government. Voters will elect a councilperson in each of four districts. The mayor will be elected at large and represent all the citizens in the City of Hollister. On the political ladder mayors are the best known to the population and therefore a mayor’s election by the voters provides for greater accountability. Such a change will enhance our democratic process. Mayors communicate the actions of the city council to the public. More importantly, mayors provide leadership in the development of a community vision and advance that vision within the council and staff. This requires an active representative of the entire city, not just a single district.