After all the years of focused planning and attempts at
marketing our downtown the time has come to allow for development
to take place that will foster the growth that will enhance the
sustainable prosperity our downtown needs.
A yes vote on Measure A means a vibrant and healthy downtown
Dear Editor,
After all the years of focused planning and attempts at marketing our downtown the time has come to allow for development to take place that will foster the growth that will enhance the sustainable prosperity our downtown needs.
Measure A will ensure this effort by allowing some of the restricting rules pertaining to residential development to be eliminated for projects proposed within this designated area.
The community would be getting some good planning that will result in a more efficient use of land and infrastructure to create the only truly pedestrian friendly neighborhoods in the city where you can walk to the coffee shop, the movies, restaurants and shops. What a breath of fresh air to finally create a real neighborhood that is built around the needs of people and not the car.
New living units and mixed use projects in the downtown will be much more “affordable by design” without subsidizes having to be provided by any agency (local, state or federal), which I am sure is what we all want.
These projects will not have to provide major construction for roads or utilities nor should they need to pay into mitigation programs outlined under the Residential Development Control System to garner points under the competition process thus allowing for the projects to be built in a more cost effective manner rendering them more affordable on the open market.
I encourage everyone interested in seeing downtown Morgan Hill prosper to vote yes on Measure A.
Gloria Pariseau, Morgan Hill
Vote yes on Measure A for to help spur economic development
Dear Editor,
Thank you for your continued coverage of Measure A.
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group supports this measure because it will direct housing growth in a more appropriate manner. Focused growth within Morgan Hill’s core will enhance the look and feel of downtown while also helping to spur Morgan Hill’s economic development goals. We hope Measure A passes May 19.
Shiloh Ballard, Vice President Housing & Community Development, Silicon Valley Leadership Group
City should provide like services at an equal cost to all
Dear Editor,
We the citizens of Morgan Hill, via our city government, have moved away from the concept of government offices and services being equally available for all. We have done this by combining our city services into a profit-making entity via a contracted partnership.
We normally do not think about providing city services to members. We would not presume to announce that members could go to the city planning department and get services for less than nonmembers. We would not presume to announce that members could get better police service than nonmembers. We would not provide city services to people from outside of Morgan Hill free or for less money if they were members of some club or business or political organization.
We are doing this though at our city’s Centennial Recreational Center. Because of the money-making nature of the business partnership that our city has contracted with the Young Men’s Christian Association, we have lost the focus of public service. All manner of services and pricing is being quoted by our city employees as special for members of the YMCA. The special benefit is spreading to other buildings.
Our tax-supported government exists to provide public service to all on an equal basis. Our government exists to provide social services based upon publicly stated priorities within the funds collected per the approved taxes and fees. Our government, at our request, provides services that are typically not suitable for profit-making private enterprise.
When we lose focus about the roll of government and attempt to let it function like a profit-making entity we become unethical in our delivery of public service. We forget our responsibility to separate, in fairness to all, religion from government. We forget that some must not accrue special service or financial benefit because they belong to a membership organization. We forget that some must not accrue more then equal services or financial benefit because they have paid a special fee to a unit of our government.
We are all identical in our right to benefits from our tax-supported city facilities and city services. There may be some uses of facilities and services that mandate the payment of a fee. But, these fees are approved and published with a clear statement of purpose. It is the responsibility of our appointed and elected government officials to assure citizens from all religions (or no religion) that their government is not giving special services or prices to a member of a particular group.
We need to now examine the mission of the city and the city’s ethics policy. And then we need to structure the services and use of facilities to again create a trust that we are being fair to each and every one of us.
Staten Johnston, Morgan Hill
Please return arrangement taken from flower show
Dear Editor,
I’m hoping whoever mistakenly took an arrangement of roses in a 10-inch clear crystal swan vase Sunday afternoon will return it to the main desk at the Community and Cultural Center (where the flower show was held April 26). No questions asked.
E. Littlefield, Morgan Hill
