Five regional issues will face Morgan Hill voters when they go
to the polls on March 2. In terms of impact on residents
’ daily lives, the outcome of these measures is far more
important than who is chosen to be the Republican U.S. Senate
nominee or the Democratic presidential nominee.
Five regional issues will face Morgan Hill voters when they go to the polls on March 2. In terms of impact on residents’ daily lives, the outcome of these measures is far more important than who is chosen to be the Republican U.S. Senate nominee or the Democratic presidential nominee.
Measure B
If there was ever a bargain, our fine county library system is it. The efficiently run library system is consistently ranked as one of the top in the county for its size. Its programming, staff and book collection win kudos and are a valuable asset to our community.
Measure B replaces a $33.66 parcel tax that will expire in 2005 with a $42 parcel tax. The $8.34 increase is modest, considering how expenses have increased in the decade since the first parcel tax was approved.
If Measure B fails to get two-thirds approval, our county library system will lose 21 percent of its funding, and library patrons will find that their beloved libraries are open fewer hours, are more crowded, are offering fewer programs and will purchase fewer new books.
There’s no reason for that to happen. Support your local library – the best bargain in local government.
Vote yes on Measure B.
Measure C
Planned, controlled growth is perhaps the most important reason Morgan Hill residents enjoy such a high quality of life. It’s time to update the rules and regulations that govern Morgan Hill’s growth control policy by approving Measure C.
Measure C ensures that our city’s growth control policies are in compliance with our General Plan, it ensures that we can meet a state housing mandate, it encourages development near transit hubs and in the city’s core, and it fixes a flawed formula to ensure that growth occurs in a consistent manner.
Let’s make sure Morgan Hill remains a wonderful place to live for years to come. Vote yes on Measure C.
Measure E
Gavilan Community College is asking voters to approve a $108-million bond to allow it to update its Gilroy campus and to expand its Hollister and Morgan Hill facilities. It’s a reasonable request from a valuable member of South Valley’s community, and we urge voters to approve it.
If Measure E receives the needed 55 percent approval for passage, it will add a modest $15 per $100,000 of assessed value for real property. It’s hard to overstate the importance of a strong community college to the overall quality of life in South Valley.
Let’s invest our children, in our community and in our future by ensuring that Gavilan Community College is poised for growth and the challenges the next several decades will bring.
Vote yes on Measure E.
Measure A
Measure A reorganizes responsibility for the county’s Juvenile Hall and Probation Department so that the county executive (and therefore County Supervisors) will have the power to appoint, supervise and remove the Chief Probation Officer.
This was a key recommendation made by an independent auditor whose scathing report on conditions at Juvenile Hall should make those responsible hang their heads.
We can and must do better for our county’s troubled youth; approving Measure A is an important first step.
Vote yes on Measure A.
Measure 2
Measure 2 asks residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Solano counties to approve a regional traffic plan that we have no problems with except for one fatal flaw: The plans calls for the expansion and extension of BART service.
The plan for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission commits $484 million in regional transit funds to extending and expanding BART, a project that will bankrupt the Valley Transportation Agency. We can’t afford to extend BART to San Jose, and we need to veto any attempts to spend scarce dollars on the money-sucking project.
Vote no on Measure 2.
