Dear Editor,

I grew up in the affluent Cupertino Unified School District. Remember state Proposition 13? It changed the way schools got their funding.

In 1979 my elementary school was closed. Actually two elementary schools were closed and one junior high school was re-purposed. The 7th and 8th graders were moved to another junior high school, much father away, and the two elementary schools were consolidated into the now vacant junior high. Classes were large, much larger than they had been before, but we managed.

Then, looking to make some lemonade out of the school closures, the district decided to sell the land of the now-vacant elementary schools to housing developers. Great, the district was able to capitalize on an otherwise bad situation. But, and there's always a but, the 100-plus houses that were built on the old school sites were purchased by young families.

Over the course of a couple of years, 200 new students were introduced into the zone that had been consolidated. My neighborhood was not the only one affected. The same close, consolidate, and build pattern happened in several other neighborhoods causing overcrowding throughout what was once one of the top-rated school districts in the nation.

By the time I got to high school classrooms were packed to more than double their intended capacity. Gilroy is already suffering. Even though new schools have been built to replace old ones, I encourage the district to take a hard look at statistics and project the growth and impact that will be caused by adding 100 new homes to a city where families tend to be larger.

Nick Stefanisko, Gilroy

Very much appreciated the fine story on the new U.S. citizens

Dear Editor,

The staff and volunteers of the Gilroy Citizenship/Educational Programs want to give a belated thank you for the fine story written by Natalie Everett and published July 4, 2008 in the Gilroy Dispatch as it relates to becoming a United States citizen. The success of the Llamas families as successful restaurateurs and Ruben Vizcarra, a senior citizen, serves as testimony that this country is still the land of opportunity.

However, it is also a reminder that employment is scarce and that since the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented the wages have dropped 29 to 30 percent. If projections are correct, wages will drop even more.

I am really glad that we have people of such high character and moral backbone coming into our country to add to the richness of its diversity.

Edward P. Sanchez, emeritus director, Gilroy

High-speed rail: quick stops and a profitable, efficient transit system

Dear Editor,

Those high-speed rail naysayers who had their letters published on July 14 are under some misaprehensions. A stop need add no more than three or four minutes to overall journey time thanks to the quick acceleration of electric trains.

So, a time of 2.5 hours is perfectly possible.

Also, Joe Thompson asks "how much tax subsidy per rider, per train, per year?" The answer will be "none" - this system will generate a profit when fully up and running. It's a shame people don't check their facts.

Tom Willis, Gilroy

What a fantastic Gilroy-powered welcome home for Company C

Dear Editor,

On May 23, I wrote to the Dispatch asking for the community to help in giving my husband's Company C a good old welcome home for their Gilroy reunion. I didn't know what to ask for or what to expect. The outpouring of support was overwhelming. Gilroy truly stepped forward to give the men of Company C a warm and awesome "Welcome Home" I could have imagined. Please visit www.gilroydispatch.com to see the wonderful story and video about Company C.

Special thanks go to the Gilroy VFW for the delicious barbeque they prepared on such a hot day; to Gilroy Councilman Robert Dillon for being instrumental in getting a City of Gilroy "Company C Day" Proclamation and his gracious "welcome home" speech; to Jeannie Wenneberg, widow of Arnold Wenneberg who served in WWII with Company C 1/22 4th Infantry division, whose kind donation purchased the flowers for our memorial table; to Libby Lai and fellow members of the Gilroy Exchange Club for their welcome citations and their most generous donation toward reunion expenses; to Karen Humber, an awesome and courageous Marine mom, for donating her time to take pictures for us and posting them on the Internet; to Dispatch reporter Sara Suddes and photographer Lora Schraft for the sensitive and artful way they expressed the story in words and pictures of these men coming together after so long; to Mark Stewart for his divine wisdom at our memorial service.

To all our family, friends and community members who offered and gave us their love and support, we are truly grateful. You all gave the men of Company C the homecoming they so richly deserved and hadn't gotten.

I am so very proud of Gilroy for having made up for that terrible oversight in such a loving and generous way.

Thank you Gilroy from the bottom of my heart!

Kathy Chavez, Gilroy