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From:Martha Martinez
To:Public Comments
Subject:EXTERNAL - District Based Elections Support Map D - City Council Meeting - May 19,2025
Date:Friday, May 16, 2025 9:39:23 PM
For Public Record at the City Council Meeting - May 19,2025
Subject: Support for District Election Map D
Dear Honorable Mayor Bozzo and Esteemed Council Members,
My name is Martha L. Martinez, and I am a longtime resident of Gilroy, currently living at
1020 Ortega Circle. I have lived in this city for over 55 continuous years and spent parts of my
childhood here as well. I write to express my strong and unwavering support for District
Based Election Map D.
Although I regret being unable to attend the City Council meeting on Monday, May 19th due to
a business trip, I feel it is crucial that my voice—and the voices of many—be heard.
I support Map D because it reflects and protects the community I know deeply. I grew up in
this neighborhood, spent my youth here, and came of age surrounded by family and neighbors
who helped shape this community. My grandparents lived on Sixth and Forest Streets all their
adult lives. In 1942, they purchased a home at 493 East 6th Street—land that later became my
parents’ home in 1967 and my own during my teenage years. This is not just a neighborhood to
me—it is the heart of my personal and civic identity.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed the East Side change—sometimes not for the better. High-
density housing and unchecked big-box development have contributed to a noticeable decline
in homeownership, community vitality, and public safety. Yet, through it all, the East Side
remains home to hardworking families, retirees, and resilient residents who care deeply
about their neighborhood. They deserve to be represented as a united, undivided community.
Residents here value safety, strong public schools, green spaces for families, and a
neighborhood where children can play and grow—even in areas where dense housing doesn’t
provide adequate recreational areas. We attend the same schools, worship in the same
churches, shop locally, and support each other in times of need. These shared experiences
are what define us as a community of interest—and that should not be disregarded.
I urge you to keep the East Side intact as voting boundaries as decided upon and recognize its
unique history as a predominantly working-class and Latino neighborhood. Dividing this area
would diminish the community’s voice and dilute its representation, which goes against
the spirit of fair districting and equity.
For all these reasons—personal, historical, and principled—I respectfully urge you to vote in
support of Map D.
Sincerely,
Martha L. Martinez
Longtime Gilroy Resident and Advocate for East Side Gilroy