INTRODUCTION
In accordance with Section 1204 of the
San José City Charter, I present my FY 01/02 Budget Message for
consideration by the City Council and the public.
This
budget outlines recommended priorities for continuing to make smart,
strategic investments that will improve city services and manage our
resources more effectively and efficiently to improve our quality of
life, especially in our neighborhoods.
Our efforts will further establish San José as the best city in
the 21st century where all residents take great pride in
living, working and playing.
RECOMMENDATION
I
recommend that the City Council:
- Approve
the direction to Council Appointees contained in this memorandum for
purposes of adopting a final budget for Fiscal Year 01/02.
- Authorize
the City Manager and Redevelopment Director to negotiate and execute
any specific contracts in this direction.
- I
recommend that the changes in the following Manager’s Budget
Addenda (MBAs) be authorized to be incorporated in the Adopted
Budget, except to the extent any are superseded by the contents of
this Budget Message:
01.
Performance Measure Changes
03.
Operating Budget Replacement Pages
30.
Housing Department Adjustments
33.
Planning and Building Fees
35.
Conservation Corp Funding
37.
WIA fund correction page
42.
Expand ACT program funding
45.
Rebudget and Clean Up for operating budget
46.
Rebudget and Clean Up for operating budget
47.
City of San Jose/County of Santa Clara Joint Powers Authority
Grant Awards
BACKGROUND
Our community and the City Council should be proud of our many
accomplishments over the past few years.
San José is a great place to live, work, and play because of our
strong commitment to our neighborhoods, our long-term investments for
the future, and our strategies for managing resources effectively.
This proposed budget continues these efforts to enhance, expand,
and create programs that improve the lives of children, families,
seniors, and employees in the San José community.
Achievements that I am particularly proud of are:
1.
Removing graffiti in parks within 24 hours of its appearance.
2.
Putting a homework center in every school so kids have a safe and
quiet place to do their homework.
3.
Having the City pay the full cost of providing sidewalk repairs
in front of homes.
4.
Extending a half-cent sales tax to bring BART to San José and
improve light rail, bus, and other transportation programs.
5.
Spending money to make our streets safer for pedestrians and
bicyclists.
6.
Providing interest-free loans to help San José teachers buy a
home here.
7.
Building San José Smart-Start centers to provide preschool
programs so our children are ready to learn when they start
kindergarten.
8.
Spending city money to provide free health insurance for
children.
9.
Building road and transit improvements to the airport before the
airport is expanded.
10.
Saving historic buildings like the Montgomery Hotel and the Fox
Theater.
Our
capital budget reflects an impressive $1.9 billion 5-year Capital
Improvement Program (CIP). To
put this in perspective, the first year of the proposed CIP exceeds the
total 5-year capital plan in the 1997-98 budget.
As a result of the overwhelming voter approval of park and
library bonds in November, we now are able to add $228 million for parks
improvements and $212 million for neighborhood libraries throughout San
José over the next ten years. As
we heard in one of our budget study sessions, with the approval of this
year’s CIP, the average amount of city parkland per resident will grow
from 2.2 acres/person to an impressive 3.13 acres/person – an increase
of 42 percent.
This
budget message reflects many of the ideas and suggestions provided by
Councilmembers during the past month, both from the series of study
sessions we held on the budgets proposed by the Administration and the
Redevelopment Agency, and from the broad range of specific proposals
submitted by Councilmembers for consideration.
It also reflects the serious attention that members of the City
Council give to the residents of our city.
Although we cannot provide funding for every proposal, I continue
to be impressed by the range of creative ideas to serve the people of
our community. Because
requests from Councilmembers exceeded $38 million, however, it was
necessary to make tough decisions among many good recommendations.
The goal of this Budget Message is to make strategic investments
in our neighborhoods and public services that will provide long-term
benefits to the community and improve our organizational abilities to
provide high-quality service. At
the same time, we must ensure that we continue to manage our resources
responsibly, live within our means, focus on our strengths and our
principal mission as a city, and ensure balanced budgets over the long
term.
For
this reason, we as a City Council must continue to make prudent choices
that can balance between the present and the future, and between
competing demands for services and resources, to achieve the best
long-term results for the people who live and work in our community.
Fiscal Outlook
In order to
nurture and sustain a healthy community and a strong economy we must
build on our successes, seek new ways to raise the quality of our
services, and challenge ourselves to set and meet high standards.
With this proposed budget document that we as a Council have
developed, working with the City Manager and the Redevelopment Agency
Executive Director over the last several months, I believe we are
continuing on a good path to accomplish this goal.
While
our current financial forecast is positive and the Silicon Valley
economy is generally strong, there are growing signs of a national and
local economic slowdown. These
trends underscore the need for us to be prudent as we prepare our budget
for the coming year and beyond. We
must continue our efforts to improve efficiencies in all our operations,
while focusing on accomplishing our highest policy priorities for the
residents in our community.
Despite
signs of an economic slowdown, our local economy appears to still be
strong. New business
enterprises are being created at high rates.
In April, we had 998 new business filings, a 28 percent increase
over January this year, which is a promising indicator of good business
conditions. Construction
permits for commercial office space in Santa Clara County are 33 percent
higher for the first three months of this year compared to the same
period a year ago. Residential
permit activity has leveled off from last year, but it is still 20
percent higher than during the first three months of 1999.
For
the second consecutive year, the Budget Office projects a budget surplus
in the first year of the five-year forecast.
This is the result of the Council’s policy actions and fiscal
restraint of the past two years,
which is proving beneficial to the city’s long-term financial
outlook. The financial
community recently recognized our strong fiscal health and effective
financial management by issuing excellent bond ratings.
San José is the only city with population greater than 100,000
in California to have the AA+ bond rating.
This will result in substantial savings in future interest costs
and greater investment in community improvements.
In
this document, I recommend continuing the Council policy to commit the
first increment of the City’s annual ending fund balance (EFB) to
ensure a balanced budget for the following fiscal year. In addition, at
this stage of the state budget deliberations in the Legislature, it is
impossible to forecast whether or how much the state will restore the
City funds lost through the state’s ERAF shift of local property tax
revenues in the past decade. We
will continue to have our first priority being the reservation of
adequate funds from the ending fund balance to prevent the projected
deficit in the coming year. Along
with continuing fiscal restraint, this policy will lead to a
five-year economic forecast that projects a balanced budget or budget
surplus for each of the forecast years. Funds remaining after
this allocation then could be used for one-time projects that are not
recommended for funding through the General Fund, Redevelopment Agency,
or other specific sources.
Attachment
A lists the priority and detail of
expenditures for my recommendations related to the use of the ending
fund balance as noted above. If
there are funds remaining in the Ending Fund Balance beyond the specific
projects identified in this document, the Manager is directed to create
reserve funds for:
Ø
Furniture, Fixtures and
Equipment (FF&E) for both the City Hall project and Measures O &
P implementation.
Ø
Funds to accelerate Parks bond
site acquisitions.
Ø
Fire Master Plan station
expansion/apparatus reserve
Ø
City facility sinking fund
start-up (MBA 27)
Ø
City match for PAB Seismic
upgrade project
If
unanticipated funds from the state have designated funding categories
and do not provide for local determination of expenditure, then the
Administration is directed to utilize those resources to fund items
designated for the General Fund. This
would provide the maximum flexibility within the priorities of the City
Council.
City Service
Areas
Through
the “Investing in Results” process that began in last year’s
budget, the Administration identified seven City Service Areas.
Each service area involves multiple departments working together
to provide the highest level of service for San José residents and the
community. The following
budget message is divided into ten sections; the first seven cover the
City Service Areas identified by the City Council, and the other three
cover procedural or financial issues:
1.
Aviation Services
2.
Economic & Neighborhood Development
3.
Environmental and Utility Services
4.
Public Safety Services
5.
Recreation and Cultural Services
6.
Strategic Support
7.
Transportation Services
8.
Reduction/Redeployment/Rebudget Proposals
9.
Revised/New Performance Measures
10.
Reports Required
It
is important that we use the City Service Area framework for preparing
and reviewing our budget to ensure consistency in our deliberations.
This framework emphasizes our desired approach to improve
interdepartmental, collaborative, and results-oriented services.
City and Redevelopment
services should be considered integral and mutually supportive of our
overall priorities.
Redevelopment
Agency
At
a study session in January of 2000, the Agency Board reviewed the four
core service areas for the Redevelopment Agency.
This was done in parallel with the discussion for City services,
and should be considered integral and supportive of the City’s overall
policy priority areas.
The
four Redevelopment Agency priority policy areas that have been
integrated into the discussion of the City’s priority policy areas
are:
1.
Neighborhood Improvement Strategies
2.
Public Facilities and Spaces
3.
Housing
4.
Private Development
The
Agency Board chose to shift the focus of our redevelopment resources to
strengthening our neighborhoods. Prior
to 1999, the Redevelopment Agency allocated approximately 2 percent of
its overall investment to San José neighborhoods.
With our increased emphasis on neighborhood investment, we will
raise the level of spending to improve quality of life for residents and
businesses in San José neighborhoods to 25 percent of the Agency
budget. In addition, our
commitment to affordable housing now stands at 30 percent of the Agency
budget. I strongly
recommend that the Agency Board support this aggressive plan to include
more than $170 million to be spent on neighborhood improvements over the
next five years.
In
combination with the City Council’s ongoing and growing commitment to
our neighborhoods through the Strong Neighborhood Initiative, these new
priorities allow us to look forward to substantial, material, and
measurable progress throughout our community.
We are committed to continuing our investments in the appearance,
safety, and quality of neighborhood parks, streets, libraries, and other
public facilities and services that contribute to the quality of life of
our residents.
These
priorities are in addition to the historic agreement we recently reached
with the County of Santa Clara to share long-term resources from the San
José Redevelopment Agency. Under
the agreement, the county will receive approximately $200 million in
capital funds from the San José Redevelopment Agency between 2001 and
2014, and there will be over $60 million for County operating funds over
the next four years. This
agreement will clear the way for the city and the county to use
redevelopment resources to improve neighborhoods and aging retail
centers, create affordable housing, and build needed capital
improvements and public facilities for people in San José neighborhoods
served by both the city and county.
I
am especially pleased to recommend to the Agency Board an allocation of
$50 million for building new
parking facilities in our downtown.
Parking is essential to creating a thriving downtown.
There is a critical need to review all possible sites for new
parking facilities and to move forward with construction as soon as
possible.
City
Service Areas -- Specific Direction
1.
Aviation Services
San José International Airport is an essential asset to San José and
Silicon Valley, and it is also an important neighbor in our community.
We need to continue to enhance the airport’s ability to serve
the city and the region and support our economic foundations, and we
must follow through on our clear commitments to be a good neighbor to
nearby residential communities. This
includes our traffic relief solutions as part of the airport master
plan, which is especially important since San José residents put their
trust in us a year ago to accomplish this goal when they defeated the
Airport Traffic Relief Initiative.
In addition, we must continue our efforts to protect the airport
curfew and achieve compliance with our regulations that protect
neighborhoods.
a)
Customer
service program. The Manager
is directed to develop and implement an effective customer service
program, especially during the construction planned at the airport.
Extensive construction will create a challenging environment for
airport customers for a lengthy period, and therefore we must ensure
that customers have the information and support they need to navigate
through the disruption as easily as possible.
Airport staff should have appropriate customer service systems,
training, and monitoring to improve their effectiveness in this area.
b)
Curfew compliance.
The Manager is directed to work with airlines to develop schedules,
procedures, and preventive measures to minimize the risk of curfew
intrusions. Our goal should
be to achieve effective compliance with the curfew ordinance in order to
protect quality of life for residents living near the airport.
c)
Noise reduction.
The Manager is directed to work with airlines and our federal delegation
to develop technologies and legislation that will lead to quieter planes
flying in and out of San José International Airport.
2.
Economic & Neighborhood Development
We
must continue to invest in infrastructure and services that contribute
to business growth, job creation, housing, and a strong and diverse
economic base. An essential
focus of this investment is in San José neighborhoods, where our
families call home, and where our local businesses operate and their
employees live. Only
through this critical investment can San José remain a great place to
live, work and play.
a)
Lincoln Avenue Corridor
Strategy Study.
There has been tremendous change in the land use and
transportation activities in the vicinity of Lincoln Avenue between West
San Carlos Street and Minnesota Avenue.
A corridor strategy study that reflects these changes and new
opportunities is necessary to assess the redevelopment potential of
Lincoln Avenue. Between
West San Carlos and Coe, the goal would be redevelopment consistent with
use and character of Midtown to the north and the Willow Glen
Neighborhood Business District to the south, and enhancement of the NBD
as a vibrant commercial corridor serving the neighborhood.
This would be a community-driven process to reduce potential
impacts on the adjoining residential neighborhoods. (BD #60 $200,000
RDA)
b)
Seven
Trees Neighborhood Improvement Project.
The Seven Trees Neighborhood now shows the signs of deterioration and
needs infrastructure improvements to improve safety and appearances.
Street lights need to be brought up to current City standards,
especially near its elementary and high schools, sidewalks need repair,
and street trees need trimming. To
prevent further deterioration in this neighborhood and to improve
quality of life, I am recommending $250,000 be set aside for
neighborhood improvements after the community determines a list of
infrastructure investment priorities.
(BD #6 $ 250,000)
c)
Infrastructure Improvements along the north side of
Hillsdale Avenue.
There
is a need to connect a portion of sidewalk along the north side of
Hillsdale Avenue in front of the Mountain Springs Mobile Home Park.
This area is a potential safety hazard to residents of the mobile
home park who use this portion of the roadway to reach the bus stops and
light rail station near their homes.
The scope of work includes the placement of curb, gutter,
sidewalk, street trees and conforming pavement. (BD #7
$135,000)
d)
Camden Avenue Median Landscaping Project (from Blossom
Hill to Kooser).
Median
island landscaping on Camden Avenue at Blossom Hill Road and Kooser Road
was completed last year.
The recommended funding will provide landscape improvements
(trees, shrubs, irrigation and cobblestone paving) to the median islands
on Camden Avenue from Blossom Hill to Kooser.
The improvements are necessary to ensure visual continuity. (BD #
49 $179,000)
e)
Street Lighting at Schools.
These
street lighting improvements will include the retrofitting of existing
lights and the installation of new lights in dark areas in front of four
schools (Dorsa Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Ryan Elementary and
National Hispanic University).
The communities near these schools have long expressed concern
that streetlights surrounding the schools are either not bright enough
or set too far apart. This creates “dark spots” that can encourage
loitering, vandalism, or other potentially hazardous activities near
schools. In
addition, these communities frequently use local schools for evening
programs and activities, and insufficient lighting has raised public
concerns about potential safety.
Improvements to street lighting at the schools also will
contribute to safer conditions for pedestrians and motorists at night.
(BD # 21 $372,000)
f)
The New Galarza Elementary School.
Installation of streetlights on Bird Avenue near the new Galarza
Elementary School will be a benefit to the entire community.
The lights will increase the safety for students, teachers, and
residents in the surrounding neighborhoods.
(BD #66 $60,000)
g)
Gleason Avenue Streetscape.
This
barren parcel of land on San Tomas Parkway and Gleason Avenue parallels
San Tomas Expressway and a concrete channel for San Tomas Creek.
It is owned by both the City of San José and the County of Santa
Clara. The
immediate neighborhood is comprised of high-density apartment without
open space or recreational areas.
In recent years, this parcel has become a dumping ground.
After numerous attempts by San José Code Enforcement to stop the
littering and dumping, the City and County agreed to fence off the area.
Despite these efforts, dumping has continued.
The recommended proposal would remove the fencing on the street
side, install a sound and sight barrier with drought-resistant plants
and trees, and create a park-like environment with a walkway and
benches. Because
of our new partnership with the County of Santa Clara, the Manager and
Director are directed to look for future opportunities for joint funding
with the County for capital projects.
(BD # 33 $120,000)
h)
Lean Avenue Improvements.
The
median area on Lean Avenue from Cherry Blossom Drive to Lime Blossom
Court is currently unpaved.
The affected area is 450 feet long and up to ten feet wide.
A potential safety hazard exists because motorists attempt to
drive through this dirt median as there are no curbs to prevent it and
the painted median lines have faded.
Paving this street median will improve both its appearance and
increase the safety of Lean Avenue for residents and motorists.
(BD #18 $120,000)
i)
Construction of pathway along Barberry Lane.
The
current pedestrian pathway along Barberry Lane ends in the middle of the
block near a drainage ditch.
The completion of the path would enable students and other
pedestrians to cross to the existing pedestrian pathway on the west side
of King Road. (
BD #70 $291,000)
j)
Construction
of sidewalk along Aborn Square Loop.
Currently there is no
sidewalk on either side of Aborn Square Loop, which creates a potential
safety hazard for children from the Rouleau Children’s Center,
pedestrians, bicyclists, and the disabled.
The installation of a sidewalk along the sound wall would offer a
safe traveling route for pedestrians.
(BD #76 $322,000)
k)
Infrastructure
Improvements on South Seventh Street.
Union Pacific Railroad plans to
abandon a section of track that runs along South Seventh Street.
If the adjacent property owners take title to this property,
infrastructure improvements will be needed along this section of
roadway. I recommend that
funds be held in reserve for potential improvements until a complete
needs assessment is finished. The
Director is to include this funding in an appropriate year of the
five-year CIP. (BD #37
$500,000 - RDA)
l)
Phelan
Avenue Infrastructure Improvements.
A section of Phelan Avenue
becomes flooded when heavy rains occur.
The proposed project will install new storm drainage facilities
and upgrade the curb and gutter, sidewalk, and pavement to prevent
further flooding on Phelan. (BD
#36 $300,000 - RDA)
m)
Santa
Teresa Boulevard Median Island Landscaping.
Median islands along Santa Teresa Boulevard have either been
landscaped and not maintained or have never been landscaped.
As a result, these median island strips are mostly dirt and have
few trees. Santa Teresa
between Cottle Road and Springer Avenue serves as a “gateway” into
the Santa Teresa/Blossom Valley communities. The
landscaping of these median strips will improve the quality of life for
the residents who live in neighborhoods surrounding Santa Teresa
Boulevard. These
improvements have been divided into separate segments for funding and
scheduling as follows:
Reach
1. Cottle Road to Springer
Drive (install new landscaped
$255,000
median islands)
Reach
2. Springer Drive to Lean
Avenue (replace existing landscaping
$205,000
and provide irrigation)
Reach
3. Lean Avenue to Snell
Avenue (replace existing landscaping
$285,000
and provide irrigation)
Reach
4. Snell Avenue to Blossom
Avenue (upgrade existing landscaping) $235,000
(BD
#16 $460,000 for segments 1 and 2 and $520,000 in EFB for segments 3 and
4)
n)
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Bridge over Lower Silver Creek.
The East Dobern/Capitol-Goss Neighborhood Advisory Committee has
identified the pedestrian bridge over Lower Silver Creek as a high
priority neighborhood improvement.
The Committee has allocated $285,000 of its one-time
discretionary funds for the purchase of the needed properties, project
design, and a portion of the construction cost.
The estimated cost for bridge design and construction is
approximately $450,000, and includes an asphalt pathway at each end and
some basic landscaping. Construction
of this bridge requires acquisition of two pieces of private property on
the north side of Lower Silver Creek that have been estimated by staff
to have a combined value of approximately $50,000.
To ensure construction, I recommend the allocation of the
remainder of the $500,000 for the bridge.
(BD #10 $215,000)
o)
Williams
Road and Boynton Avenue Sidewalks.
The Blackford teen center will
move to a site on the Boynton Avenue side of Blackford High School.
New sidewalks on Boynton Avenue will provide a safer route for
students and residents in the neighborhood.
This project will include pavement for new curbs, gutters,
sidewalk, driveway aprons, street lighting, and street trees.
(BD #43 $433,000 EFB)
p)
Boynton
Avenue sidewalk at Steven’s Creek Boulevard.
This area currently does not meet City standards for sidewalks.
To create a safer path for pedestrians, this project includes
construction of pavement for curbs, gutters, sidewalk, driveway aprons,
street lighting, and street trees.
(BD #44 $362,000)
q)
Planning
Enforcement Inspector. Each
year, Planning Department staff processes thousands of development
applications. Many projects
are complex in nature and require conditions to facilitate compatible
development with neighborhoods and mitigation of environmental impacts. This
position would be responsible for facilitating project compliance with
conditions of approval, such as construction, design and material
quality, landscaping and environmental mitigation measures.
(BD #57)
r)
Improve
Towers Lane from Aborn Road.
Towers Lane, an unpaved road that
was annexed in the 1950s, does not meet City standards.
Improvements are necessary to make the neighborhood safer for
pedestrian and car traffic. A
number of residents appear willing to dedicate a portion of their
property to the City for the improvement project, but the Transportation
Department still needs $137,000 to complete the property acquisition.
The project should be approved on the condition that residents
dedicate the necessary property. The scope of work includes the
construction of pavement, curb, gutter, sidewalk, driveways, wheelchair
ramps, storm and sanitary sewer systems, street lighting and
landscaping. (BD #2 $137,000 in EFB, $ 1,197,000 Referred to the Manager
to be included in the 02-07 CIP)
s)
Berryessa
Road Median Island Landscaping.
The recommended funding would
provide landscaping on Berryessa Road on the west side of the ramp over
I-680. The improvements
will make this area consistent with nearby landscaping and improve the
overall appearance of the neighborhood.
(BD #14 $558,000 EFB)
t)
Tree
Pruning on Hedding St. between Hwy 880 and Bascom Ave. Mature
trees on Hedding Street have created a tree canopy that currently blocks
the streetlights. Because
of high pedestrian use, this stretch of Hedding needs effective street
lighting to increase pedestrian visibility for better safety, and tree
pruning will help accomplish this goal.
(BD # 63 - $9,400)
u)
Business
Attraction and Retention program.
It is vital to have a strong business attraction and retention
program, especially in an economy going through changes.
The Manager and Director are directed to work with the Mayor’s
Office to develop and implement an enhanced program that will increase
business attraction and retention activities.
The City's retention strategy will focus on a range of companies
including the City's largest employers, revenue generators, and
companies within key industry clusters.
The attraction strategy will be based on, various economic
indicators including venture capital expenditures, industries that
support San Jose's existing clusters, and industries projected to have
significant growth over the next decade.
($50,000 rebudget)
v)
Extremely
Low Income Housing.
Finding a home at an affordable
price has reached a crisis level – not only in Silicon Valley, but
also throughout the Bay Area. San
José has been the Bay Area leader in creating more housing for all
income levels, and it is important that we continue to lead the way in
making our community affordable for San José families.
We are well on track to reach our goal of building 6,000 new
affordable homes by 2004 with the wise use of redevelopment funds.
My Council colleagues and I have taken steps to do even more.
The Council approved my recommendation in the March budget
message to allocate an additional $10 million to help develop homes for
extremely low-income families who have the greatest challenge in finding
homes they can afford. The
Manager is further directed to create
an Extremely Low-Income (ELI) Housing Reserve Fund equal to 30 percent
of next year’s anticipated affordable housing expenditures.
After next year, the Council will review annually the actual
expenditure of funds in this category to determine future allocations.
Supplementing our affordable housing funding with
additional Redevelopment 80-percent funds will enable us to achieve the
30 percent goal next year and not have a negative impact on our housing
production goals. ($13.8
million – RDA funds)
w)
Rental
Public Education and Outreach Program Reserve.
To inform all San José tenants of the City’s existing rent
control policies and relevant mediation and arbitration services that
are provided by the City, it will be necessary to undertake a
comprehensive public education campaign.
With 53,000 homes in San José protected by rent control, it is
likely that many tenants and landlords are unfamiliar with our ordinance
and the services available through the City.
We should make a strong proactive effort to inform all tenants
and landlords of our rent control ordinances, dispute resolution
services, and related programs to make sure they know their rights and
responsibilities. Such
outreach should use communication methods that are effective for
reaching a wide range of residents who are renters in our community,
including languages other than English, and it should use
community-based tools that do not rely on conventional media such as
community and business organizations.
($100,000)
3.
Environmental and Utility Services
San
José has long been a leader in its efforts to pursue community and
environmental sustainability. We
must continue to invest in facilities, practices, and services that
contribute to a clean community and the long-term viability of our
region’s limited air, water, energy, and land resources.
The benefit of this investment is not only for current residents,
but also for future generations.
a)
West
Valley Library. The
City will soon be establishing guidelines for a “Green Building”
program aimed at improving resource efficiency of our public buildings.
The proposed program will include a recommendation to require all
new public buildings to attain the minimum rating for LEED (Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design).
The West Valley Library was funded before the development of the
proposed Green Building Guidelines and was not required to attain the
LEED “Certification” level. Achieving
certification for the library will ensure that this building is
environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and comfortable for people
working and visiting it, and has followed responsible development and
construction practices. (BD
#38 - $491,000)
b)
Implementation
of Additional Neighborhood Clean-ups.
The Neighborhood Clean-up Program
has direct positive impacts on the quality, safety, and appearance of
our neighborhoods, and it contributes to the development of community
pride. The Manager is
directed to work with Councilmembers to schedule the ten additional
neighborhood clean ups funded next year as soon as feasible.
c)
Energy.
California’s energy crisis
impacts everyone’s daily life, and rolling blackouts and high energy
bills are daily painful reminders.
Silicon Valley has a long history of taking bold, creative and
collaborative actions to address complex problems such as traffic
congestion and affordable housing.
We are demonstrating the same initiative with energy by acting to
become more self-sufficient and achieve greater energy reliability in
our region for our residents and businesses.
The Council approved the San José Smart Energy Plan calling for
appropriately sized clean generation facilities in suitable industrial
areas, aggressive energy conservation and regional partnerships to
achieve our energy goals. The
burden of higher energy costs falls heavily on older residents and
families with limited means. With
steep increases in the costs of gas and electricity this year, the
City’s own energy bills and its revenue from the Utility Users Tax (UUT)
have both increased. The
Council approved my recommendation in March for a one-time allocation of
$1 million to be used for community programs such as the Home Energy
Assistance Program and Emergency Contingency Funds that are designed to
serve families who need help paying their utility bills.
Through this measure, we will be able to help residents who are
falling behind on their payments or need one-time emergency funds to
restore their power. These
funds and other matching funds the City receives are also available for
residential conservation programs as opportunities and funding are
available.
d)
South
Bay Water Recycling.
The Council recently approved the concept of constructing the
Recycle Water pipeline from its current terminus to Coyote Valley.
The Manager is directed to bring forward any actions necessary to
implement this capital program.
4.
Public Safety Services
Our
residents should both be safe and feel safe in their neighborhoods and
community. I am proud that
San José remains the safest big city in America, and crime rates
continue to decline. This
achievement is the result of an excellent police department, a good
economy, and strong neighborhoods.
Our emphasis on crime prevention and law enforcement must
continue to ensure the safety and security of our residents.
a)
Fire
Department Public Education Staff.
A critical factor in achieving a safe community is encouraging
residents to takes steps that increase the safety of their families,
homes and neighborhoods. This
recommendation would support a public education specialist to offer
public education programs in fire, life safety, and emergency
preparedness. Examples of
public education services include the Vial of LIFE, CPR and first aid,
and fire prevention. (BD #83 $29,595 one-time funds and $70,405 ongoing
cost)
b)
Internet
Predator Awareness. Internet
predatory crimes are on the rise nationwide, and this recommendation
would establish a local program to help prevent these crimes in our
community. The target
audience will be middle school students and their parents to help them
learn how to avoid becoming potential victims.
Staff from the San José Police Department’s Sexual Assault
Unit will lead this program. (BD
# 84 $11,000 one-time funds and $4,500 on-going cost)
c)
Wildland
Interface Program Manager.
The City enjoys the benefit of a wide expanse of open space and
wildlands within the city limits, but the proximity of wildlands also
presents potential fire risks to the community.
This funding will create a new position in the Fire Department
to plan and coordinate measures to prevent and suppress wildland fires.
The position would develop a hazard assessment mitigation plan,
and educate the community. (BD #9 $34,924 in one-time and $107,331
ongoing funds)
d)
Domestic
Violence Advocates.
The San José Family Violence Center advocates have received
specialized training and have extensive knowledge regarding domestic
violence issues, as well as direct experience with victims of domestic
violence. This
recommendation for funding will enable advocates to provide a wide range
of domestic violence support services, including safety planning, crisis
intervention, law enforcement liaison; court preparation and support,
and ongoing support and consultation.
Advocates will be on call 24 hours per day, and they will be
available at locations where needed, including the Family Violence
Center, hospitals, law enforcement and prosecution interviews, and court
proceedings. (BD #85
$60,000)
e)
Paramedic
Certification.
Currently, the City does not continue to pay for paramedics’
certification after they are promoted to the rank of Captain in the Fire
Department. The recommended
funds would enable 50 line staff fire fighters to maintain their
paramedic certification and licenses and continue to receive their
premium pay as paramedics. This
will increase the number of qualified paramedics who are line personnel
in the Fire Department who will be available to serve the public with
emergency medical services. (BD
#82 $300,000)
f)
Safe
School Campus Initiative Emergency Response Pilot Program.
The
Safe School Campus Initiative has now expanded to every high school in
the city.
Last year, East Side Union High School District and the San José
Police Department conducted “Operation: Safe Campus,” a major crisis
simulation involving police officers, parents, students, and faculty.
The exercise identified many opportunities to help schools
prevent and prepare for campus emergencies more effectively.
Among the priority needs were measures to communicate with people
isolated in classrooms; swift availability of detailed electronic
information on the school site, classrooms, staff, and student body to
aid police response; and improved training for support agencies and
school staff.
I recommend we help establish an innovative pilot program for
improved emergency response at our school campuses.
This would be coordinated with the Safe School Campus Initiative
and the Mayor’s Gang Prevention Task Force to meet the needs
identified in the “Operation: Safe Campus” report, and it should
include a mobile incident command center.
($150,000)
g)
Police
Staffing Deployment Software.
In
a recent audit of police staffing deployment it was reported that both
the City Auditor’s Office and the SJPD’s computerized patrol
staffing and deployment models have limitations.
The Auditor’s Office contacted other police departments and
identified specialized patrol staffing computer software that have more
flexibility and capabilities than either the SJPD’s or the City
Auditor’s model.
Although these software packages can cost as much as $400,000,
their benefits appear to justify the expense.
Finally, a number of police departments have used Federal grant
funds to procure these patrol staffing software packages.
The Audit report approved by the Council recommended that the
SJPD investigate the feasibility of using federal or state grant funds
to procure patrol staffing and deployment software.
At this time, federal or state grant funds have not been
available.
Staff should explore using existing resources such as the Drug
Forfeiture Fund to implement the specific software program identified in
the audit immediately.
h)
Audio
microphones and recording devices for Police Patrol Officers.
San José Police officers have an excellent record of interacting and
working with our residents, as shown by the positive ratings in the
City’s recent survey and the 15 percent reduction in formal complaints
against police officers over the past year.
We should continue to ensure that our high standards for customer
service are met, assure residents of our commitment to police
accountability, and assist the investigation of public complaints.
To help achieve this goal, I recommend that the Manager implement
a program to provide audio microphones and recording devices to all
patrol officers who interact with the community on a regular basis.
The Manager should explore using existing resources such as the
Drug Forfeiture Fund to implement the program.
5.
Recreation
and Cultural Services
a)
Digital
Divide. The “digital
divide” is about much more than children and schools having access to
technology. Closing the
divide means we must take steps, in partnership with the community, to
ensure that all of our children know how to read, write, do math, and
learn in order for them to succeed in the 21st Century.
I recommend allocating funds to implement the recommendations
proposed by the Digital Divide Blueprint upon its completion this summer
so that we do not have to wait for another school year to go by before
we make progress. ($600,000)
b)
Smart
Start Centers.
Two years ago, I said that we would build ten Smart Start centers
in five years to help young San José children become ready to learn
before they enter kindergarten. We
are well on track to meet this target, and in March, the Council
approved doubling this goal, making sure 1,200 San José children are
helped annually. The
Manager is directed to work with all San José school districts and
other potential partners to identify locations to implement this new
goal.
c)
Homework
Centers.
Clean safe places to study will help students achieve academic
success. Last year the
Council approved expanding our homework center program so that every
public elementary, middle and high school student in San José will have
access to a homework center by 2002.
The Manager is directed to continue vigorously implementing this
direction.
d)
Park
Maintenance.
The Manager is directed to increase funding for operations and
maintenance of parks as acreage is added.
The proportionate increase shall be based upon current staffing
ratios. Any increase in
staffing ratios should be considered separately by the City Council as a
broader policy discussion of the level of service the Council desires
for our parks.
e)
Hoffman/Via
Monte Neighborhood Center.
PRNS conducted a survey to assess needs for youth programs and
services in this neighborhood in conjunction with the community’s
involvement in the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative.
The results reveal an immediate need for a range of youth sports,
after-school and summer-school programs, day-care, gang/drug
intervention programs, youth leadership, and job-skills training that
could be addressed with a neighborhood center.
Although
they are close, the Hoffman Ct. neighborhood and the Via Monte
neighborhood are not cohesively linked.
Community input has suggested better linkage, such as a
neighborhood center is needed to help SNI efforts to be successful for
these two communities. The
recommendation of $350,000 will match the $350,000 already available for
the design and placement of a neighborhood center in the Hoffman/Via
Monte SNI neighborhood. (BD
# 92 $350,000 EFB)
f)
PG&E
Easement at Wenlock Drive.
Currently the PG&E easement at this site is overrun with
weeds and trash. Improvements
to this easement include landscaping and benches that will enhance the
appearance and safety of the neighborhood and provide a recreation
destination. The new trail
will be consistent with the long-term plan of connecting the PG&E
easements and provide the final connection for a north-south walking and
biking trail. (BD #22
$300,000)
g)
Community
Garden at Latimer Elementary School.
Community gardens are very popular with residents as social
gathering places as well as sources of homegrown food. The new West
Valley Library will eliminate a privately operated community garden for
the public. A replacement
site for a community garden at Latimer School will provide a new and
larger home for the United New Conservationists gardeners.
A use agreement will be modeled after the agreement between the
Moreland School District and the City for the use of Anderson Village
School. (BD #39 $150,000)
h)
Sakamoto
School Outdoor Eating Area Improvements.
This upgraded outdoor
facility will benefit Sakamoto students during their lunch periods and
will allow teachers to use this area as an “outdoor classroom.”
This area will also be available to neighbors and community
partners for educational and recreational activities such as YMCA youth
programs, Blossom Valley Girls Softball, South Valley Youth Soccer
programs, Girl and Boy Scouts activities, and the Good News Kids Club.
Upgrading this facility will reduce potential fire, vandalism,
and environmental hazards that have concerned the school and
neighborhood. The Sakamoto
Home and School Club has exhibited its commitment to raise funds for
this project through other sources such as the Oak Grove School
District, CAP Grant, Home and School Club funds, and Our City Forest.
(BD # 45 $23,000)
i)
Renovation
of Irrigation System at Paul Moore Park.
The irrigation system at Paul Moore Park is over 40 years old and
suffers from severe deterioration.
There have been multiple system failures that have caused severe
damage to park landscaping and disrupted recreation programs.
At present the system is operating with a temporary emergency
repair that only has a usable life of 18 months.
The estimated total project cost is $583,000.
The district 9 Parks Fund currently has $200,000 budgeted for the
project. (BD #50 $383,000)
j)
Groesbeck
Hill Park Basketball Court Completion.
Currently, a half-court
basketball facility exists at this park, but the Master Plan calls for a
full-court basketball facility, which is needed to meet increased
demand. Other work
scheduled to be completed at Groesbeck Hill Park as part of the Master
Plan includes a restroom facility and the addition of a third tennis
court. The completion of
the basketball court will contribute to making this park a complete
facility for the community. (BD
#73 $ 40,000)
k)
Groesbeck
Hill Park Tennis Court Addition.
Groesbeck Park has two tennis
courts, but three were originally listed in the adopted Master Plan.
The need for the additional court has become apparent as
development in the area has occurred and the use of the park has
increased. The project will
have matching funds of $40,000 from the District 8 park funds.
(BD #74 $80,000)
l)
Boggini
Park Tot Lot addition.
Boggini Park already has a youth lot and other complementary
features, and the addition of a tot lot would complete the plan to make
this a full family facility that serves all ages in the neighborhood.
A restroom facility funded by Council District 8 and the Park
Trust Fund will be constructed simultaneously.
The project will have matching funds of $107,000 from District 8
park funds. (BD #71
$213,000 EFB)
m)
Senior
Needs Assessment & Consultant Services for Aging Services Master
Plan. Although
the City of San José is a leader in providing services for our
older residents, the community’s needs have not been critically
assessed since 1989. Since
the last review, our senior population has grown larger and has changed
dramatically with much more cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic
diversity. A comprehensive
assessment of needs and current programs is necessary to better plan and
deliver appropriate services to senior residents and to update our Aging
Services Master Plan. (BD
#81 $150,000)
n)
Guadalupe
River Trail Improvements.
Sections of the Guadalupe
River Trail have not been completed including Reaches 11 and 12.
These two reaches serve as a transition from the Los Alamitos
Creek Trail to the start of the Guadalupe River Trail.
I recommend funding for the completion of the trail from Blossom
Hill Road to Branham Lane (Reach 12).
Future reach development will need to be considered as part of a
future budget process. Completion
of this trail segment with pavement, benches, and trashcans would create
an off-street route for pedestrians from Branham to South Almaden.
(BD #87 $265,000)
o)
| 
To: City Council