| To: City Council | From: Mayor Ron Gonzales |
| Subject: Mayor's June Budget Message 2001-2002 |
Date: June 6, 2001 |
| Approved: | Date: |
INTRODUCTION
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:
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
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 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. Ending Fund Balance and Unanticipated State
Fund expenditures 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
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)
[1] 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 Reach
2. Springer Drive to Lean
Avenue (replace existing landscaping $205,000 Reach
3. Lean Avenue to Snell
Avenue (replace existing landscaping $285,000 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)
City-School
Partnership for Hammer Montessori School Playground Improvements.
One-time
funding of $43,000 is recommended to improve the playground equipment at
Hammer Montessori School. By
expanding a public school-park easily accessible to neighborhood families,
this City-school partnership project will improve the quality of life in
the surrounding community. The
project includes play structures, fitness clusters, and benches.
(BD #46 $43,000) p)
City-School
Partnership for Oster Elementary School Playground Renovations.
One-time funding of $28,700 is
recommended to improve the playground equipment at Oster Elementary
School. This City-school
partnership project will renovate two 42-year old school playgrounds and
replace unsafe structures and equipment.
Over the past two years, the community has rallied to make
significant improvements to the school by raising nearly half the cost
($24,000) through donations from parents and corporations.
Volunteers have already signed up for all renovation activities
that do not require a licensed contractor.
The community’s strong support ensures a successful and well-used
community park. (BD #53
$28,700) q) Senior Citizen Community Events Supervisor. Currently, the City does not have a full-time community events supervisor position to enable the Senior Olympics to be a year-round program with special events and activities for our growing population of senior citizens. This new position will coordinate citywide spec |