It’s safe to say that not many documentary filmmakers got their start filming in Santa Clara. But Santa Clara resident Joe Goschy did just that. And, in the process, won non-profit CreaTV’s Citizen Journalist award for his film of the 2010 California Firefighter’s Olympics Road Cycling competition. A native of Wisconsin, Goschy got his filmmaking … Read more
Although some things have changed in three decades, one that hasn’t is the critical need for professional nursing skills. Consider this: By 2030, nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population will be over 60, 19 percent will be over 65, and over 2 percent will be over 85.* Nurses will increasingly be relied on handle … Read more
When Governor Jerry Brown unveiled his proposal to shutter the state’s 65-year old Redevelopment Agencies (RDAs), he touched a raw nerve in California politics. In 2009, California’s 425 RDAs ended the fiscal year with $5.7 billion in tax and assessment revenues, $8.1 billion in expenses, and $29.4 billion in outstanding bonds. RDAs can acquire land … Read more
In the face of Santa Clara’s ongoing budget deficit, eight of Santa Clara’s employee bargaining units have agreed to contract concessions rather than layoffs, reported City Manager Jennifer Sparacino at the Jan. 25 City Council meeting. “It’s the first time in city’s history, I believe, that we’ve had to lay off,” she said. The concessions … Read more
You might be surprised at just how little of the property taxes paid by Santa Clara residents actually go into the City’s general fund. This raises the importance of redevelopment funds for the capital investments needed to foster and maintain a thriving community. The chart below shows how each dollar of property tax revenue collected … Read more
California governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to shut down the state’s redevelopment agencies (RDAs) to address the state’s $25 billion deficit isn’t going down well in municipalities across California. And Santa Clara is no exception. At the January 25 City Council meeting, City Manager and Santa Clara RDA Executive Director Jennifer Sparacino recommended that the Council … Read more
Editor’s note: In last week’s edition we incorrectly reported that six city employee bargaining groups had agreed to concessions to their current contracts (Memorandums of Understanding, MOUs). At the time, only four unions had come to an agreement with the City, and of these only two had signed the agreements. Five of Santa Clara’s employee … Read more