Political news, Local politics and government news reporting in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
The City of Santa Clara’s operating budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year is up 2.2% from 2010-2011 spending, driven by increases in interest paid on municipal debt (up 25%), payments in-lieu of taxes and franchise fees (up 5.1%) and increases in non-salary operating expenses (up 3.9%). Despite freezing city salaries, implementing one-day-per-month employee furloughs, and … Read more
Santa Clara’s operating budget picture is somewhat brighter this year, City Finance Director Gary Ameling told the City Council at the May 17 meeting, but Santa Clara isn’t out of the financial woods yet. The city finance department projects a $3.2 million operating budget surplus for the coming fiscal year – principally as a result … Read more
There’s no shortage of potential scapegoats for the fact that California – the world’s 8th largest economy – can’t pay its bills. And defined benefit public pensions are a favorite straw man. California has two retirement systems: California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) for state and municipal employees, and California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) … Read more
On May 17, Santa Clara unveiled a cautious capital improvement budget (CIP) for the coming fiscal year. Capital improvements are the infrastructure of the city, as opposed to the ongoing operations of the city. This year the City proposes to spend $16 million less on capital projects than the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The City currently … Read more
A climate of rising interest rates for municipal debt and declining property tax revenues wouldn’t seem to be a market smart businesspeople would rush to sell into – moreover, without competitive bidding. But that’s just what the City of Santa Clara did last week. The City Council voted unanimously to sell up to $35 million … Read more
Santa Clara residents and business persons are invited to provide online input to help shape the city’s vision and plans for Vote Ethics 2012. Information to be gathered includes feedback regarding the November 2010 municipal election for Santa Clara Mayor and City Council, including public comment about actions on the part of candidates or others … Read more
Cyril Northcote Parkinson observed in his book, The Parkinson Principle, that “The time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved.” Last week the Santa Clara City Council offered new proof of the venerable scholar of organizational behavior’s correctness; spending less time assigning the sale of hundreds … Read more
Santa Clara Finance Director Gary Ameling voiced cautious optimism about city finances at the March 29 City Council meeting. At mid-year, some of the city’s funds are growing for the first time in several years, Ameling said, and income is $4.2 million above budget as a result of growing sales and transient occupancy taxes and … Read more
A tight budget means that no “rockets’ red glare” will light up the Santa Clara sky at this year’s July 4 city picnic. “It’s not just the cost of fireworks,” Deputy City Manager Carol McCarthy explained last week to the City Council. “It’s a staffing issue. We don’t have sufficient funds to hire staffing for … Read more
Santa Clara’s hide-the-redevelopment-money maneuvers could come back to haunt the city in the form of cuts in core services such as education and pubic safety, as Gov. Jerry Brown advances his “realignment” of the state’s finances. “It’s a shame that the community leadership is working to secure this funding [in RDA projects],” says Elizabeth Ashford, … Read more