Reed Grant Sports Park

Milestones – Pork Barrel Hangover – Opinion

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Publisher Miles Barber says Santa Clara's current little league conundrum is due in part to the City's focus on youth soccer above other sports.

There is a term in politics called “pork barrel” spending. It’s when a politician stuffs money into legislation to support projects they favor. Santa Clara, like it or not, you are suffering a hangover from eight years of Mayor Lisa Gillmor’s pork barrel spending on her pet priority: soccer. Dozens of families and community members … Read more

Youth Soccer League Enjoys Sweet Deal on City Soccer Fields

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The Santa Clara Youth Soccer League (SCYSL) has nearly exclusive rights to the City's Youth Soccer Park and it doesn't pay a penny.

Santa Clara has a $19 million budget deficit and four years ago started charging market rates for community groups to use City facilities, yet the Santa Clara Youth Soccer League pays nothing to use Santa Clara’s highly-sought-after professional-grade soccer fields. And some might say that amounts to a public subsidy for a private organization. Santa … Read more