Thursday, October 28, 2010

The "Final Word" before the November 2nd Election...

Santa Clarans, please do turn out at City Hall on Monday evening. This will be one last opportunity to hear our candidates for City Council and for Mayor before we go to the polls on Tuesday morning.

Final Word Forum
Date: 11/1/2010 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: FREE

Location: City of Santa Clara - Council Chambers
1500 Warburton Avenue
Santa Clara, California 95050


Also, here is the latest release from City Hall concerning the ongoing fiscal problems we Santa Clarans face:

http://santaclaraca.gov//index.aspx?recordid=560&page=50


We encourage all residents to stay informed on just these issues - and to decide if they're a fair yardstick by which to evaluate the candidates on Monday evening.



Thanks for your support and best regards,
Bill Bailey, Treasurer

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Monday, October 25, 2010

49ers' "Motorcades 'R' Us": Yeah. It Matters.

Dear Santa Clarans,


A Santa Clara resident heard that uniformed Santa Clara Police officers were at the 49ers/Raiders game back on August 28th.
What's up with that?, the resident asked.

It's a fair question. The General Fund of the city of Santa Clara is under severe challenge. City Staff went in and cut as best they could to reduce a $20M deficit to $5M for the current fiscal year.

Yet, in spite of that, the San Francisco 49ers were enjoying motorcycle escorts by the Santa Clara Police Department to the airport, back to their training center, and up to Oakland. Billed to that same General Fund.

A journalist who telephoned a week ago remarked that it seemed like a 'nit.' I told him that Santa Clarans are already doing without a lot of 'nits':

  • Hours at Central Library have been cut from 64 per week to 55. In fact, our young people with book reports due found our Central Libary closed for both the Labor Day and Columbus Day three-day weekends - a total of six days.
  • Senior Center hours have been cut back.
  • We can't hire a trainer for the Fitness Center at that Senior Center, because "we don't have the money."
  • Approximately 100 city positions are unfilled and will remain so indefinitely.
So, let's place that decimal point a little more accurately: The San Francisco 49ers are valued by Forbes Magazine at approximately $925 million. They spent $4.5 MILLION to get Measure J, their stadium subsidy, passed in Santa Clara. We should not even be having to ask them to pay $18,000 for the city services they use, and in fact, our elected leaders should be demanding exactly that on our behalf.

It appears that they've finally done that - but only after repeated public information requests from residents.

From the "sweetheart" 49ers' training center lease, to the massive $444,000,000 stadium subsidy, to the $67,000,000 loss to the General Fund over time, to finally this.

Yeah. It matters. All of it.



Thanks for your continuing support,
Bill Bailey, Treasurer,
SantaClaraPlaysFair.org

-=0=-

Friday, October 15, 2010

Candidates' Forum for Council and SCUSD Trustees this Saturday!

Saturday, Oct. 16 10:00 am -12:00 pm


Rivermark Community Candidates Forum

Don Callejon School ~ Multipurpose Room

4176 Lick Mill Blvd, Santa Clara


Santa Clarans, please turn out this Saturday to meet all of the candidates - and please vote on November 2nd!