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.
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
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