SAM'S CORNER

Providing Services in Times of Scarcity  
Exacerbated by an expected “revenue grab” from the state government, San José’s budget woes have challenged us to find ways to provide basic city services in a time of economic crisis. The City staff’s budget proposed dozens of layoffs of city employees and reductions in many city services, including the closure of three downtown community centers, sharply reduced service at libraries, and public safety cuts.   In recent weeks, I’ve worked with several of my colleagues to issue formal proposals to reallocate funds to restore high-impact services, by:

• Ensuring that our community centers, including Alma, St. James, and Northside, remain open for another year while the City solicits nonprofit organizations that can partner with us to provide needed services to seniors, youth, and families;
• Keeping a fire engine company operating at Station 30 in Delmas Park;
• Opening our branch libraries at least five days per week, rather than the proposed four days;
• Restoring some of the cuts in grants funding for our nonprofit arts and cultural organizations; and
• Avoiding the loss of one of our police department’s traffic enforcement units.

Earlier this week, the Council approved the Mayor’s budget, and fortunately, the rest of my colleagues committed to maintain funding in each of these areas. 

Separately, City staff has sought to negotiate with labor representatives to see if our employees will forego wage increases (which the City would otherwise be contractually bound to provide) in exchange for restoration of jobs and services.  In a Mercury News op-ed, I advocated for concessions by all ten of our bargaining units, to ensure that we can avoid layoffs and restore critical services.  We have had some success so far.   My gratitude extends to the union leaders and members of ABMEI, CAMP, AFSCME, MEF and CAMP who have courageously agreed to wage concessions. In an effort to “share the pain,” Councilmember Constant and I proposed, and Council recently adopted, a cut in councilmember salaries as well.  

The final adoption of the budget will take place on Tuesday morning, June 23rd at 10 a.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers.

Sincerely,

Sam Liccardo

Sam recently spent some time with students from Empire Gardens at City Hall. In addition, Empire Gardens was a recent recipient of 90 bike helmets for students - courtesey of San Jose's School Safety Education program.

Contact Us
P: (408) 535-4903
E: district3@sanjoseca.gov
W: www.sanjoseca.gov/district3

D3 Staff
Sam Liccardo, Councilmember
Ragan Henninger, Chief of Staff
Roma Dawson, Policy Director
Ruth Cueto, Council Assistant
Fred Buzo, Council Assistant
Rhonda Hadnot, Exec. Assistant

There's been a flurry of Council action in recent weeks on several very important issues to the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.  With the support of Sam and neighborhood leaders, the neighborhoods prevailed on each of them:

• Last week, Council approved an initiative Sam authored, along with Mayor Reed and Councilmember Nguyen, to assist San Jose homeowners at risk of foreclosure by leveraging the City’s own banking relationships to obtain commitments from lenders for loan “workouts” for struggling residents.

• Council approved a $6 million contract to begin cleanup of the toxic contamination at Watson Park, with the restoration of at least one soccer field, a dog park, a tot lot, basketball courts, and other amenities—and more to come.

• In May, Council approved the formation of a neighborhood task force to address traffic, noise, and other impacts from the proposed construction of a baseball stadium, BART portal, and High-Speed Rail in the Diridon area; 

• On June 9, Council approved moving forward with the long-planned conversion of the Julian-St. James “couplets” from one-way to two-way streets to slow neighborhood traffic, improve walkability, and reduce blight.  This $ 6.8 million project will commence construction this fall.

• In May, Sam and many neighborhood leaders overcame well-publicized lobbying by the bail bonds industry to obtain council approval for a moratorium on new 24-hour “bail bonds” offices throughout our downtown neighborhoods.  Code enforcement staff reported having imposed restrictions on operating hours on several establishments. 

• Council recently approved funding to demolish the “PAL” building at 460 Park Avenue, which the Delmas Park neighborhood has long considered to be the “poster boy” for urban blight.

• Upon Sam's motion, Council denied liquor permits to two corner stores that would have allowed them to sell alcohol in dense residential communities at Bird Avenue & Columbia, and at Mabury & King Roads.

• On June 2rd, Council approved the designation of several neighborhoods in Washington-Guadalupe as a historic “conservation district,” to assist residents preserve the distinctive 19th and early 20th century architecture there.  This is the third conservation district to have been created during my tenure, all in the downtown.

• Also on June 2rd, Council approved additional investment in the renovation of the historic Civic Auditorium, which will again serve as a premier venue for live concerts and performances that will help support downtown eateries and hotels.

• Finally, Council released Housing Department funds to begin construction of a high-quality affordable housing development on a former auto junkyard on San Antonio Street, and on 4th and Gish, a environmentally innovative affordable development serving adults with special needs.

Spartan Keyes Opens Neighborhood Action Center

A top priority of the Spartan Keyes’ neighborhood has been fulfilled: A 2,256-square-feet community center located at the ground floor of the Bella Castello Apartments had its opening ceremony on June 13!

Its formal title—the Spartan Keyes Neighborhood Action Center—provides space to conduct meetings, and educational and recreational programs. The center houses computers with high-speed internet, a patio, storage area, offices for Strong Neighborhood Initiative staff, restrooms, and 10 parking spaces.

Congratulations to the Spartan Keyes neighborhood for achieving its first milestone in the renewed neighborhood vision and to the Redevelopment Agency for their support.

Student Art Fights Graffiti

Often, utility doors are targets for graffiti and become eyesores in our communities. Now, they’re canvases for aspiring high school artists thanks to the Downtown Foundation’s program - "Downtown Doors."

Beginning in 2003 with four utility doors, the program has developed into a competition attracting 137 student artists, teachers, families, donors, property managers, and sponsors such as eBay and Adobe Systems.

A panel of judges selected the art, which is then digitized, enlarged, and transferred to vinyl adhesive decals. Doors outside of the Fairmont San José, Pavilion building, San José Repertory Theatre and Camera 12 Cinemas are scheduled to receive the art.

“This is a total community effort that beautifies the heart of downtown,” said Diana Beechie, president of the San José Downtown Foundation. To view the winning artwork, please click here.

Volunteers Needed for Junior Giants Program Downtown

The Union Athletic Association is searching for volunteer baseball coaches for the Junior Giants Program in downtown.

Junior Giants—the flagship program of the Giants Community Fund—is a free, noncompetitive baseball program for boys and girls ages 7 to 13. More than 13,000 youth participate each year in over 70 leagues in 150 cities.
Volunteers are needed beginning June 18 through Aug. 9 for the following dates and times:

• Thursday, practice and clinics: Ages 7 to 10, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Olinder Park Baseball Diamond
• Thursday, practice and clinics: Ages 11 to 13, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Olinder Park Baseball Diamond
• Sunday, games: all ages, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Olinder Park Baseball Diamond

The program provides jerseys, hats, and baseball equipment. For more information, please contact Roger Samuels at 408.264.9233 or e-mail rogersamuels@comcast.net.

Gardner Community Center Classes Open

The Gardner Community Center, located at 520 W. Virginia, would like to invite you to participate in classes offered this summer.  Classes include Baile Folklorico, Baseball Camp 101, Eskrima Mixed Martial Arts, Hip-Hop dance, Salsa dance. In the fall, new classes are available: Tiny Tots after-school achievement, jazz and tap, and Lupe’s Kitchen. Please, call Frankie Robles for more information: 408.277.4761.

Saving Our Schools

California faces depletion of classroom funding with a proposed $4.8 billion cut from K-12 education in 2010. But you can do something about it locally.

Local downtown business, Technology Credit Union, is launching a summer promotion called “Save 4 School, ” encouraging individuals or groups to save money over the summer to help their local schools. This savings program is designed to rally parents, teachers, students and community members to start a savings program this summer with proceeds earmarked towards their school or a particular program at their school. Technology Credit Union will match the funds of the account that saves the most through September 30th.

Participation is easy, simply:

• Put together a team, or save as a family or individual.
• Register online at growyourgreencampaign.com.
• Save a minimum of $25 each month, which automatically enters you in cash-prize drawings—you could win $100!
• Rally others to participate and to view your progress online.

The winner will be announced Oct. 5. And, if you open a Tech CU Savings Challenge Account, Tech CU will match your funds up to $500! For more information, please click here.

County Launches New Anti-Gang Hotline

Santa Clara County elected officials launched a new anti-gang campaign designed to prevent youth from joining a gang — the GangFree Resource hotline.

The bilingual staffers at the hotline offer services in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to anyone in the county who is at risk for joining a gang, someone who is already involved in a gang, or someone concerned about a family gang member engaging in at-risk behavior. The referral service guides callers to community resources that specialize in the issue at hand. Callers can seek help in personal development, gang mitigation, outpatient substance abuse, youth with a criminal history, domestic violence, truancy-case management, career development, parent-family support groups, and gang-capacity workshops.

For more information, please call 408-808-FREE (3733). Callers can leave a message if the call is outside the hotline’s working hours.

District Barbeque and Recognition Event - August 22nd

Downtown residents are invited to join Sam and your Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) for a barbeque on August 22nd from noon – 3 p.m. The BBQ is a chance for residents to meet other downtown neighbors from all over the district and for Sam to recognize and celebrate residents who’ve worked particularly hard to make the downtown community great. Location and more details to come next month!

I Scream For Ice Cream
Tuesdays, June 9th - September 8th
5:30 – 7:30pm
Free Event
The San José Heritage Rose Garden in the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens needs volunteers who will receive a reward for their time: free ice cream. Volunteers will snip dead roses in order to promote more bloom for the summer. Bring your clippers! For more information contact Lucy Perez at (408) 298-7657. 

Starlight Cinemas
Wednesdays, June 10th - August 26th (except July 1st)
Location varies, please check website
Free (bring your own chair or blanket)
Take advantage of the San Jos é’s warm weather this summer while enjoying a movie outdoors. Sponsored by the San José Downtown Association, the weekly Wednesday night movies are hosted each week in one of three downtown districts. For a full movie schedule, please click here.

Make And Decorate Musical Instruments
Thursday, June 25th, 3 - 4pm
Biblioteca Branch Library (921 S. First St.)
Free
Make and decorate a small musical instrument with materials provided free of charge. This is part of the 2009 Summer Reading Celebration. The Summer Reading Celebration 2009 takes place June 13-August 8. To see more Summer Reading events or more events at Biblioteca, please click here.

Building Peaceful Families
Saturday, July 11th
San Jose Convention Center
$25
Building Peaceful Families is hosting the annual Fatherhood Conference to empower fathers with tools allowing them to invest in their children's future. The conference workshops feature professionals covering subjects dads may not have been exposed to from their fathers or from other role models. For more information click here.

Founders Day Fandango
Sunday, July 26th, 12 - 6pm
Peralta Adobe
Free
History San José invites the community to the celebration of the 232nd anniversary of the founding of El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe (San José’s founding). This family friendly event includes hands on activities along with traditional singing and dancing. For more information, click here.

Italian Family Festa
August 29th, 11am - 9pm & August 30th, 11am - 6pm
Downtown Willow Glen
The 29th annual Italian Family Festa will include Italian culture, local history, great entertainment, Italian cuisine, a grape-stomping contest, Italian folk dancing, arts and crafts, and much more.  For more information, click here or call 408.293.7122.