RULES COMMITTEE: 5/29/2024
Item: B.1
File ID: ROGC 24-603
TO: Honorable Mayor & FROM: Toni J. Taber, CMC
City Council City Clerk
SUBJECT: The Public Record DATE: May 29, 2024
May 16 – May 23, 2024
ITEMS FILED FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD
Letters from Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Letters from the Public Comment:
1-4. Letters from four members of the public, dated May 17 - 21, 2024, regarding: Please protect Measure E funding for afordable housing.
5. Letter from Rich Crowley, dated May 21, 2024, regarding: City Manager’s Budget Balancing Proposal.
____________________________
Toni J. Taber, CMC
City Clerk
TJT/tt
Public Record: 1
Public Record: 2
Public Record: 3
Public Record: 4
[External Email]
FW: City Manager's Budget Balancing Proposal
City Clerk <[email protected]>
Tue 5/21/2024 4:45 PM
To:Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> From: Rich Crowley
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 4:00 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District3 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; [email protected] Cc: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: City Manager's Budget Balancing Proposal
Mayor Mahan and Councilmembers;
The last time San Jose dealt with a significant budget shortfall by reducing staffing, it took nearly a decade for services to recover (if you count what we have today as full recovery). Mayor Mahan’s proposed realignment of Measure E funds to address our city’s current budget shortfall facilitates closing the gap without reducing existing employees and the services supported by them. A city council vote to adhere to the restrictions placed on Measure E funds by the previous council would necessitate closing this gap by firing existing employees, thus impacting the city’s ability to deliver core services that we residents deserve. We know from experience that recovery from such a reduction will impact services for many years to come.
Yes, diverting Measure E funds from permanent housing to interim solutions will delay the availability of sufficient permanent housing to finally solve our homeless problem. But permanent housing is a solution that is years out while our homeless situation is a problem requiring an immediate solution.
The city manager’s proposal provides a humane solution to today’s crisis while preserving the delivery of critical core services.
I am by no means in favor of a permanent reallocation of Measure E funds, simply a one-time, one-year reallocation of funds to address the homeless crisis we currently face. After the immediate crisis is dealt with, the funds can once again support construction of desperately needed permanent housing solutions.
I urge you to vote in favor of the reallocation of Measure E funds in the current budget proposal.
Thank you for your time and your service to our community, Rich Crowley
Vice Chair, Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility
5/22/24, 4 17 PM Mail Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas Outlook https //outlook office365 com/mail/rulescommitteeagenda@sanjoseca gov/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5MT 1/2 Public Record: 5