Letters from the Public - 1 of 7 — San Jose City Council, June 8, 2026

Outlook
Fw: REAL Coalition Solidarity Letter Calling to Protect Affordability, Equity, and Community Stability in the FY 26-27 Budget
From City Clerk
Date Thu 4/23/2026 3:08 PM
To Agendadesk
® 1 attachment ( 153 KB)
Solidarity Sign On Letter Protect Affordability FY27 San Jose Budget (1).pdf; Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax:408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: City Clerk
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2026 8:10 AM
To: Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas
Subject: Fw: REAL Coalition Solidarity Letter Calling to Protect Affordability, Equity and Community Stability in the FY 26-27 Budget
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax:408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Gianella Ordonez
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 5:59
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan Districtl District2
< District3 < Tordillos, Anthony
< District4 < District5 <
District 6 < District7 < District8 <
District9 < District 10 <
Cc: Kolander, Grace < Fleming, Jonathan <
Hughes, Scott < Mauro, Joseph < Gomez, David A
< Solivan, Erik < Maguire, Jennifer
< Treseler, Dominic < Moreno, Brisa
< Nguyen, Lam < Wang, Justin
< Lester, Elise < Fruen, Joseph
< Zarate, Sarah < Caines, Stephen
< Yamamoto, KiyomiH < Ramirez, Lucas
< Flores Shelton, Andrea < Lee, Lynn
< Matt King < Schembri, Jennifer
< Shannon, Jim <
Laveroni, Kyle < Gvatua, Alexander
< Adera, Teddy < City Clerk
< Policy Team <
Subject: REAL Coalition Solidarity Letter Calling to Protect Aﬀordability, Equity, and Community Stability in the FY 26-27 Budget
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] Some people who received this message don't often get email Learn why this is important
Dear Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, Councilmembers, and City Staﬀ, Please see the attached REAL Coalition Solidarity Letter calling to protect aﬀordability, equity, and community st
ability in the FY26-27 budget, signed by 65 community-based nonproﬁt org
anizations and community leaders.

We look forward to your discussion on this topic.

Best,
Gianella Ordoñez | Policy + Advocacy Associate
Silicon Valley Council of Nonproﬁts
| ----svcn.org| LinkedIn | Instagram
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Registration is open for SVCN's inaugural Nonproﬁt Convergence conference! ■
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o whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains conﬁdential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribut e, or copy this e-mail.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2026 I San Jose Marriott
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April 22, 2026
San José City Council
San José City Hall
200 E. Santa Clara St.

San José, CA 95113
Sent via electronic mail
Protect Affordability, Equity, and Community Stability in the FY 2026–27 San José Budget
Dear Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and Members of the San José City Council:

We, the undersigned 65 organizations and community leaders, write in solidarity to urge the City of San José to protect and strengthen the programs and services that help residents remain housed, safe, and economically stable during the FY 2026–27 budget process.

Affordability Context
We recognize that this is a difficult budget year. We also recognize that budget decisions are not neutral. In a city facing deep affordability challenges, cuts to prevention, stabilization, and community-based services will fall hardest on those already carrying the greatest burdens, particularly Black residents, Latino residents, immigrant communities, older adults and people with disabilities, low-income families, and residents in historically underinvested neighborhoods.

As the City navigates a challenging fiscal year, our broad coalition has worked to advance key priorities. The City Council’s vote on the March Budget Message marked important progress, such as moving forward Working Families Housing, an innovative approach to financing new homes. At the same time, we urge the Council to consider and act on additional community priorities in the coming months.

Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 2 ends

San José residents continue to make one thing clear: affordability is the defining challenge facing our city. At a time when families are struggling with housing costs, childcare costs, economic insecurity, and fear of displacement, the City must do more – not less – to protect the community supports that prevent crises and preserve stability.

Coalition Priorities
We therefore urge the City Council to prioritize the following investments and protections in the FY 2026–27 budget:

1. Fund an eviction representation pilot linked to displacement risk.

The City should fund a modest pilot that provides legal representation to tenants facing displacement. There are several strong approaches the City could take in designing this pilot. One option is to prioritize tenants in buildings with serious code enforcement issues or other indicators of high housing instability. Another option is to target the pilot geographically, focusing on census tracts with elevated eviction rates, high concentrations of renter households, and demonstrated displacement risk, consistent with recent analysis of eviction patterns in San José.

A geographically targeted approach would also advance the City’s racial equity goals. Available data shows that eviction filings are disproportionately concentrated in neighborhoods with higher shares of Black and Latino residents, meaning that targeted legal support would help address longstanding disparities in housing stability and reduce disproportionate harm to communities most impacted by displacement.

Another option is to provide legal services packaged with rent assistance to assist those in arrears on rent; this model was tested by the Law Foundation, the City of San José, and Santa Clara County, and found successful during the federal “sequester” cuts in 2013.

Moreover, fully staffing Code Enforcement and improving cost-recovery strategies in the code enforcement context could supplement other one-time revenue sources to fund a pilot.

Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 3 ends

2. Preserve youth empowerment, violence prevention, and intervention services—including nonprofit programs such as BEST.

Community-based youth and violence prevention programs are essential public safety infrastructure. San José should preserve and strengthen these programs, not reduce them, especially in neighborhoods where young people and families rely on trusted nonprofit providers for stability, mentorship, and support.

Although intervention services are critically important, it is also important that early prevention services are also supported.

3. Sustain $1 million for immigrant protection services and ensure the Mayor fulfills his pledge to raise an additional $500,000 from philanthropy.

Know-Your-Rights education, legal services, and Rapid Response Network support are essential to the safety and stability of immigrant families at this moment.

These services should be fully funded and expanded through the promised philanthropic match.

4. Fully fund the Child and Youth Services Master Plan demonstration sites through FY27 by maintaining the $1 million funding for the Santee and Mayfair/Poco Way pilot projects. If San José is serious about advancing child and youth well-being, it must ensure that the demonstration sites move forward with full funding. These sites represent an important opportunity to invest in upstream family support and neighborhood stability. Both sites are on their way to create a cradle to career support system for children, youth, and their families; defunding the projects will destabilize current nonprofit investments, disrupt community engagement with youth and families, and jeopardize potential national partnerships.

5. Continue to supplement community-based TRUST services as the County faces another shortfall.

Community-based crisis response works. TRUST connects residents experiencing behavioral health crises to appropriate care without relying solely on police or emergency room response. TRUST was developed in response to community demands – particularly from the Black community and youth leaders in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement – as part of a Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 4 ends

community-driven effort to reimagine public safety in San José. The City previously provided a modest contribution to support this model in partnership with the County; we urge the City to continue and strengthen that commitment, particularly as County resources tighten. Rolling back or underfunding TRUST would undermine the City’s commitments to that community-led process and erode the goal of building safer, more equitable responses to crises.

6. Do not cut older adult services again this year.

Older adult nutrition, legal assistance, wellness, and isolation-prevention services are critical to helping older adults remain healthy, housed, and connected. Cutting these services again would deepen instability for older adults, particularly those with disabilities who are uniquely vulnerable to displacement and hardship.

Critical Considerations
Broadly, we urge the Council to make budget choices that reflect the values of equity, prevention, and community stability. San José should not balance its budget on the backs of immigrant families, young people, older adults, tenants at risk of displacement, or residents experiencing crisis. The City must protect the programs that keep people housed, connected, and safe.

Consistent with these values, we strongly oppose proposals to charge fees to unhoused residents living in interim shelters. Requiring extremely low-income residents to pay for shelter is inconsistent with the goal of stabilization and risks making it harder for people to save money, regain footing, and transition into permanent housing.

We appreciate that the Mayor’s March Budget Message appeared to continue the Measure E set-aside for homelessness prevention assistance that helps households at risk of eviction or homelessness remain housed. That prevention funding is important and should be protected.

The City should explore additional revenue strategies and the strategic use of one-time funds and reserves to avoid reductions in services that serve the most vulnerable residents of our community that would be caused by avoidable and Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 5 ends

harmful layoffs and cuts to nonprofit services. The City can and should position itself to best serve the entire community by prioritizing stability and protecting essential services.

Broad Community Alignment
Over the past several months, a broad set of community organizations and coalitions have put forward thoughtful, community-informed proposals related to the City’s budget and affordability priorities. These include, but are not limited to, the REAL Coalition’s STAY in San José framework, proposals from the organizations of the Sí Se Puede Collective, the Immigrant Protection and Empowerment Network (IPEN), Working Partnerships USA and the broader Labor community, SIREN, SV@Home and the housing advocacy community, the Save Our Seniors “SOS” Coalition, and Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ San José). While these efforts reflect different areas of focus, they consistently point in the same direction: San José must prioritize affordability, prevent displacement, and invest in community stability.

Thank you for your leadership and your consideration. We look forward to continuing to work together toward a San José where all residents can stay, belong, and thrive.

Sincerely,
Sarita Kohli
AACI Aging Services Collaborative of Santa
Clara County
Deryk Clark
Advent Group Ministries Jeremy Barousse
Amigos de Guadalupe Center for
Milan Balinton Justice and Empowerment
African American Community Service
Agency Richard Konda
Asian Law Alliance
Almaz Negash
African Diaspora Network
Sheri Burns
Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 6 ends

Mary Cheryl B. Gloner Loren Gissible
Asian Women Empowered Gardner Health Services
Elisa Koff-Ginsborg Veronica Goei
Behavioral Health Community Grail Family Services
Association (BHCA)
Chuck Cantrell
Josh Selo Havensafe
Bill Wilson Center
Wesley Saver
Jahmal Williams HealthRIGHT 360
Black Leadership Kitchen Cabinet
Gail Anne Osmer
Alex Shoor Hands 4Helping
Catalyze SV
Ron Gonzales
Don Taylor Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara
County Aila Malik
Hope Services
Lauren Salciccia
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley Teresa Gomez
Indian Health Center of Santa Clara
Gini Bossenbroek Valley
Connection is Key
Susan Frazer
Lori Ramos Chavez Jewish Family Services of Silicon
ConXion to Community Valley
Rose Mukhar
André Chapman Justice at Last
Fostering Promise
Joy Murrieta
Nicole Arriaga Kids in Common
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 7 ends

Eunice Chun Poncho Guevara
Korean American Community Sacred Heart Community Service Services
Gabby Chavez-Lopez Mary Helen Doherty
Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee
Darcie Green
Latinas Contra Cancer Dorsey Moore
San Jose Conservation Corps
Brittany Alvarez
Latino Education Advancement Wisa Uemura
Foundation (LEAF) San Jose Taiko
Cynthia Chagolla Louis Powell
Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Santa Maria Urban Ministry Angelica Cortez Leslie Bacho
LEAD Filipino Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Anjee-Helstrup-Alvarez Kimberly Woo
MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Services, Immigrant Rights and Cultura Latino Americana Education Network (SIREN)
Usha Srinivasan Kyra Kazantzis
Mosaic America Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits
Colsaria Henderson Sheri Burns
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Silicon Valley Independent Living Violence Center
Eva Terrazas Michael Dao
Pacific Clinics SJSU Human Rights Institute
Dontae Lartigue Sandy Perry
Razing the Bar South Bay Community Land Trust
Solidarity Letter re: Protecting Affordability in FY27 San José Budget, April 22, 2026

Page 8 ends

Vicky Martin Shawn Gerth
South County Community Services Veggielution
Regina Celestin Williams Philip Nguyen
SV@Home Vietnamese American Roundtable
Carlos Rosario Cassandra Magana
The Santa Clara County Black West Valley Community Services Lawyers Association
Jen Masuda
Vicki Harrison Yu-Ai Kai Japantown Community
Santa Clara County Showing Up for Senior Center
Racial Justice
Adriana Caldera Boroffice
Yvonne Maxwell YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley
Ujima Adult and Family Services
About the REAL Coalition
The
Race Equity Action Leadership (REAL) Coalition is an alliance of more than 50 nonprofit organizational members, along with many additional nonprofit partners, community advocates, and grassroots leaders. REAL is committed to dismantling white supremacy culture and systemic racism, using our positional power to advance movement goals, and facilitating the voice of community in government decision-making. We are also committed to learning, advocacy, and organizing while building power in authentic community solidarity.

Outlook
Fw: DO NOT permit the city staff to spend our tax dollar studying "what other jurisdictions do" to tax homeowners for free child care for low income
From Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> Date Fri 5/1/2026 1 :01 PM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas
City of San Jose I Office of the City Clerk
200 East Santa Clara St. - Tower 14th Fl.

San Jose, CA 95113-1905
Phone 408.535.1260 I Fax 408.292.6207
[email protected]
*Memos, items, and attachments must be submitted to [email protected] before 12PM on the Thursday before the intended Rules meeting* Holidays may impact this schedule; revised deadlines will be noticed as applicable.

From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, May 1, 2026 1:00 PM
To: Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> Subject: Fw: DO NOT permit the city staff to spend our tax dollar studying "what other jurisdictions do" to tax homeowners for free child care for low income
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Ruth Callahan
Sent: Friday, May 1, 2026 12:53 PM
To: CAO Main <[email protected]>; Webmaster Manager <[email protected]>; Foley, Pam <[email protected]>; Campos, Pamela <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: DO NOT permit the city staff to spend our tax dollar studying "what other jurisdictions do" to tax homeowners for free child care for low income
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] The total amount of taxpayer dollars allocated toward the welfare of children and youth in Santa Clara County is $1.33 billion for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. This represents a 2.8% increase from the previous year, even as the county navigates significant federal funding cuts.

While child care is a major component of this "Children’s Budget," it is primarily distributed through several distinct channels rather than a single "free child care" line item.

1. CalWORKs Child Care (The Primary Subsidy)
The largest portion of child care funding for low-income residents comes through the CalWORKs program.
• Total Funding: The county receives over $63 million specifically for CalWORKs • Purpose: This provides cash assistance and child care services for approximately 6,100 families to support employment and self-sufficiency goals.
• Taxpayer Source: This is a mix of federal and state funds, though the county provides a "net cost" contribution from local property taxes and general funds to maintain these services.

2. The $1.33 Billion "Children's Budget"
The broader $1.33 billion allocation covers a wide spectrum of "safety net" programs. For the 2025–26 fiscal year, the funding is broken down by source:
• Total County Spending: $1.33 Billion
• Net County Cost (Local Taxpayer Dollars): $298.9 million (a 14.1% increase in local spending compared to the prior year to backfill federal cuts).
• State & Federal Contribution: Approximately $1.026 billion.

3. Recent Local Infrastructure Grants
Beyond direct subsidies, the County Board of Supervisors has authorized specific local taxpayer spending to expand the child care market:
• Childcare Expansion Grants: In early 2025, the county held press conferences regarding infrastructure grants designed to add physical spaces in local centers (e.g., adding 20 spaces and 5 teachers in Willow Glen).
• The Federal "Freeze" Impact: County officials, including Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, have noted that California is currently facing a $5 billion freeze in federal Child Care and Development Funds. Santa Clara County is currently attempting to shift local revenue to ensure these programs do not collapse.

Ruth A Callahan
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Outlook
Fw: RESPONSE TO DISTRICT 2 COUNCILMEMBER'S DESIRE FOR TAX PAYER FUNDED FREE CHILD

CARE FOR LOW INCOME
From Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> Date Mon 5/4/2026 8:24 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas
City of San Jose I Office of the City Clerk
200 East Santa Clara St. - Tower 14th Fl.

From: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2026 8:13 AM
To: Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas <[email protected]> Subject: Fw: RESPONSE TO DISTRICT 2 COUNCILMEMBER'S DESIRE FOR TAX PAYER FUNDED FREE CHILD CARE FOR

LOW INCOME
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Ruth Callahan
Sent: Sunday, May 3, 2026 10:52 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: RESPONSE TO DISTRICT 2 COUNCILMEMBER'S DESIRE FOR TAX PAYER FUNDED FREE CHILD CARE FOR

LOW INCOME
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel Providing funds for childcare is not a "free" economic boost; it is a redistrib ution of wealth that often destabilizes the private market, invites fiscal fraud, and overloo ks the developmental needs of the children themselves. Rather than subsidizing a specific industry, a more effective approach wou ld be to reduce the tax burden on families directly, allowing them the financial freedom to choose the care that best suits their children's unique needs.

The total amount of taxpayer dollars allocated toward the welfare of children and youth in Santa Clara County is $1.33 billion for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This represents a 2.8% increase from the previous year, even as the county navigates significant federal funding cuts.
c:::::>
While child care is a major component of this "Children's Budget," it is primarily distributed through several distinct channels rather than a single "free child care" line item.

1. CalWORKs Child Care (The Primary Subsidy)
The largest portion of child care funding for low-income residents comes through the CalWORKs program.
• Total Funding: The county receives over $63 million specifically for CalWORKs. c:::::>
• Purpose: This provides cash assistance and child care services for approximately 6,100 families to suppo1t employment and self-sufficiency goals.
c:::::>
• Taxpayer Source: This is a mix of federal and state funds, though the county provides a "net cost" contribution from local property taxes and general funds to maintain these services. c:::::>

2. The $1.33 Billion "Children's Budget"
The broader $1.33 billion allocation covers a wide spectrum of "safety net" programs. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the funding is broken down by source:
• Total County Spending: $1.33 Billion
c:::::>
• Net County Cost (Local Taxpayer Dollars): $298.9 million (a 14.1 % increase in local spending compared to the prior year to backfill federal cuts).
• State & Federal Contribution: Approximately $1.026 billion.

3. Recent Local Infrastructure Grants
Beyond direct subsidies, the County Board of Supervisors has authorized specific local taxpayer spending to expand the child care market:
• Childcare Expansion Grants: In early 2025, the county held press conferences regarding infrastmcture grants designed to add physical spaces in local centers ( e.g., adding 20 spaces and 5 teachers in Willow Glen).
c:::::>
• The Federal "Freeze" Impact: County officials, including Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, have noted that California is cunentl y facing a $5 billion freeze in federal Child Care and Development Funds. Santa Clara County is cunentl y attempting to shift local revenue to ensure these programs do not collapse.
--
R Callahan
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Outlook
Fw: California Room Public Access Closure - Library Department Budget Item 4, FY 2026-2027 on May 11, 2026 agenda
From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Tue 5/5/2026 7:18 AM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
® 1 attachment (16 KB)
Save the California Room.docx;
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Krista Van Laan
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2026 11:26 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Cc: Bourne, Jill <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: California Room Public Access Closure - Library Department Budget Item 4, FY 2026-2027 on May 11, 2026 agenda
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel You don't often get email from Learn why this is im12ortant Please distribute the attached letter to the city council and Mayor and attach it to the budget hearings scheduled for May 11, 2026
Re: California Room Public Access Closure - Library Department Budget Item 4, FY 2026-2027 Dear Mayor Mahan, Council Members, and City Librarian Bourne, I am writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to reject the proposed closure of the California Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. As a regular and recent patron of the California Room, I can tell you from firsthand experience that what is being proposed to eliminate is irreplaceable. The proposal's suggestion that mater ials will rema in available by appointment fundamenta lly misunderstands what makes the Californ ia Room, or any such research room , valuable.

The Californ ia Room is not simply a storage faci lity for historica l documents . It is a research environment , staffed by profess ionals who possess specialized knowledge of San Jose and Santa Clara Valley history as well as of the mater ials within the room . During my most recent visit, the staff helped me access maps I did not even know existed that turned out to be critica l for my project . As anyone who has worked in an archive or research room knows, one discovery leads natura lly to the next . That organic, expert -guided process of discovery cannot be replicated by an appointment system in which a person tries to guess what they want and a staff member unfamiliar with the collection retrieves requested items to a separate room .

The proposed budget action acknow ledges that in 2025 alone, there were 5,442 visits to the Californ ia Room. That is not the usage pattern of an obscure resource . Many peop le use the Californ ia Room: property owners , historians, authors, students, genealogists, researchers, and more . These needs wi ll not disappear because the room is closed, they will go unmet .

I understand that the California Room staff have already offered constructive alternatives: reduced staffing, reduced hours, or appointment -based access while keeping the room open with know ledgeab le personne l on- site. Please take those proposals seriously. A reduced California Room, staffed by peop le who know the collection and can guide researchers through it, is of more value than a room where materia ls sit in storage to be picked up by staff who don't understand their contents .

I recent ly went to the county library in Cupertino and discovered they had gotten rid of their historica l mater ial, including some items that were irrep laceable. I was shocked and at the time, thought how glad I was that we in San Jose understood the importance of our city's very complex history. And now here we are, with someth ing similar happen ing. While I understand that librar ies have many competing interests, it seems to me that a valuable and unique resource like the Californ ia Room is someth ing we should treasure and do our best to keep.

Please keep the California Room open, staffed, and accessible to the peop le of San Jose.

Krista Van Laan
San Jose CA 95117
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

May 4, 2026
To: Mayor Matt Mahan
Members of the San José City Council
Jill Bourne, City Librarian
Re: California Room Public Access Closure — Library Department Budget Item 4, FY 2026-2027 Dear Mayor Mahan, Council Members, and City Librarian Bourne, I am writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to reject the proposed closure of the California Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. As a regular and recent patron of the California Room, I can tell you from firsthand experience that what is being proposed to eliminate is irreplaceable. The proposal’s suggestion that materials will remain available by appointment fundamentally misunderstands what makes the California Room, or any such research room, valuable.

The California Room is not simply a storage facility for historical documents. It is a research environment, staffed by professionals who possess specialized knowledge of San José and Santa Clara Valley history as well as of the materials within the room. During my most recent visit, the staff helped me access maps I did not even know existed that turned out to be critical for my project. As anyone who has worked in an archive or research room knows, one discovery leads naturally to the next. That organic, expert-guided process of discovery cannot be replicated by an appointment system in which a person tries to guess what they want and a staff member unfamiliar with the collection retrieves requested items to a separate room.

The proposed budget action acknowledges that in 2025 alone, there were 5,442 visits to the California Room. That is not the usage pattern of an obscure resource. Many people use the California Room:
property owners, historians, authors, students, genealogists, researchers, and more. These needs will not disappear because the room is closed, they will go unmet.

I understand that the California Room staff have already offered constructive alternatives: reduced staffing, reduced hours, or appointment-based access while keeping the room open with knowledgeable personnel on-site. Please take those proposals seriously. A reduced California Room, staffed by people who know the collection and can guide researchers through it, is of more value than a room where materials sit in storage to be picked up by staff who don’t understand their contents.

I recently went to the county library in Cupertino and discovered they had gotten rid of their historical material, including some items that were irreplaceable. I was shocked and at the time, thought how glad I was that we in San José understood the importance of our city’s very complex history. And now here we are, with something similar happening. While I understand that libraries have many competing interests, it seems to me that a valuable and unique resource like the California Room is something we should treasure and do our best to keep. Please keep the California Room open, staffed, and accessible to the people of San José.

Krista Van Laan
Outlook
Fw: California Room Budget cuts
From City Clerk
Date Wed 5/6/2026 8:30 AM
To Agendadesk
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax:408 -292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Fernando Zazueta
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 9:36 PM
District4
District7
Subject: Fwd: California Room Budget cuts
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel I can't believe the City is willing to cut the California Room at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, one our greatest resources for preserving our history. That is something I would expect from Trump, but not you, our beloved City guardians. Please do what needs to be done, cut elsewhere, but not here.

Knowledge is a precious thing.

Fernando Zazueta
Begin forwarded message:

From: Darlene Tenes
Subject: California Room Budget cuts
Date: May 5, 2026 at 10:53:50 AM PDT
To: Araceli Gonza les Darlene Tenes
Hello,
The City of San Jose plans to cut funding for the Californ ia Room at the Mart in Luther King, Jr. Library. Buried deep in the budget on page 618 the Mayor and City Manager are proposing eliminating all California Room staff which wou ld result "in the closure of the California Room to regular public access." Countless historians, developers, educators, students, authors and others have visited the room over the years to gather valuable informat ion, including 5,442 visits in 2025 alone. Everyone who has visited the space knows how crucial it is to have a full-time librarian know ledgeab le about the unique collection to guide your research on San Jose and Santa Clara County history.

Beyond research the staff began curating exhibits and educational talks in 2018 telling the many stories from our diverse commun ity includ ing:
• Eastside Dreams: The Unto ld Story of East San Jose
• Pinoytown Rising: Filipinos Americans in Santa Clara County • Women on Wheels, Californ ia Wind Dancers
• Hidden Heritages: San Jose's Vietnamese LeggfY.
• Black History Month at the Californ ia Room
• Story & King: San Jose's Lowrider Culture
During these unprecedented times, the Trump administrat ion faces legal action and criticism from histor ians and conservationists concerned that its policies are intentionally erasing or altering American history on public lands and in federal institutions. We cannot allow the City of San Jose to do the same.

By removing staff and access, our rich and diverse cultural history remains hidden.

Dedicated staff is needed, not just someone to open the door by appointment. Please contact the City of San Jose Mayor and City Council to express your concerns before the June 2, 2026 vote.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely
Darlene Tenes
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Outlook
Fw: Save the California Room
From City Clerk
Date Wed 5/6/2026 8:30 AM
To Agendadesk
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax:408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Kay M Gutknecht
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 9:31 PM
To: The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
District3
District 6
District9
Subject: Save the California Room
[External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel You don't often get email from
To: Mayor Matt Mahan
Members of the San Jose City Council
Jill Bourne, City Librarian
Toni J. Taber, City Clerk
Learn why this is imP.ortant
Re: California Room Public Access Closure - Library Department Budget Item 4, FY 2026- 2027 on May 11 , 2026 agenda
Dear Mayor Mahan, Council Members, City Librarian Bourne, and City Clerk Taber, I was deeply concerned to learn that the proposed 2026–2027 library budget includes closure of the California Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. This unique City resource is truly one-of-a-kind and should be among the last services considered for reduction or elimination.

I urge you to reject this proposed closure and instead support options that preserve access to the California Room, including reduced hours or an appointment-based model. Equally important is retaining the current staﬀ, whose specialized knowledge of the collection is indispensable to historians, students, authors, genealogists, and community members who rely on these materials.

On average, nearly 20 people each day use the California Room for research. These visits reﬂect more than routine reference requests—they represent meaningful engagement with San José’s history. The staﬀ do far more than retrieve materials; they guide users through the collection, helping them discover relevant resources and make connections that would otherwise be missed. The ability to browse, compare, and follow lines of inquiry across multiple sources is essential to this experience and cannot be replicated through a standard reference desk model.

This resource also plays an important role in educating the next generation. I recently inquired about bringing my grandnephew for an introductory visit when he studies California history in the fourth grade. Experiences like this help young people understand how to conduct research and connect with their community’s past. Losing access to the California Room would mean losing these formative opportunities for students across our city.

While the proposal suggests that selected materials would remain accessible through the reference desk, this approach raises serious concerns. Without the expertise of current California Room staﬀ, how will users navigate complex or specialized requests? Whether researching historical maps, local events, or niche topics in San José’s history, the depth and eﬃciency of support will inevitably be diminished.

This change risks undermining the very purpose of maintaining the collection.

The California Room is not interchangeable with neighborhood library branches. It is a specialized, irreplaceable resource that preserves and makes accessible the history of our region. Once diminished, its value cannot easily be restored.

If cost savings are necessary, I respectfully ask you to consider alternatives such as:
• Reduced hours of operation
• Access by appointment
• Retention and reassignment of current California Room staﬀ, even temporarily, to ensure continuity of expertise and a strong foundation for reopening Preserving the California Room is an investment in our community’s history, education, and identity. I urge you to act to keep this vital resource accessible to the public.

Thank you for your consideration.

Kay Gutknecht
local history author
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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk
Date Thu 5/7/2026 1 :53 PM
To Agendadesk
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Jose Gonzalez Jr
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 1:38 PM
Cc: PRCliaison
The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
District4
District7
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more< httP-s://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderldentification >] [You don't often get email from
httP-s://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderldentification ]
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Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.

I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.

The proposal (Parks Maintenance Redistricting, Citywide Sports Programming, and Lease Management) in the FY27 Proposed Budget would transition Arcadia from what the City itself describes as a "full onsite operations model with dedicated reservation and programming, concessions, and maintenance staff" to a facility where reservations are managed through the Citywide Sports Program field reservation system and maintenance is incorporated into a park maintenance district.

Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed chang es could affect all of these groups in
meaningful ways.

Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the
proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.

City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. T hat includes the adult slow pitch
softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.

Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.

Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other park s and fields across San Jose. Users who
currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.

Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that oversight
helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs. Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.

Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services w ould continue under the new model, be
offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.

I respectfully ask the Council, City Manager, and Commission to carefully consider these impacts before this change is approved.

Thank you for your time and public service.

A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from my iPhone
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk
Date Thu 5/7/2026 1 :54 PM
To Agendadesk
Office of the City Clerk I City of San Jose
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Daniel Powell
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 1:41 PM
Cc: PRCliaison
The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan
District4
District7
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel You don't often get email from Learn wh',' this is imP.ortant Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026 27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.

I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.

The proposal (Parks Maintenance Redistricting, Citywide Sports Programming , and Lease Management) in the FY27 Proposed Budget would transition Arcadia from what the City itself describes as a "full onsite operations model with dedicated reservation and programming, concessions, and maintenance staff" to a facility where reservations are managed through the Citywide Sports Program field reservation system and maintenance is incorporated into a park maintenance district.

Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.

Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under

the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.

City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch

softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.

Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.

Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users

who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.

Field time allocation - With on-site programming staff no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar, there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups. Today, that

oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs.

Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.

Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new

model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.

possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.

Arcadia Ballpark works. The fields are well-maintained, the leagues are affordable and in demand, and the on-site team delivers a level of service that is rare in a city park system. The proposed changes would dismantle that model to achieve savings that amount to a fraction of a percent of the overall parks budget. We ask the Mayor and City Council to reject this proposal and preserve Arcadia's current operating model in its entirety — its staff, its leagues, its concessions, and its on-site management.

What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.

Thank you for your time and public service.

A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Daniel Powell
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:57 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Cristina Gonzalez <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:55 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] Some people who received this message don't often get email from Learn why this is important
Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.

I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.

Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.

Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment

problems, may be slower than they are today.

City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to
Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.

Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.

Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.

Field time allocation - With on-site programming staf
f no longer overseeing Arcadia's calendar,
there may be less active management of how field time is distributed across user groups.

Today, that oversight helps balance access between youth, senior, recreational, and competitive programs. Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.

Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.

Arcadia is one of the finest publicly operated sports facilities in San Jose. These concerns are

not about the staff who would take on responsibilities under the new model. They are about what is structurally possible when a dedicated facility team is replaced by a shared, citywide system.

Thank you for your time and public service.

A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:57 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Roman Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:56 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:58 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Mari-Roman Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:56 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:58 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Roman Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:56 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:58 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., To wer 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: RoMari <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:56 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 3:59 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. San
ta Clara St., To wer 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Roman Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:56 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 4:00 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. San
ta Clara St., To wer 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Clippedandshady <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:57 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < Dis trict 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 4:00 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. San
ta Clara St., To wer 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Mari Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:57 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 4:01 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., T ower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Maricela Magana <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 2:57 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< Dis trict9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.

I also ask that the City Clerk include this message in the public comment record for the Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session.

Arcadia serves a wide and diverse community, including youth baseball, senior softball, adult recreational leagues, and competitive fastpitch programs. The proposed changes could affect all of these groups in meaningful ways.

Facility upkeep and on-site presence - Today, Arcadia has staff on site who are accountable for the condition of the fields, the playground, the bathrooms, and the surrounding landscaped areas. Under the proposed model, maintenance would be handled by a park maintenance district responsible for multiple parks across the city. While those teams do important work, a shared district model means Arcadia would be one of many facilities competing for attention rather than having a dedicated team whose primary focus is this facility. Users should expect that response times to issues, including field conditions, restroom maintenance, and equipment problems, may be slower than they are today.

City-managed leagues - The on-site coordination and programming staff who currently run Arcadia's city-managed leagues would be eliminated under this proposal. That includes the adult slow pitch softball league, which currently costs $900 per team for a season of 10 guaranteed games. Without a city-run option, teams would need to turn to private leagues, where comparable programs currently charge approximately $1,100 per team for 6 guaranteed games. That is a significant difference in both cost and value, and there is no guarantee a private league would have access to Arcadia's fields under the new reservation model. It is also worth considering that the private league filling this void may not be a reliable long-term alternative. The local adult slow pitch league has changed hands three times in the past decade, a sign that operating a sustainable program in this market is harder than it looks.

Players who lose access to the city league may find themselves with an option that is not only more expensive and shorter in duration, but potentially uncertain from season to season.

Reservations and scheduling - Moving to the Citywide Sports Program reservation system means scheduling would be managed centrally, alongside all other parks and fields across San Jose. Users who currently benefit from on-site coordination and direct communication with facility staff may find the process less responsive. Centralized systems, while efficient at scale, can increase the risk of scheduling conflicts and make it harder to resolve issues quickly when they arise.

Without it, field time could shift based on demand and revenue rather than community balance, and groups with less organizational capacity may find it harder to secure consistent access.

Concessions - The proposal notes that current concessions are part of the "full onsite operations model" being eliminated. It is not clear whether concession services would continue under the new model, be offered less frequently, or be discontinued. Users and families who rely on that amenity, particularly during full-day tournaments and youth events, should be aware this is uncertain.

What exists today took years to build and will not be easily rebuilt once it is gone.

Thank you for your time and public service.

A Concerned Arcadia Supporter
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer ------------ -- --- ---- --- This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

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Fw: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session From City Clerk <
Date Thu 5/7/2026 4:01 PM
To Agendadesk <
Oﬃce of the City Clerk | City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St., Tower 14th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113
Main: 408-535-1260
Fax: 408-292-6207
How is our service? Your feedback is appreciated!
From: Erica Arenas <
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2026 3:03 PM
To: Webmaster Manager < The Oﬃce of Mayor Matt Mahan
< City Clerk < District1 < District2
< District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 <
Cc: PRCLiaison <
Subject: May 11th: Agenda Item - Neighborhood Services Budget Study Session [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn more] You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear Mayor Mahan, City Manager Maguire, and Members of the City Council, I am writing as a user of Arcadia Ballpark to share concerns about the proposed FY2026-27 budget changes that would significantly alter how the facility operates. I am also copying the Parks and Recreation Commission liaison and would appreciate it if this message could be shared with commission members and included in any relevant public correspondence ahead of the budget cycle.