City Manager’s Office
2022 Q1 and Q2 Legislative Action Summary
B
elow is a summary of the actions that were taken during 2022 Q1 and Q2 as they align with the City of Santa Clara’s 2022 Legislative Advocacy Positions (LAPs), guiding principles for legislative advocacy, approved City policies (e.g. City Council Goals and Priorities), or Council action. The letters and bill analysis are attached to this document.
Ci
ty Council Action
• January 25, 2022 Support letter to Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors RE:
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band’s efforts to preserve Sargent Ranch/Juristac as open space (Council approved support for this effort at the December 7, 2021 meeting) • March 11, 2022 Support letter to Chair Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Assembly Local Government Committee RE: AB 1944 - Local Government: open and public meetings (Council approved support for AB 1944 at the March 8, 2022 meeting) • Support for AB 1944 Floor Alert (pending copy from Assembly Member Alex Lee’s Office)
C
ity Council Pillar: Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
• March 17, 2022 Support letter to Chair Richard Roth, Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee RE: SB 1407 - The Expanding Employee Ownership Act
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egislative Advocacy Principle: Protect and/or increase funding for specific programs and services.
• February 18, 2022 Support letter to Assembly Member Alex Lee and Senator Bob Wieckowski RE: City funding requests
• March 30, 2022 Support letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, and Congressman Ro Khanna RE: City funding requests
• April 26, 2022 Support Letter to Congressman Khanna RE: City’s Funding Request for Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection Project L
egislative Advocacy Principle: “Protect local revenue sources and prevent unfunded mandates.
• June 1, 2022 Oppose letter to Chair Phil Ting, Assembly Budget Committee and Chair Nancy Skinner, Senate Budget Committee RE: Excess Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) Trailer Bill Language
COVID-19 Legislation LAP
• March 25, 2022 Support letter to Assembly Member Timothy Grayson RE: AB 2179 - Extending State Eviction Protections
• March 25, 2022 Support letter to Senator Buffy Wicks RE: AB 2179 - Extending State Eviction Protections
Transportation Issues LAP
• April 1, 2022 Support letter to California Congressional Delegation RE: Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority’s Federal Earmark Request for Agnew Siding Track Infrastructure Project, Silicon Valley
• April 13, 2022 Joint support letter to Caltrain Delegation RE: Caltrain Electrification Funding
• May 10, 2022 Support letter to Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Speaker Anthony Rendon RE: $4.2B Bond Appropriation for California High-Speed Rail • June 9, 2022 Oppose unless amended letter to Assembly Member Marc Berman RE: AB 2181 – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Water Supply and Conservation LAP
• April 1, 2022 Support letter to Chair Patrick Leahy and Vice Chair Richard Shelby, Senate Committee on Appropriations RE: Congressionally Directed Spending Request for South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase 1) – Reaches 4/5 Levee Construction
• April 5, 2022 Joint support letter to Chair Patrick Leahy and Vice Chair Richard Shelby, Senate Committee on Appropriations RE: Congressionally Directed Spending Request for South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase 1) – Reaches 4/5 Levee Construction
• June 15, 2022 Joint support letter to Director Shalanda Young, Office of Management and Budget and Assistant Secretary Michael Connor, Army for Civil Works RE: South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase 1 Project
Multiple Legislative Priorities
• June 23, 2022 Bill analysis for June 23, 2022 Cities Association Legislative Action Committee Meeting
City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What's Possible
January 25, 2022
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
70 West Hedding Street
East Wing , 10th Floor
SanJose, CA 95110
Dear Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors:
Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Wat anabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, Distri ct 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Sud s J ain, District 5
Anthony J . Becker , District 6
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I am writing in support of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to preserve Sargent Ranch/Juristac as open space, which will allow this area of exceptional regional significance and habitat value to cont inue to bring benefit the City of Santa Clara as well as the region as a whole .
As the Sargent Ranch area is identified in the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan, and other regional habitat connectivity studies, as a critically important wildlife corridor linkin g the Santa Cruz Mountains, Gabilan Mountains, and Diablo Range; the City of Santa Clara's 2010-2035 General Plan names the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan as part of the City's vision of regional land use and transportation planning and coordination. It is the goal of the City of Santa Clara, as outlined in the 2010 -2035 General Plan, to protect and preserve cultural resources, as well as archaeological sites.
As the City of Santa Clara is located within the ancestral lands of Tamyen -speaking Oh lone peoples, whose descendants today belong to the Muwekma Ohlone Trib e, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and other tribal nations, Juristac is the location of historic ceremonial and sacred sites of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. This land is of paramount cultural and spiritual importance to them.
Therefore, the City of Santa Clara supports the efforts of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to preserve Sargent Ranch/Juristac as open space in perpetuity and to regain access to their cultura l and spiritua l sites at Juristic. For these reasons, the City Council of the City of Santa Clara urges the County of Santa Clara to deny approval of the permits for the proposed Sargent Quarry Project.
LisaM.G ~ ~
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
Mayor and Council Offices • 1500 Warbmton Avenue • Santa Clara, CA 95050 • Phon e ( 408) 615-2250 • Fax ( 408) 241-6771 • www.sa ntaclaraca.gov
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 11, 2022
The Honorable Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Chair, Assembly Local Government Committee
Capitol 10th and O St Offices, Suite 6350
Sacramento, California 95814
Re: AB 1944 (Lee) Local government: open and public meetings.
City of Santa Clara – Notice of Support
Dear Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry,
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I write in support of AB 1944 (Lee), which allows members of a local legislative body, upon majority vote, to waive the Brown Act requirements of publishing their private address on the meeting agenda and making addresses open to members of the public. The bill also requires a remote participation option for members of the public to address the body, only during meetings when the legislative body elects to use teleconferencing.
Like most local agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Santa Clara greatly benefited from the Brown Act flexibility allowances instated by Governor Newsom’s executive orders, and subsequent legislation enacted by AB 361 (R. Rivas, Statutes of 2021). These standards not only provided for the health and safety of the public and members of the legislative body, but also greatly increased public participation in council meetings. However, even with existing legislation, the protections are only in place during a declared state of emergency. In addition, if there is no majority vote every 30 days, members who choose to teleconference are required to make private addresses publicly known and accessible.
AB 1944 builds off of last year’s efforts by providing additional protections and flexibility to local agencies, whether there exists a state of emergency or not. AB 1944 aims to provide local agencies, and individual elected officials, a level of privacy by not requiring the disclo sure of the address of the remote participation location is a location that is not open to the public. The measure balances privacy with public access by requiring local agencies who have members that elect to participate remotely to also provide teleconferencing options for public participation, as well as video streaming of the meeting.
For these reasons, the City of Santa Clara supports AB 1944 (Lee).
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
cc: Assembly Member Alex Lee
Senator Bob Wieckowski
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1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 17, 2022
The Honorable Richard Roth
Chair, Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee 1021 O St., Ste. 3320
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support SB 1407 (Becker) – The Expanding Employee Ownership Act
Dear Senator Roth,
I am writing on behalf of the City of Santa Clara in support of Senate Bill 1407 (Becker) that will preserve California small business, bolster California workers, and create an overall more equitable economy by increasing awareness of and pathways to employee ownership.
SB 1407 will establish a dedicated hub within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO -Biz) that will help educate stakeholders, assist business owners and workers in navigating available resources, provide funding for technical assistance, and streamline and reduce barriers to the existing business transition process. These measures are critical to both increasing awareness of worker ownership and decreasing barriers to the model.
Employee ownership, in the forms o f worker cooperatives (co -ops) and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), are proven to benefit businesses, workers, and local economies. Worker -owned firms see stronger overall business performance and resilience during economic downturns. Workers at the se firms see greater wealth -building opportunities and increased job security compared to their counterparts at traditional businesses. Both evidence and experience suggest that employee ownership is a particularly powerful wealth -building opportunity for workers and communities of color; providing additional pathways for workers of color to become employee owners is an essential component of any strategy to address the racial wealth gap.
The City of Santa Clara recognizes the benefits of employee ownershi p, and in March 2020, adopted a Resolution in Support of Worker Cooperatives. The City also implemented a Worker Cooperative Initiative to support business owners and their workers to transition to employee ownership as a succession option. The resources d escribed in SB 1407 will support Santa Clara businesses, as well as businesses across the state.
Prior to the pandemic, California small businesses faced mounting pressures from an impending wave of retirement amongst business owners. A majority of busine ss owners do not have a formal succession plan, and most owners who try to sell their businesses cannot find a buyer. These challenges have been compounded by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought mass business closures. This dual crisis requires immediate and bold action.
As California continues to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic it has the opportunity to not only rebuild workplaces, but choose to invest in models that provide proven benefits to businesses, wor kers, and the community.
For these reasons, the City of Santa Clara supports SB 1407 (Becker) and respectfully requests your “Aye” vote.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
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City of
Santa Clara
The Center of What 's Possible
February 18, 2022
The Honorable Bob Wieckowski The Honorable Alex Lee
Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Anthony J. Becker
Raj Chahal
Kare n Hardy
Suds J ain
Kevin Park
Kathy Watanabe
California State Senator , 10th Senate District
1 oth and O Offices, Suite 6530
Assembly Member , 25th District
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: City of Santa Clara 2022 State Budget Request Letter Dear Senator Wieckowski and Assembly Member Lee:
1 oth and O Offices, Suite 6330
Sacramento, CA 95814
I am writing, on behalf of the City of Santa Clara, to express our appreciation for your representation of the City of Santa Clara , as well as the other residents of your districts. Your support for city priorities and projects initiatives is greatly appreciated and has helped improve the lives of our residents, as well as those who work and visit our community .
Like many other local public agencies in California, the City is quite interested in the upcoming FY 2022-23 state budget , and the opportunities that it may provide. The Governor's January Budget proposal contains numerous items that may serve as an opportunity for the city to compete for funding for key recreation, public safety, and transportation related projects.
As the Legislature undertakes its process of evaluating the Governor 's budget proposals , and incorporating legislative priorities, we wanted to provide you with information on four priority projects for the City of Santa Clara . The City would be interested in working with your offices to see if there is an opportunity for direct funding for these projects as part of the 2022 state budget process . The City's specific requests would be funding for the following projects:
1. Project Name: Magical Bridge All-Inclusive Playground in Central Park Amount Requested: $825,000
Project Description: This project would allow for the construction of a one-acre All-Inclusive Playground in Santa Clara's Central Park, ADA Renovation of the Arbor Area restroom and installation of shade structures in the Arbor Center group picnic area. Central Park serves thousands of residents of Santa Clara, and neighboring communities , of all ages and abilities annually since 1965. The Arbor Center Playground, Restroom building, and Arbor Center Picnic Area have been prioritized for rehabilitation and received initial funding from the City and Santa Clara County , as well as funds raised by the community. Funding from the state budget would allow the City to move forward with this project.
2. Project Name: Regional Public Safety Interoperable Radio Communications Amount Requested: $4,000,000
Project Description: The City of Santa Clara operates on a regional P25 digital radio system, managed by the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperab ility Authority (SVRIA) , for all emergency and non-essential communication. SVRIA member agencies include the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Sunnyvale, the County of Santa Clara , Valley Transportation Author ity, San Jose State University , among other entities.
This system allows public safety entities throughout the region interoperability in situations where a multi-jurisd ictional response is necessary, such as severe storm, flooding , wildfire , earthquake, active shooter, mutual aid situations , etc. This two-way radio infrastructure is also 1 critical in managing large-scale events at Levi's Stadium as local, state and federal law enforcement is necessary to carry out each event.
Santa Clara's portable and mobile radios needed to talk on this system is nearing the end of its useful life. The Police and Fire Departments will have the greatest operational need for the new equipment. The anticipated one-time costs for replacement of public safety (police and fire) portables, mobiles, and consoles are estimated to be approximately $4 million.
3. Project Name: Flood and Storm Drain Protection and Resiliency Amount Requested: $4,500,000
Project Description: Santa Clara has significant flood and storm drain facilities throughout the City (195 miles of storm pipe, 22 pump/lift stations, 2 retention basins, 618 trash capture devices) built mostly by private development in the 1970's and 1980's. This aging storm drain infrastructure requires significant investment to rehabilitate and reconstruct essential stormwater facilities to provide sustainable and resilient flood and storm water management. This funding will provide critical flood and storm drain protection for the City's residents and businesses by allowing the City to undertake significant efforts such as Storm Water Retention Basin Remediation, Storm Drain Slide Gate Rehabilitation, Storm Drain Pump Station Outfall Reconstruction , and other system wide improvements.
4. Project Name: Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvements Amount Requested: $4,900,000
Project Description: This funding would allow the City to improve one of the major intersections in North Santa Clara by adding vehicle lanes, bicycle lanes, and upgrade traffic signals. The project has nearly completed the engineering design phase, but will not be able to proceed to construction due to a funding shortfall. The Great America Parkway intersection connects the US-101 and State Route 237 freeways to key destinations in the heart of Silicon Valley, including Levi's Stadium (1 .1 million visitors in 2019), the Santa Clara Convention Center (318,000 visitors in 2019), Great America Amusement Park (1.5 million visitors in 2019), Mission Community College (serves over 10,000 students), Mercado Shopping Center (over 200,000 square feet of retail), as well as the headquarters of major companies like Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Applied Materials, Marvell Technology , and Chegg. In addition to serving these destinations , the City is working on Long Range Plans to add over 20,000 housing units, 12 million square feet of office space, and 2 million square feet of retail in the area that is served by this intersection. This project will allow the City to handle the current and growing number of residents and visitors that utilize this intersection , as well as make the necessary improvements to allow for the safe operation of non-vehicular users in this area.
Again, I want to thank you for your dedicated service on behalf of the City, our residents, and the surrounding community. I look forward to partnering with you and your offices on the possibility of securing state budget funding this year for these priority projects. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions, or need additional information, about any of the above projects. 2 1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 30, 2022
The Honorable Alex Padilla The Honorable Dianne Feinstein United States Senate United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building 331 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ro Khanna
United State House of Representatives
306 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Support for the City of Santa Clara Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Request
Dear Senator Padilla, Senator Feinstein, and Congressman Khanna:
I am writing to express my strong support for the City of Santa Clara’s four community project requests for which we are seeking funding: Regional Public Safety Interoperable Radio Communica tions, Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvement s, Fire Station Microgrid project, and the Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection project.
The City of Santa Clara is requesting funding for these four projects as they will enhanc e regional public safety response, improve mobility, increase climate resiliency, and provide flood protection benefits.
• Regional Public Safety Interoperable Radio Communications – The Santa Clara Police and Fire Departments respond to the daily needs of our community, and routinely prepare to respond to critical incidents in our City and region. In 2021, the Communications Center received 155,775 emergency and non -emergency calls fo r service. Of those, 61,421 were police calls for service, 15,050 were police self -initiated calls for service and 11,996 were fire calls for service. The portable and mobile radios that support these police, fire and medical emergencies are nearing the end of their useful life. The next generation of interoperable radio system would allow Santa Clara and other Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA) member agencies continued compatibility throughout the region on one centralized radio system in situations where a multi-jurisdictional and/or mutual aid response is necessary.
• Great America Parkway Congestion Relief and Multimodal Improvements – The project will widen roadways, install additional travel lanes, modify traffic signals, install buffered bicycle lanes, and reconstruct pavement at the Great America Parkway and Mission College Blvd intersection. The project was approved by the Santa Clara City Council in 20 18 to reduce traffic congestion anticipated by future development of over 20,000 housing units, 12 million sq ft of office, and 2 million sq ft of retail in the area that have been approved by the City. Over the next 20 years the City of
Santa Clara
The Cente:r ofWhat11 Possible
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Senator Padilla, Senator Feinstein, and Congressman Khanna Support for the City of Santa Clara Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Request March 30, 2022
project is anticipated to save 22 million hours of time, 10,300 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and 2.8 million gallons of fuel. These benefits achieve goals within the City of Santa Clara General Plan, the Valley Transportation Authority Congestion Management Program, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.
• Fire Station Microgrid Project – The City of Santa Clara’s electric utility, Silicon Valley Power, has developed a multi -benefit Fire Station Microgrid Pr oject which would accelerate microgrid technologies that provide community benefits through decarbonization and climate resiliency.
This integrated Fire Station Microgrid Project includes battery energy storage, photovoltaic (PV) solar, and Electrical Vehi cle (EV) charging infrastructure. The project would provide environmental benefits through the reduction of greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants while also creating resiliency and reliability through centralized emergency services that support City operations and the community during catastrophic events, including those caused by climate change.
• Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection Project - This Anna Drive Flood Protection project is one of the highest priority flood protection storm drain system improvement projects identified in the City’s Storm Drain Master Plan. The Anna Drive neighborhood east of San Tomas Aquino Creek has experienced frequent minor flooding during annual storm events. Hundreds of residents and businesses will benefit by receiving enhanced flood protection from the project. The project will meet current flood protection requirements by upsizing the existing storm drain system at Anna Drive east of San Tomas Aquino Creek.
These funds would transform the City of Santa Clara and provide long -term benefits to residents, businesses, and visitors, as well as to the broader Silicon Valley region. For these reasons, I ask that you give positive consideration to the City’s requests for funding.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
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1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
April 26, 2022
The Honorable Ro Khanna
United State House of Representatives
306 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Support for the City of Santa Clara Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Request – Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection Project
Dear Congressman Khanna:
I am writing to express my strong support for the City of Santa Clara’s Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection project for which we are seeking funding.
The Anna Drive Neighborhood Flood Protection project is one of the highest priority flood protection storm drain system improvement projects identified in the City’s Storm Drain Master Plan. The Anna Drive neighborhood east of San Tomas Aquino Creek has experienced frequent minor flooding during annual storm events. The project will meet current flood protection requirements by upsizing an existing storm drain system at Anna Drive east of San Tomas Aquino Creek in which approximately 4,000 linear feet of storm drain pipeline ranging in diameters between 12 -inch and 48-inch will be improved.
Hundreds of residents and businesses will benefit and receive flood protection from the project and local waterbodies will be protected by the reduction of sanitary sewer overflows.
These funds would transform the City of Santa Clara and provide long-term benefits to residents and businesses, as well as to the broader Silicon Valley region. For these reasons, I ask that you give positive consideration to the City’s request for funding.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
- · of - City Clara
Sa nt~hat> Pos9ibl, The Cente:r o
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1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
June 1, 2022
The Honorable Phil Ting
Chair, Assembly Budget Committee
1021 O Street, Suite 8230
Sacramento, CA 95814
The Honorable Nancy Skinner
Chair, Senate Budget Committee
1021 O Street, Suite 8630
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: May Revise – Excess ERAF Trailer Bill Language -- OPPOSE
Dear Chairperson Ting and Chairperson Skinner:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I write to convey opposition to a revised proposed trailer bill released in connection with the May Budget Revision currently titled “Act to Amend Section 97.70 of Revenue and Taxation Code relating to taxation and making an appropriation therefor.” This proposed trailer bill, like a previous version, would change current law in a way that would significantly harm cities and counties by permanently “capping” the Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) money that would be returned to them after schools have been fully funded and, instead, use such local tax revenues to pay the State’s in-lieu Vehicle License Fee (VLF) obligation.
In 2004, the State p ermanently lowered the VLF, which reduced funding for cities and counties by approximately $4.4 billion (in 2004 dollars). To mitigate this impact, the State agreed to backfill the lost VLF revenues dollar -for-dollar by reducing property tax revenues that are required to be shifted from cities, counties, and special districts to the countywide ERAF by the amount of the countywide VLF adjustment amount, knows as the VLF Swap. However, in those instances where there are insufficient funds to cover the VLF adj ustment, the state has provided annual appropriations to make up for the revenue shortfalls.
The law that codified this compromise and remains in effect, explicitly provides that cities and counties’ excess ERAF monies are not available to pay the State’s VLF obligation. When this compromise was reached, neither local agencies nor the Legislature anticipated that the two funding sources to pay the State’s in-lieu VLF obligation would ever be insufficient to do so. In recent years, however, VLF revenue shortfalls have occurred and, as a result, cities and counties have been required to make special appropriation requests to receive their full amount of VLF in arrears.
The State is now proposing to address this shortfall by taking local agencies’ own funds t o pay for the State’s VLF obligation. Specifically, this bill would amend Revenue & Taxation Code § 97.70(f)(1) to reverse the current statutory restriction on using local agencies’ excess ERAF and instead permanently cap it so that future growth can be used to fund the State’s VLF obligation. This fundamental change runs counter to the 2004 agreement that resulted in Proposition 1A. It also goes against constitutional provisions City of
Santa Clara
The Cente:r ofWhat11 Possible
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Letter of Support May Revise – Excess ERAF Trailer Bill Language -- OPPOSE June 1, 2022
approved by the voters, including Proposition 1A and 22, that prohibit the Sta te from using local agency funds to pay for its responsibilities. Indeed, the act would penalize local agencies that seek to defend their constitutional rights by including a provision to immediately terminate State funding for shortfalls if its cap on excess ERAF is invalidated in Court.
As such, we urge you to reject this trailer bill language so that none of its amendments to Revenue and Taxation Code § 97.70 are enacted into law.
The City of Santa Clara strongly opposes the proposed trailer bill offered in the May Revise. The trailer bill reneges on commitments that the State previously enacted into law regarding the source of VLF funding, violates State constitutional provisions that prohibit such raids of local funds and the 2004 budget compromise b etween the State and local agencies. The State must fund its VLF obligation without diverting funds from local agencies’ budgets.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
cc: The Honorable Alex Lee, California State Assembly
The Honorable Bob Wieckowski, California State Senate
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1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 25, 2022
The Honorable Timothy S. Grayson
California State Assembly
State Capitol
1021 O Street, Room 5510
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SUPPORT AB 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) – Extending State Eviction Protections
Dear Assemblymember Grayson:
I am writing on behalf of the City of Santa Clara in support of Assembly Bill 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) that will extend eviction protections through June 30.
As you know, AB 832 protected tenants who had unpaid rent between March 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022, from being evicted from their homes. These protections are set to expire on April 1, which will cause many families in vulnerable situations to lose their housing. AB 2179 would provide City of Santa Clara residents who have followed the procedural protec tions in AB 832 and applied for State rent relief – or whose landlords have applied on their behalf – with more time to pay back rent and to remain in their homes.
The City of Santa Clara supports state efforts to help mitigate the economic impacts from the coronavirus on the City’s residents. Early in the pandemic the City passed a local eviction moratorium, supported County relief efforts, and created a $1.6 million local emergency rental assistance program to help tenants that were struggling due to COVID-19 related hardships. Unfortunately, these efforts will not be enough to prevent an eviction cliff if protections expire at the end of the month.
In the City of Santa Clara, 1,666 households have applied for State rent relief. However, as of March 25, 2022, only 570 households have received funding thus far, leaving over 1,000 households in jeopardy of being evicted as the AB 832 expiration date approaches.
For these reasons, the City of Santa Clara supports Assembly Bill 2179 (Grayson & Wicks).
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
Assemblymember Grayson
Re: SUPPORT AB 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) – Extending State Eviction Protections March 25, 2022
cc:
Members, Assembly Judiciary Committee
Members, Senate Judiciary Committee
The Honorable Anthony Rendon, California State Assembly, Assembly Speaker The Honorable Toni G. Atkins, California State Senate, Senate President Pro Tempre Governor Gavin Newsom
The Honorable Marc Berman, California State Assembly
The Honorable Josh Becker, California State Senate
Seth Miller, League of California Cities, Regional Public Affairs Manager [email protected] Meg Desmond, League of California Cities, [email protected] City Council
CM, CA- Interim, ACM-COO, ACM-CDD, ACDD, Housing Manager, ATCM-Gilmore
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
March 25, 2022
The Honorable Buffy Wicks
California State Assembly
State Capitol
1021 O Street, Room 4240
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: SUPPORT AB 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) – Extending State Eviction Protections
Dear Assemblymember Wicks:
I am writing on behalf of the City of Santa Clara in support of Assembly Bill 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) that will extend eviction protections through June 30.
As you know, AB 832 protected tenants who had unpaid rent between March 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022, from being evicted from their homes. These protections are set to expire on April 1, which will cause many families in vulnerable situations to lose their housing. AB 2179 would provide City of Santa Clara residents who have followed the procedural protec tions in AB 832 and applied for State rent relief – or whose landlords have applied on their behalf – with more time to pay back rent and to remain in their homes.
The City of Santa Clara supports state efforts to help mitigate the economic impacts from the coronavirus on the City’s residents. Early in the pandemic the City passed a local eviction moratorium, supported County relief efforts, and created a $1.6 million local emergency rental assistance program to help tenants that were struggling due to COVID-19 related hardships. Unfortunately, these efforts will not be enough to prevent an eviction cliff if protections expire at the end of the month.
In the City of Santa Clara, 1,666 households have applied for State rent relief. However, as of March 25, 2022, only 570 households have received funding thus far, leaving over 1,000 households in jeopardy of being evicted as the AB 832 expiration date approaches.
For these reasons, the City of Santa Clara supports Assembly Bill 2179 (Grayson & Wicks).
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
.~It~ Af tss10N c
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Assemblymember Wicks
Re: SUPPORT AB 2179 (Grayson & Wicks) – Extending State Eviction Protections March 25, 2022
cc:
Members, Assembly Judiciary Committee
Members, Senate Judiciary Committee
The Honorable Anthony Rendon, California State Assembly, Assembly Speaker The Honorable Toni G. Atkins, California State Senate, Senate President Pro Tempre Governor Gavin Newsom
The Honorable Marc Berman, California State Assembly
The Honorable Josh Becker, California State Senate
Seth Miller, League of California Cities, Regional Public Affairs Manager [email protected] Meg Desmond, League of California Cities, [email protected] City Council
CM, CA- Interim, ACM-COO, ACM-CDD, ACDD, Housing Manager, ATCM-Gilmore
April 13, 2022
Re: Support for Caltrain Electrification Funding
Dear Caltrain Delegation Member,
As Mayors representing the communities along the Caltrain corridor, we are writing to express our strong support for the Caltrain Electrification Project. The Project will be transformational to our communities as the State of California’s first electrified commuter rail system, spanning 51- miles between San Francisco and San Jose. The project will modernize the 150-year-old rail corridor, replacing 75% of the existing aging diesel fleet with high-performance electric trains and lay the foundation for the State’s future high-speed rail system.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure which will support clean transportation, mitigate climate change impacts, and lead to the creation of thousands of jobs. The Caltrain Electrification Project (Project) embodies all these priorities, is currently under construction and can be delivered within this Administration.
Passengers will be riding the state-of-the-art electric system in 2024 if Caltrain can secure additional resources to complete the Project. Caltrain needs $410M of additional funding to bring electrified commuter rail service to the San Francisco Bay Area residents and workers.
Creating Jobs in 36 States
The Project has already created thousands of jobs in California and contributed to job creation in 36 States across the county. With additional resources to complete the project, over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs will be sustained and created over the next few years.
Not only does the Caltrain Electrification Project support manufacturing jobs, it also contributes to the continued economic growth of Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Caltrain serves some of the world’s most innovative and fastest-growing companies who contribute economic strength to the national economy.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Single occupancy vehicles are one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in California. Caltrain Electrification and the future Caltrain Service Vision expansion will deliver tremendous environmental benefits to the region by replacing an aging, polluting diesel fleet with electric trains and expanding capacity to carry more riders.
When the Caltrain corridor becomes an entirely zero-emission corridor (as articulated in the Service Vision), it will support ridership of 180,000 Caltrain passengers every weekday — the equivalent of adding 5.5 new freeway lanes worth of capacity to US 101, reduce 110 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every day and take nearly a million vehicle miles off Bay Area roads.
Advancing Equity & Diversifying Ridership
Before the pandemic, Caltrain was the 7th largest commuter rail system in the country and the most efficient commuter railroad in terms of its farebox recovery and passengers carried per mile. Caltrain has made service changes to recapture ridership and is working to serve a more diverse group of riders beyond traditional commuter rail customers. In fall 2021, Caltrain changed the schedule to provide more service throughout the day and during off-peak hours that is more relevant and useful to the needs of lower income riders and essential workers who do not always travel during peak commute times. With electrified service, Caltrain will be able to provide even more trains throughout the day to serve all riders along the corridor.
Creating the First Electrified Segment of the California High Speed Rail System The Project’s success will shape the future of rail in the region, state, and nation. The core of California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (CHSRA) northern section will run from San Francisco to San Jose and will blend with Caltrain operations. In the future, CHSRA will operate on Caltrain’s tracks and use the new overhead contact system being installed for the Caltrain Electrification project. Essentially, the Caltrain corridor will be the first electrified section of the statewide California High-Speed Rail project.
Entering the Last Phase of Construction
Caltrain has made significant progress on the Electrification Project that began construction in 2017 and continued throughout the pandemic. The civic work is now complete. In January 2022, the last of all 3,092 foundations was installed. In the spring, the first high-performance electric trains will arrive on the corridor after extensive testing at 110 mph in Pueblo, Colorado. Full corridor testing will start in 2023 and passenger service on the Caltrain corridor is on track for 2024.
Closing the Funding Gap
The total project cost is $2.44 billion, with over 58% secured by local and State sources. Federal sources (Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant Program, formula, and American Rescue Plan) accounts for 42% of the total project costs.
Recently, Caltrain identified a $410 million funding gap due to delays and cost increases arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, unforeseen site conditions, and resolution of commercial disputes with the contractor on the signal system scope and outstanding change orders.
Securing supplemental federal funds is imperative as local funds need to be prioritized for
operations and maintaining a safe system. Funding from the IIJA would help Caltrain meet the funding gap and deliver a legacy project for the nation.
This transformational project is close to the finish line. We look forward to working closely with you to ensure this project is delivered to our residents in 2024. Thank you in advance for your consideration of our important request.
Sincerely,
London N. Breed
Mayor, City and County of San Francisco
Sam Liccardo
Mayor, City of San Jose
Julia Mates
Mayor, City of Belmont
Coleen Mackin
Mayor, City of Brisbane
Ricardo Ortiz
Mayor, City of Burlingame
Marie Blankley
Mayor, City of Gilroy
Betsy Nash
Mayor, City of Menlo Park
Rich Constantine
Mayor, City of Morgan Hill
Lucas Ramirez
Mayor, City of Mountain View
Patrick Burt
Mayor, City of Palo Alto
Giselle Hale
Mayor, City of Redwood City
Rico E. Medina
Mayor, City of San Bruno
Sara McDowell
Mayor, City of San Carlos
Rick Bonilla
Mayor, City of San Mateo
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
Mark Nagales
Mayor, City of South San Francisco
cc: Michelle Bouchard, Acting Executive Director, Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board of Directors
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
April 1, 2022
California Congressional Delegation
Washington, DC
Subject: Support for Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority’s (CCJPA) Federal Earmark Request - Agnew Siding Track Infrastructure Project, Silicon Valley
Dear Senator or Representative,
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I am writing in support of CCJPA’s federal funding request in the amount of $6 million for the Agnew Siding project as a part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 appropriations process. The Agnew Siding will be developed in Santa Clara County in the City of Santa Clara, California, on the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) track immediately south of Levi’s Stadium and the Great America Station. The new siding will be located in the middle of a 12-mile stretch of single-track territory, providing an opportunity for a critical passing point through this long section. CCJPA leads the project in partnership with UP which, when completed, will improve the reliability of service for Capitol Corridor, Altamont Commuter Express (ACE), Amtrak long-distance, and Caltrain passenger trains, as well as UP freight trains, with cascading benefits extending throughout the Northern California Megaregion.
Agnew Siding will provide numerous economic, environmental, safety, and service reliability benefits for the region, including:
• Stimulation of economy through the creation of approximately 170 jobs; • Improvement in air quality by mitigating GHG emissions from idle trains; • Reduction in passenger and freight train delays impacting a complex network of systems; • Strengthened passenger and train operator safety with reduced train-to-train conflicts; • Reduction of noise pollution for surrounding residential communities; • Increased ridership through improved service reliability; and • Storage of special train equipment for high volume sports and entertainment events.
As part of the region’s transportation network, Capitol Corridor and other passenger train services provide vital economic linkages not only to events, but on a daily basis with low-carbon intensive access to jobs, business meetings, and leisure trips for individuals and families of all ages. The Agnew Siding project is a solution to train congestion in Silicon Valley that will accrue across the rail network extending from Sacramento to Stockton, California.
For these reasons, we strongly support the CCJPA’s request for federal funds to support the Agnew Siding project.
City of
Santa Clara
The Cente:r ofWhat11 Possible
•
: >: ,_ . -:o • •
• •••••••••
Support for Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority’s (CCJPA) Federal Earmark Request - Agnew Siding Track Infrastructure Project, Silicon Valley
April 1, 2022
If you have any questions, please reach out to Christine Jung, Assistant to the City Manager, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
May 10, 2022
President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins
1021 O Street, Suite 8518
Sacramento, CA 95814
Speaker Anthony Rendon
State Capitol, Room 219
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Letter of Support for $4.2 bond appropriation for California High-Speed Rail
Dear President Pro Tempore Atkins and Speaker Rendon,
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I am writing to urge the California State Legislature to approve the $4.2 billion voter-approved bond appropriation for the California High-Speed Rail project included in Governor Newsom’s Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Budget.
The ongoing spike in gas prices shows that California voters were wise to vote in favor of Prop 1A in 2008. High-speed rail is how we break free from oil – as well as the enormous burdens it places on consumers, communities and the climate.
Fourteen years later, the majority of California voters continue to support the high-speed rail project.
According to a new Los Angeles Times - Berkeley poll, 56% of registered voters in California want to continue building the high-speed rail project, including 73% of registered Democrats and 54% of Independents.
Beyond the Central Valley, where construction is underway, support for the project is strong. 59% of L.A.
County voters support continued construction of the project – including 32% who strongly favor continued construction – while only 29% oppose it. And 65% of Bay Area voters support continued construction, while 27% oppose it.
As the Legislature reviews Governor Newsom’s budget request, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is competing for billions of dollars in competitive grant opportunities in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as well as billions more in the pending budget reconciliation bill, which includes $10 billion in dedicated funding for high-speed rail projects.
City of
Santa Clara
The Cente:r ofWhat11 Possible
•
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• •••••••••
Letter of Support for $4.2 bond appropriation for California High -Speed Rail May 10, 2022
Approval of the $4.2 billion bond appropriation will signal continued support by the State of California, giving the Biden Administration an incentive to provide significant federal investments for the project.
Approving these funds will also make it easier for our coalition to advocate for new federal funding for the California High-Speed Rail project.
Together, these state and federal investments will help expedite the completion of an initial operating segment while advancing construction on the project's critical bookends in the Los Angeles Basin and the Bay Area.
While project costs continue to generate news, we must keep in mind that building the equivalent highway or aviation capacity would cost nearly twice as much as finishing the job on California’s high- speed rail project.
Meanwhile, The California High-Speed Rail Authority is moving beyond the issues of the past and making significant strides forward. The project has created 7,800 labor jobs, $5.2 billion in labor income and $13.7 billion in economic output. Daily construction jobs have tripled since 2018. 90% of the parcels needed for construction in the Central Valley have been purchased. And the Authority estimates the entire 500-mile system will be fully environmentally cleared by Fiscal Year 2023/24.
America’s effort to decarbonize transportation depends on the completion of the California High-Speed Rail project. Once the Los Angeles-to-San Francisco line is up and running, it will slash emissions by an average of 2 million metric tons annually – equivalent to saving 225 million gallons of gas and taking 432,000 cars off the road every single year.
To achieve sustainability, we need high-speed rail. There is no cheaper or better alternative to addressing the state’s transportation and oil dependency challenges. As a recent New York Times article stated, the California High-Speed Rail project is the most visible test of whether America can complete “the transformative projects necessary to confront 21st century challenges.”
Please support for this monumental effort and show the nation that America’s most advanced bullet train project is moving full speed ahead.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
cc: The Honorable Phil Ting, Chair, Assembly Budget Committee The Honorable Vince Fong, Vice Chair, Assembly Budget Committee The Honorable Nancy Skinner, Chair, Senate Budget Committee The Honorable Jim Nielsen, Vice Chair, Senate Budget Committee • • •
: >: I-•
. -:o • • •
•
LAR4
• • • • • • • • • • •
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
June 9, 2022
The Honorable Marc Berman
Assembly Member, District 24
1021 O Street, Suite 6130
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 2181 (Berman) SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY – OPPOSE
UNLESS AMENDED
Dear Senator Berman:
On behalf of the City of Santa Clara, I am writing to express the City’s oppose unless amended position to AB 2181 (Berman). AB 2181 proposes signi ficant changes to the membership and governance of the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) by reducing the elected representation of the Board of Directors and significantly modifying the agreed upon process by which five seats are app ointed by 14 of the 15 cities within the Santa Clara County.
These changes have the potential to limit Santa Clara’s voice regarding critical regional transportation issues and projects as rank choice voting could leave Santa Clara’s elected officials without direct guaranteed representation either as a voting member or an alternate on the VTA Board.
VTA's decisions related to transit service levels in each city and funding for road pavement maintenance, active transportation improvements, and major infrastructure such as BART Phase 1 and 2 directly affect each city's ability to plan for its transportation needs to support community land-use plans and projects. To fulfill the State’s ambitious housing targets which have been primarily focused on transit -oriented development, it is critical that the City of Santa Clara be afforded equitable access to critical transportation funding to help meet our required regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) goals. On the horizon, Santa Clara is seeing significant development growth opportunities and require an active partnership with the County’s regional transportation planning agency (i.e. VTA) as regional solutions will be key to creating sustainable and livable communities for our current and future residents and b usinesses. Reducing opportunities for Santa Clara’s elected officials to have a voice on the VTA Board runs contrary to our goal to be actively engaged in transportation solutions affecting our community.
An active partnership between the VTA Board of Directors and cities includes understanding each city's community needs and priorities. However, AB 2181 in its current form runs counter to this important goal. Notably, AB 2181 would require ranked choice voting among 14 cities (e.g., all the cities within Santa Clara County except for San Jose) to compete for five seats on the VTA Board.
Under AB 2181, at least two but no more than three seats, would be for elected officials representing the 14 cities, and the remaining two seats would be filled by communit y members.
City of
Santa Clara
The Cente:r ofWhat11 Possible
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• •••••••••
AB 2181 (Berman) SANTA CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY – OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED June 9, 2022
Allowing only up to three elected officials from 14 cities is not sufficient representation.
Additionally, the selected community members would have no accountability to voters in our cities while making significant funding decisions on critical transportation projects. Further, the ranked choice voting process does not guarantee that Santa Clara will have representation on the VTA Board. With the extension of VTA Board member terms to four years from two years and ranked choice voting, Santa Cla ra elected officials could be left voiceless on the VTA Board of Directors for an extended amount of time. Finally, AB 2181 will have lasting impacts for all residents and businesses within the Santa Clara County and must include a significant public input and outreach process with affected communities.
If the intent of this bill is to provide a more experienced, transparent, and regionally focused VTA Board to better meet Santa Clara County's complex transportation needs, we suggest that a series of publ ic workshops be conducted with all affected agencies and communities in Santa Clara County to fully discuss the various options related to VTA Governance reform. Additionally, a Countywide community survey is needed to provide all agencies with a better sense of what our community desires from the VTA as a transportation agency.
While we appreciate the effort to bring needed changes to the VTA governance structure, as proposed, we firmly believe this will disenfranchise our community members and neighbo ring jurisdictions and reduce Santa Clara’s voice on regional transportation policy, programs, projects, and funding. It is our hope that we can collaboratively work with the Legislature to address our concerns; however, we must regretfully oppose AB 2181 unless amended as currently drafted.
Should you have any questions regarding our position, please contact our legislative advocate, Casey Elliott, with Townsend Public Affairs, at (916) 447-4086.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
cc:
The Honorable Alex Lee, California State Assembly
The Honorable Bob Wieckowski, California State Senate
Members, Senate Transportation Committee
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Board of Directors Seth Miller, League of California Cities Regional Public Affairs Manager, [email protected]
Meg Desmond, League of California Cities, [email protected]
: >-: I-. -:o •
1500 Warburton Avenue ● Santa Clara, CA 95050 ● Phone: 408-615-2200 ● Fax: 408-241-6771 ● www.SantaClaraCA.gov Mayor
Lisa M. Gillmor
Councilmembers
Kathy Watanabe, District 1
Raj Chahal, District 2
Karen Hardy, District 3
Kevin Park, District 4
Suds Jain, District 5
Anthony J. Becker, District 6
April 1, 2022
The Honorable Patrick Leahy
Chairman, Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Room S-128, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Richard Shelby
Vice Chairman, Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Room S-128, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
RE: Support for Congressionally Directed Spending Request – South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase 1) – Reaches 4/5 Levee Construction
Dear Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby:
As mayors representing communities along the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline that are vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal flooding, we write to express our strong support for a $10 million appropriation for levee work on Reaches 4/5 of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline (Phase I) Project (Shoreline Project), which will protect Silicon Valley and the disadvantaged community of Alviso from coastal flooding due to sea level rise and intensified storms due to climate change.
The Shoreline Project is a multi -benefit flood protectio n and sea level rise adaptation project that is a collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the California State Coastal Conservancy, and Valley Water (the Santa Clara Valley Water District). The project will provide one -hundred-year coastal flood protection, including for future sea level rise through 2067, for over 5,000 structures, highways, airports, sewage treatment plants, utility infrastructure, and the heart of California’s technology economy. The Shoreline Project will protect a disadvantaged community, critical public and private infrastructure, and the San José -Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility that serves much of Silicon Valley, all in conjunction with the largest wetlands restoration in the western U.S.
In late February 2021, the Corps produced a new certified cost estimate for the project that identified a federal funding shortfall of $91 million for the construction of Phase I of the project. The request for $10 million for levee work on Reaches 4/5 of Phase I of t he Shoreline Project would help reduce this federal funding shortfall. It also would ensure continued progress toward the completion of a sea level rise resilience project to protect the disadvantaged community of Alviso, critical state and local infrastructure, and numerous Silicon Valley economic assets.
Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby
Re: Support for Congressionally Directed Spending Request – South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase 1) – Reaches 4/5 Levee Construction
April 1, 2022
Ensuring progress on the Phase I project will also help ensure that future phases move forward. The Phase II feasibility study, currently underway, aims to provide protection for approximately 5,000 at-risk homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Palo Alto and Mountain View, including the Bay Area’s fourth busiest airport; U.S. Highway 101, a critical artery that serves Silicon Valley; and the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant. The Phase III feasibility study, which has yet to receive federal funding, would study a project to protect homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, including leading Silicon Valley businesses like Google, Lockheed Martin, the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Airfield, the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant, the Sunnyvale Solid Waste Recycling and Transfer Station, and California State Route 237.
Given the critical importance of protecting our communities and the S ilicon Valley region against the accelerating impacts of climate change and sea level rise, we strongly urge you to use some of the Corps’ historic levels of funding to assist with the advancement of the Shoreline Project.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
April 5, 2022
The Honorable Patrick Leahy
Chairman, Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Room S-128, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Richard Shelby
Vice Chairman, Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Room S-128, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
RE: Support for Congressionally Directed Spending Request – South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase 1) – Reaches 4/5 Levee Construction
Dear Chairman Leahy and Vice Chairman Shelby:
As mayors representing communities along the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline that are vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal flooding, we write to express our strong support for a $10 million appropriation for levee work on Reaches 4/5 of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline (Phase I) Project (Shoreline Project), which will protect Silicon Valley and the disadvantaged community of Alviso from coastal flooding due to sea level rise and intensified storms due to climate change.
The Shoreline Project is a multi-benefit flood protection and sea level rise adaptation project that is a collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the California State Coastal Conservancy, and Valley Water (the Santa Clara Valley Water District). The project will provide one-hundred-year coastal flood protection, including for future sea level rise through 2067, for over 5,000 structures, highways, airports, sewage treatment plants, utility infrastructure, and the heart of California’s technology economy. The Shoreline Project will protect a disadvantaged community, critical public and private infrastructure, and the San José- Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility that serves much of Silicon Valley, all in conjunction with the largest wetlands restoration in the western U.S.
In late February 2021, the Corps produced a new certified cost estimate for the project that identified a federal funding shortfall of $91 million for the construction of Phase I of the project.
The request for $10 million for levee work on Reaches 4/5 of Phase I of the Shoreline Project would help reduce this federal funding shortfall. It also would ensure continued progress toward
the completion of a sea level rise resilience project to protect the disadvantaged community of Alviso, critical state and local infrastructure, and numerous Silicon Valley economic assets.
Ensuring progress on the Phase I project will also help ensure that future phases move forward.
The Phase II feasibility study, currently underway, aims to provide protection for approximately 5,000 at-risk homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Palo Alto and Mountain View, including the Bay Area’s fourth busiest airport; U.S. Highway 101, a critical artery that serves Silicon Valley; and the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant. Phase II received $1.7 million under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to complete the study. The Phase III feasibility study, which received $1.5 million under the IIJA, will study a project to protect homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, including leading Silicon Valley businesses like Google, Lockheed Martin, the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Airfield, the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant, the Sunnyvale Solid Waste Recycling and Transfer Station, and California State Route 237.
Given the critical importance of protecting our communities and the Silicon Valley region against the accelerating impacts of climate change and sea level rise, we strongly urge you to use some of the Corps’ historic levels of funding to assist with the advancement of the Shoreline Phase I Project.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sam Liccardo
Mayor, City of San José
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor, City of Santa Clara
Lucas Ramirez
Lucas Ramirez
Mayor, City of Mountain View
Larry Klein
Mayor, City of Sunnyvale
Cc: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla
U.S. Representative Ro Khanna
U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren
U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo
U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta
June 15, 2022
The Honorable Shalanda Young
Director
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20503
The Honorable Michael Connor
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
108 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-0108
Re: South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Phase I Project
Dear Director Young and Secretary Connor:
As mayors representing vulnerable and disadvantaged communities struggling with the devastating impacts of sea level rise and coastal flooding, we write to express our strong support for upholding the federal government’s partnership and commitment to funding Phase I of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Shoreline Project). We understand that, without additional federal funding, this project – the first U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) coastal flood risk reduction project that incorporate sea level rise in its analysis – is at risk of not being completed. Time and time again Santa Clara County residents have voted to tax themselves to advance the Shoreline Project and similar efforts . We find it simply unacceptable to tell our constituents that this long-promised project – which began in 2005 and will reduce known flood risks for thousands of people, major businesses powering the global economy , and critical infrastructure assets – may not be realized. We need your help to get this project back on track.
The Shoreline Project, which took decades to study, plan, and design in partnership with the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), provides an unprecedented opportunity to advance our shared goals of climate adaptation and environmental justice. While this region, home to Silicon Valley, is an essential economic driver of t he nation and the world, it is also home to disadvantaged communities that are on the front lines of climate change. Phase I of the Shoreline Project, which is currently under construction but at risk of not being completed, includes the disadvantaged community of Alviso. Phase I of the Shoreline Project will provide not only coastal flood risk reduction but also protect ion for up to 2.6 feet of sea level rise to 2,220 residents and 1,100 structures, including an elementary school, fire station, library, and numerous small businesses.
Alviso sits 13 feet below sea level and has experienced up to 8 feet of flooding many times in the past. As sea levels continue to rise, this community cannot afford to endure any further project delays.
Each phase of the Shoreline Project, now being undertaken in three phases, is dependent upon the successful completion of Phase I. Once complete, the entire shoreline project will protect 18 miles of shoreline, and hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses spanning five cities across Silicon Valley . In each phase, critical infrastructure and federal assets will benefit fro m these esse ntial investments. Phase I is designed to protect the disadvantaged community of The Honorable Shalanda Young
The Honorable Michael Connor
Alviso, the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility, a facility that serves more than
1.5 million people (nearly the entire Santa Clara County population), the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center, and California State Route 237. The Phase II project in Palo Alto will protect the Bay Area’s fourth busiest airport, U.S. Highway 101 (a major artery for residents and commuters), and the Palo Alto Region al Water Quality Control Plant. The Phase III project will protect the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Federal Airfield, the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant, the Sunnyvale Solid Waste Recycling and Transfer Station , and California State Route 237. And all phases will protect global businesses that help fuel the region’s economy.
Flooding of any of this infrastructure could have a devastating financial impact on the region, state, and nation.
We understand that the Shoreline Project, like many major infrastructure projects across the country, has faced challenges such as cost overruns and numerous delays. Regardless of these challenges, the project is , without question, worth constructing. We strongly encourage you to work with the non-federal sponsors, Valley Water and the California State Coastal Conservancy, to find a path forward that completes the Phase I project expeditiously and upholds the federal government’s commitment to providing the full federal cost share.
The Shoreline Project is a priority for our cities and for the region. The future of climate adaptation projects in the Bay Area and beyond depend on the success of efforts like the Shoreline Project.
We cannot see it fail. Thank you for your attention to this urgent national matter.
Sincerely,
Sam Liccardo
Mayor
City of San José
Lisa M. Gillmor
Mayor
City of Santa Clara
Larry Klein
Mayor
City of Sunnyvale
Lucas Ramirez
Lucas Ramirez
Mayor
City of Mountain View
Cc by e-mail:
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senate
The Honorable Alex Padilla, U.S. Senate
The Honorable Zoe Lofgren, U.S. House of Representatives The Honorable Ro Khanna, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Anna Eshoo, U.S. House of Representatives The Honorable Jimmy Panetta, U.S. House of Representatives
1 June 23, 2022 Cities Association
Legislative Action Committee – Bill Analysis
Item 2. Discuss and Consider Bills for Potential Action Bill Number Summary Recommended
Position
Legislative Priority Alignment
AB 2011
(Wicks)
Would require
specified housing
development
projects to be a use
by right on sites
zoned for retail,
office, or parking if
certain requirements
are met related to
the development, as
well as the use of a
skilled and trained
workforce.
Strongly
Oppose
Housing LAP (Reduces local control)
AB 2097
(Friedman)
Prohibits a local
government from
imposing or
enforcing a minimum
automobile parking
requirement, on
residential,
commercial, or other
development if the
development is
located on a parcel
near public transit.
Oppose Housing LAP (Reduces local control)
SB 897
(Wieckowski)
Makes numerous
changes to existing
ADU law - including
requiring local
governments to allow
ADUs to be
constructed with a
height of up to 25
feet.
Oppose
Legislative Guiding Principal – Protect
and/or increase local government
discretion
SB 1087
(Gonzalez)
Would limit who can
legally sell and
purchase a detached
catalytic converter.
This measure would
make a violation of
this proposed law an
Support Public Safety LAP (Addresses crime trends
and attempts to curb illegal activity)
Legislative Action Committee – Bill Analysis
June 21, 2022
2 Bill Number Summary Recommended
Position
Legislative Priority Alignment
infraction punishable
with a fine between
$1,000 to $5,000.
Item 3. Other Bills for Consideration, Time Permitting
Bill Number Summary Recommended
Position
Legislative Priority Alignment
SB 917
(Becker)
Requires transit
agencies in MTC
service area to
establish a regional
transit coordinating
council. Requires
council to work with
MTC to adopt a
Connected Network
Plan, adopt an
integrated fare
structure, and
develop a regional
transit mapping and
wayfinding system.
Support Transportation Issues LAP (Integrate fare
payments/schedules/transfers/technology
across transit agencies)
AB 1985 (R.
Rivas)
Would create an
online database of
organic waste
products on the
market so local
governments can
connect with local
farmers and
community members
seeking their organic
waste products and
continue to the
conversation to
address the
procurement
requirements in the
SB 1383 regulations.
No Action Staff did not have enough time to review
after the revised agenda was posted.
Legislative Action Committee – Bill Analysis
June 21, 2022
3 Bill Number Summary Recommended
Position
Legislative Priority Alignment
AB 2120
(Ward)
Would ensure 55%
of the bridge funds
headed to California
through the federal
infrastructure
package are
allocated to local
projects through a
needs-based
allocation.
No Action Staff did not have enough time to review
after the revised agenda was posted.
SB 833
(Dodd)
Would create a grant
program for local
governments to
develop and
implement
community resiliency
plans and expedite
permitting for
distributed energy
resources.
Support Energy Legislation, Regulations, and
Issues LAP (Provide local public agencies
with financial resources to prepare for,
and mitigate the impacts from, planned
power outage events)