By Robert Haugh
The City has done a lot of public outreach for a $600 million infrastructure bond. Santa Clara residents even received a slick mailer that lists a lot of projects.
But at last night’s City Council meeting the public learned that those projects may not be built with the bond money.
“This is not the type of bond where you will fund specific projects.” City Manager Jovan Grogan said.
Most Council members were surprised. And there was some pushback.
“A bond like any other measure needs to be about transparency and keeping promises to residents and voters,” said Councilmember Kathy Watanabe.
Watanabe said the public has lost confidence and faith in City Hall. In recent polling, the City Council’s approval rating is at a historic low point.
Watanabe proposed transparency and specificity. “So that people know what exactly this money is going to be used for,” she said.
Grogan said that the next month the City Staff would come up with an “Intended Expenditure Plan.”
That plan would include a list of projects in various categories.
But the list won’t be a guarantee because the City Council will make all final decisions on project spending.
A handful of public speakers also expressed reservations about an infrastructure bond measure being vague.
Some were concerned about bond money being siphoned off to be used for the stadium – a real possibility with the 49er Five making the final decisions.
Speakers representing the local swim community urged that the International Swim Center be included specifically in the bond. But they did not say if they would oppose it if it was not included.
According to the polling, the bond measure is near the 55 percent support level.
That would be enough for a November victory, but only if ACA1, a statewide measure passes that lowers the current threshold for local government bond measures.
According to pollster Ben Tulchin, local firefighters and police are two of the top trusted information sources.
Coincidentally, some residents were recently polled and asked about a smaller bond measure that would be dedicated to fire and police facilities.
That’s started some speculation the Santa Clara Police Officers Association and the Santa Clara Firefighters Local 1171 might be working on their own effort.
