By Robert Haugh
The City Council started its budget process last night. Another hearing will be held on June 8.
And the budget is scheduled for adoption on June 22.
The expenditures in the FY 2021/22 Proposed Budget total approximately $1 billion. It’s a reduction of 15.5 percent from the FY 2020/21 Adopted Budget.
City revenues have taken a major hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, approximately $26 million of Federal stimulus funding will fill a big whole in the budget.
The City will use two rainy day funds to fill the remaining gaps.
$15.6 million will come from the Budget Stabilization Reserve.
And $3.2 million will come from the Land Sale Reserve.
Between the proposed budget and decisions made six months ago, 550 part-time or as-needed employees are being eliminated from the City and 57.5 full-time positions will be cut.
As expected, the meeting dragged on late. This is a bad habit for this new City Council. But last night, it was Vice Mayor Raj Chahal who wasted a lot of time regurgitating a debate and information from last year on the choice of garbage contracts.
We’ll have to report on other items in the coming days.
[…] The Santa Clara City budget totals about $1.2 billion between all funds. It was the third budget hearing in the last couple months as part of the budget process. […]
[…] City began budget deliberations this week. We learned that approximately $26 million in Federal stimulus funds will fill a big hole in the City’s […]
Gotta’ say I love garbage of all kinds. I don’t discriminate. What gets under my green fur is when people disrespect the garbage and messing it all up. Just leave the garbage alone.
There is great garbage right
In my neighborhood. I love it when it piles up on my street once a year. I go and visit the piles and pick up some new
Garbage for nothing. Imagine!
So just pay the damn rates. Stop playing games. You messed up the budget with your stupidity. I don’t want to offend anyone unfairly but their initials are Raj Chahal! LOL!
This is very irritating because
I love garbage.
If you don’t believe me, just listen to my I Love Trash song!
Oscar the Grouch checking in from District 2
Garbage rates? Who was it that was connected to a lawyer that was connected to waste management? Are there dots to be connected?
Can someone take out the trash already? No, not hash, Becker! I said trash. Is that why you were so confused? Or did someone text you not to support the motion THAT YOU SECONDED!!
Jed’s 3 million baby comes through again!
Time to take out the trash!
Something has to be done. The new members of City Council have done nothing but cause problems and issues where there are none. What has been accomplished since December? How long can we go on like this? They seem to like to hear themselves talk and do not stick to the agenda. Don’t know if the citizens can wait another three years to vote some of them out. And what is with Kevin Park staying in the dark? Makes you think he has something to hide………can’t wait until they return to chambers so we can watch from the audience.
Robert, I do a lot of business in Santa Clara and attended many council meetings in the past. What the hell has happened? The issue on parkland fees which I was at meeting for was scrapped and actually the rest of the meeting was scrapped due to the ridiculous amount of time spent on garbage rates! Raj Chahal usurped everyone’s time on an issue that was actually on the council agenda at a meeting I attended in 2019! Can you say deja vu? Only this was a nightmare deja vu!
I know I am an outsider looking in but it is clear Santa Clara city council has changed and not for the better. Whenever the parkland fee issue is rescheduled, I hope I don’t have same experience. What was on display last night was an embarrassment to the great city of Santa Clara.