By Robert Haugh
On Tuesday, Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Councilwoman Kathy Watanabe wrote a Santa Clara News Online (SCNO) op-ed calling City staff’s proposed infrastructure bond a “blank check” that “lacks serious accountability” and was too big.
They proposed a smaller bond with specific, guaranteed projects so Santa Clarans would know what they were paying for and what would get built.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Gillmor and Watanabe prevailed.
(Technically, it was Wednesday morning. The meeting ended after 2 a.m. When you attack the Grand Jury, it takes up a lot of time.)
On a 6-1 vote, the Council approved a $400 million bond. Councilmember Kevin Park was the lone no vote.
Before the vote, Park said that he wanted to spend $500 million but he never specified what projects he would fund with the extra money. No Councilmembers agreed with his proposal. Ouch.
Park also was unhappy that a “minority” on the Council was dictating the size of the bond and did it by “writing (an oped) and trying to legitimize a blog .” (Double Ouch – on SCNO)
Park also suggested before the vote that he might oppose it and that the Council would not be unanimous.
City Manager Jovan Grogan has said publicly for weeks that unanimous Council support would be critical to passing the bond because of the weak polling numbers.
After the 6-1 vote, Gillmor said “It’s not unanimous. Are we moving ahead?”
“The Council passed it with more than (the legally required) five votes,” Grogan said. “We’ll move ahead.” (Triple Ouch – on Park).
City Staff will return next week with language that specifies an infrastructure bond that will fund specific projects that Gillmor and Watanabe proposed:
An accountability plan will also be established so that any changes to the project list will require City staff recommendation, review by a citizen Oversight Committee, and a unanimous City Council vote for approval.
Grogan invested a lot of time and City resources into trying to get the Council to approve a larger bond with general categories and no specific projects that he would commit to being built.
Grogan lost his battle and was visibly upset after the vote.
At the end of the meeting, the City Manager usually gives a brief report on major events from the past week like the July 4th event at Mission College, and thanks his staff for their hard work.
But this week, when asked if he had anything to report, Grogan said “none” and slumped back in his chair. You can watch his reaction here.
The Reclaiming Downtown group is in full propoganda mode right now on FB, thanking Grogan. They only want the “downtown” project to progress and don’t care the cost.
I would like to thank Mayor Gillmor and councilwoman Watanabe for proposing a more reasonable bond measure that guarantees accountability and transparency. Now this something I can vote for knowing where our tax dollars is being spent on.
There is no reason for the city manager to be giving even a brief report on the fourth of July event when it was already past two o’clock in the morning.
And I took a look back at the first city council meeting after independence day in 2019 and there was no report by the city manager on fourth of July events during that meeting.
https://www.youtube.com/live/4DogULwpdkM?si=JMtMnmGL085xVnKq&t=18740
I disagree that Jovan Gregory fought a “battle” for a larger bond amount or that he was “visibly upset.” His remarks on the subjects all sounded like reasonable comments. The number one thing he stressed was the importance of council unanimity for whatever would be put before the public to vote on and specifically said that this included a four hundred million dollar amount. He also stated that staff would be presenting specific projects and breakdowns at the next city council meeting.
I see nothing to object to in these two times when he spoke about the bond issue.
https://www.youtube.com/live/vPYsJmsE6H4?si=pKTmAnMlLlNzB-FE&t=28235
https://www.youtube.com/live/vPYsJmsE6H4?si=lHxYV25Q5I5kpnu2&t=30113
I see nothing in these statements but his professional and considered thoughts on the subject.
I do not understand why you write about the city manager in a way that is clearly meant to cast him in a negative light.
“Proverb. cooler heads will prevail. People who are calm and focused are the most likely to succeed or to have the greatest influence on events.”
Thank you, Mayor Gillmor and Councilmember Watanabe.
Wow, I guess we can see what kind of manager we are getting for our money. He would not last very long in a business setting, basically refusing to do his job if he didn’t get his way. His job was to report activities, even if briefly. I would have to review the proposed bond to see if I can support it. I hate borrowing money unless it is really necessary.
I agree with you. Especially with the debt CA faces now. Let’s keep our budget on solid ground