By Robert Haugh
Kathy Watanabe receives commendations from the California Legislature for her service on the Council from newly elected Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens.
New Police Chief Cory Morgan is sworn in by his brother Scott Morgan.
Mayor Lisa Gilmor swears in new City Clerk Bob O’Keefe.
Newly elected Councilmember Albert Gonzalez is sworn in by his brother.
Newly elected City Councilmember Kelly Cox is sworn in by former Chamber President Christian Pellecchia.
“And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on”.
The 49ers have money… and currently 5 votes. With those same 5 votes comes control of all appointed positions. That’s just the way the ball bounces.
Thankfully we still have Elected Chief of Police, and Elected City Clerk.
I truly wish “Back to the Future” was real, and was an option….
I’d figure out a way to buy one of those cool Black DeLoreans and send our Mayor (Lisa Gillmor) and her new Vice Mayor (Kelly Cox), to travel back in time. Meet with the 49ers, thank them for their time, then tell them to look elsewhere.
Then have our Mayor and Vice Mayor tell all other potential Cities, what they might be up against. And to trust the NFL just as far as they can throw them.
Any legal documents, just need to be signed by both parties. These agreements need to be both “Legal and Binding”.
Sadly that’s how the NFL must be looked at in the future.
One lens…”Legal and Binding”.
You see that’s the huge difference between “Ignorance and Stupidity”
One of them is Temporary
So when did our Ignorance hurt us?
1. We trusted a NFL Franchise.
2. We then put the tenant in charge of the rental property.
We need to get control of our City Council again. Until then….
“And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on”…….
Burt Field
@Buchser,
By not reporting what he knew to be a crime to the City Attorney, Suds did indeed cover up for Becker. Park did too.
The carefully coordinated posting by CSC + Suds is not a coincidence. As if we cannot see through this smoke and mirrors campaign. Sad people doing pathetic things.
Anyone who has to spend so much time on the defensive is suspect. Just acknowledge the truth and you will sleep better.
Whatever Sudhanshu
Suds,
Looking forward to Robert continuing to
Live rent free in your head for the next four years.
It’s always entertaining to read your responses.
I hope at some point in the next 4 years you actually read the room and do something positive.
Good luck.
If the last 4 years didn’t teach him how to reach a room what makes you think he’s going to learn now? Last night’s “speech” was a regurgitation of his campaign stomp speech. After awhile, the narrative needs to change.
@Suds Sucks
You probably get all your “news” from this blog which is sad.
All the numbers I used are from City Staff reports. None are from the 49ers.
1. City of Santa Clara – File #_ 20-674_FY2020_Year_End_Budget_Report
https://santaclara.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=4651733&GUID=C9493B46-2B4B-43B4-8C58-50F08EB3A848&FullText=1
2. City of Santa Clara – File #_ 24-831_FY2024_Year_End_Budget_Report 2024 Year End Budget Report
https://santaclara.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7036666&GUID=4231B39F-7AEA-4F8F-867B-BB375D5EA517&Options=&Search=
3. City of Santa Clara official Press release on the Settlement
https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/santa-clara-stadium-authority/santa-clara-stadium-authority-news
4. SANTA CLARA STADIUM AUTHORITY FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT Quarter and Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2024
You probably wouldn’t read these reports anyway but here they are there for you.
Just reading your response is so demeaning and uncharacteristic of someone who is a public official. You should really be embarrassed. If you can’t say anything nice, just do us a favor and don’t say anything.
Another pathetic comment from Suds Jain spewing inaccuracies off the talking points or cooked fact sheets the 49ers put together for him to regurgitate to the public. Thank you Suds for your terrible service. These bought council members don’t even hide who is frequently lobbying their interests anymore. Suds has Josh Stephen’s on speed dial. We will be excitingly waiting for your term to end!
Suds, righting the financial ship in Santa Clara is a major accomplishment – thanks to you and your colleagues! Measure I was slightly over the 66% threshold needed for residents to approve a $400M tax burden in addition to the high taxes we already pay. If the city’s financial standing were in the same place as FY2020, Measure I would likely not have passed.
Given the history of comments on this blog, many here don’t understand that despite interpretations of a business relationship, contractual obligations still need to be met. If ManCo continues to book lucrative events, the Stadium Authority continues showing prudent financial management in paying down the debt, and the Council continues adhering to good stewardship…the City and residents will have a strong financial outlook with stadium business partners.
This is how Measure I read for voters: “To improve 911 emergency response; fix streets to reduce potholes and provide safer roads and routes for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists; upgrade storm drains/pipes to prevent flooding/sinkholes; and renovate/replace recreation, library and other community facilities; shall the City of Santa Clara’s measure authorizing $400,000,000 in bonds, funded by levying an estimated $19 per $100,000 of assessed value while bonds are outstanding, generating approximately $21,674,000 annually, with annual audits and citizen oversight of spending, be adopted?”
The following are general steps of why and how audits are conducted prior to a project’s implementation phase…
Project planning: Audits can be used to assess the feasibility and viability of a project before it begins. This can involve evaluating the project’s objectives, scope, resources, risks, and potential impacts.
Risk assessment: Audits can help identify and assess potential risks and challenges associated with the project, allowing for mitigation strategies and contingency planning before the project starts.
Compliance and regulatory requirements: Audits can be conducted to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, standards, or policies before a project is initiated.
Internal controls: Audits can be used to evaluate existing internal controls and processes that will be relevant to the project, helping to ensure that the project is implemented efficiently and effectively.
Resource allocation: Audits can help determine the appropriate resources (financial, human, and technological) needed for the project.
Stakeholder engagement: Audits can help identify and engage stakeholders early on in the project lifecycle, fostering collaboration and ensuring alignment on project goals and objectives.
While the average resident understands “police facilities” to be some type of a building, I don’t believe they knew of SCPOA’s idea to create a “shoot house” or mini-combat town. In 2005, the U.S. Government closed many Federal properties to include an Army Reserve Center located on Hedding Street which is just 3.4 miles (9 minutes travel) from Santa Clara’s police headquarters. The County acquired the property in 2006 and the the Sheriff’s Office repurposed it as a training facility offering multiple classrooms, force options simulators, and a modular scenario training facility for critical incident and special enforcement training programs. This “Richey Training Center” also supports regional and county wide public safety partners. The newly elected police chief should be robustly challenged on cost-benefit before any elected official thinks about approving a tactical training center within the city. https://sheriff.santaclaracounty.gov/bureaus/support-services/training-and-professional-development-division
The fire department is another area that needs to be watched carefully. Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mt. View’s 911 calls were between 71%-75% for medical response. San Jose and Santa Clara County (which serves Campbell, Saratoga, and Cupertino) were at about 61% medical EMS services. By all measurable data, it appears Santa Clara Fire Department has way more facilities and maybe not the right mix of certified personnel than neighboring jurisdictions provide for their resident populations and service call types.
• https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/sunnyvale-firefighters-no-paramedics-emergency-calls/3430193/
• https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/system/files/fdresponse_0.pdf
Just because voters approved bonds to improve infrastructure and services doesn’t mean they have green-lighted Council Members or city staff to adopt a “use it or lose it” attitude with tax dollars. Council Members need to utilize some of that voter approved bond money to hire highly qualified auditors to assess (i) community response needs, (ii) areas to apply innovation, and (iii) options for modifying personnel requirements before any project is started. https://www.ems1.com/quick-look/articles/grand-jury-report-sharply-critical-of-emergency-response-protocols-CQGrFpjuPS34xlKp/
Santa Clara police officers can contract with the Sheriff’s Department to utilize the Richey Training Center like every other agency does and City Council auditors can ensure medical response services are being provided prudently before throwing money where it is not actually needed.
@CSC and you are a paid shill for Singer and Associates and the 49ers, right?
The amount of money that the POA, or any other group or individual that endorsed David Kertes donated is a tiny fraction of the millions your puppet masters spent getting Suds etc elected. You know that. There is no denying that despite your rants otherwise.
@Observation, rumor has it Michele Ryan oops oh man I mean CSC is an elected official on the SCUSD board of trustees. Notice how she continually attacks the police? Hmm, who was involved and spoke vehemently in support of Measure B? It was Michele Ryan! Karen Hardy’s good buddy. Just “strategically” planning to help Jed take over the City. We know how well Karen hates SCPD and SCFD too. Karen for Mayor. What a crock of poop.
Dear Suds,
If not for the millions the 49ers poured into your campaign to buy the election, coupled with the fact your incriminating testimony into your own cover-up of the extent of Anthony Becker’s criminal behavior towards the citizens of Santa Clara, you would have NEVER been re-elected.
David Kertes should rightfully have been elected – not you. You were not the best candidate, just the one with the deepest pockets who had puppetmasters that manipulated the legal and voting process to prop you up.
@Observation: you’re an angry little person.
Suds Jain and David Kertes were on the ballot, not the 49ers or SCPOA. Kertes had the full support and spending power of the SCPOA and majority of voters still didn’t want their candidate. As far as we know, Kertes has gracefully accepted that voters in his district rightfully elected Suds Jain as the best candidate to represent them.
Observation,
My belief is that Suds Jain should have informed the city attorney after he found out from Becker that he had leaked the grand jury report but this was not a coverup. Suds testified to the grand jury not long after he found out and told them what Becker said to him.
Here’s my speech from last night:
First, I want to thank the voters of District 5 for having faith in me and for allowing to represent them on the City Council for another 4 years. Next I want to thank my supporters. People that walked precincts with me, took lawn signs, donated to my campaign. It was a lot of work. Finally, I need to thank my wife, Lori, and my son, Anand, for putting up with all my evening absences as well as all the ranting and raving about long council meetings, large council packets and negative newspaper and blog postings.
I ran 4 years ago mostly on a climate change and affordable housing agenda. I’m very proud of what I and the rest of the City Council have done in those areas. We now require all new data centers to use 100% renewable carbon free electricity and most new buildings in Santa Clara will be all electric with lots of EV chargers. We’ve also expanded bike storage in multifamily buildings and added many miles of bike lanes. I pushed for deeper levels of affordability in housing projects and we are on our way to build an interim supportive housing project to get people off the streets and out of our creeks.
But beyond my original agenda, we’ve had other major successes like hiring a new City Manager and City Attorney.
When I was elected in 2020, the FY2020 Year End general fund budget showed revenues of $248M and expenses of $264.5M which meant a deficit of $16.5M. We ended up pulling $22.6M out of our budget stabilization reserve that year. In comparison, 4 years later, the FY2024 Year End general fund budget shows revenues of $297M and expenses of $292M which means a surplus of $5M. When adding 49er settlements and FEMA reimbursements we were able to add $16.2M to our Budget Stabilization reserve which is now up to $70M. That is only 1% less than our target reserve of 25% after having dipped as low as 15%. The City is now in pretty good financial shape and we have been able to expand library and senior center hours. We can’t do great programs without money.
I’m very proud of being able to end controversial and very expensive lawsuits with the 49ers. Relaxing the curfew on weeknight concerts has added millions of dollars to the Stadium Authority and the settlements make it much easier for that money to flow to the general fund. I originally opposed bringing Levi’s stadium to Santa Clara and am pleased that our settlements promise to bring millions to our general fund in the coming years. For example, the latest Stadium Authority report shows that debt on the Stadium has been reduced by $424M in just 10 years. Net profit from non-NFL events was $8.3M. Total Revenues minus Expenses were $55.4M. Most of that total profit went into paying off debt and into stadium demolition reserves per the original contracts with the 49ers. The latest 49ers settlement will put about $20M into our general fund over this year and next year. This year we received $7.32M from the settlement which went to replenishing our general fund reserves.
I look forward to another very productive 4 years and am always eager to hear from Santa Clara residents. Thank you for your trust.