June 1, 2006

Protecting city services

By Councilmember Ken Yeager
Special to the Times

In early May, City Manager Les White submitted the 2006-2007 Proposed Operating Budget to the City Council. The mayor and city council will adopt the final budget on June 20. As many of you know, the Hose Wagon at Fire Station 6 in Willow Glen has been the potential target of elimination in the past several budget cycles.

I am pleased to report that White did not propose to eliminate the Hose Wagon for the upcoming fiscal year. During the city council’s discussion of the mayor’s March Budget message, I made it clear that I would not support any cuts to the city’s public safety services. I am gratified that White took this message to heart and instead chose to keep fire protection services intact for the Willow Glen neighborhood.

The retention of the Hose Wagon at Fire Station 6 is dependent upon the proposed extension of the Emergency Communi-cation System Support (ECSS) fee, which is a monthly charge of $1.75 for each individual telephone line, including cellular phone lines, and $13.13 per trunk line, which are primarily business lines.  (Telephone customers with lifeline service and certain other customers, including specified non-profit hospitals, educational organizations and government agencies, are exempt from this fee.)

Without the extension of this fee through the next fiscal year, an additional $10.4 million would need to be cut from the city’s General Fund. To make up for this shortfall (in the event that the fee is not extended), the city manager is proposing to cut the Hose Wagon at Fire Station 6, as well as Sidewalk Repair Program grants, the Neighborhood Automated Speed Compliance Program (NASCOP), the Community Action & Pride Grants Program, Crime Prevention Programs, one team from the Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Unit, eight positions in the police property crime investigations unit, eliminate funding for overtime in the Police Department for the Truancy Abatement-Burglary Suppression Program (TABS), close neighborhood park restrooms five days per week and cut the School Crossing Guard Program by 42 percent, among other proposed cuts.

It is my hope that my council colleagues will support the extension of the ECSS fee to preserve these vital city services. Links to information regarding the proposed 2006-2007 Capital and Operating Budgets may be found on the city’s home page, http://www.sanjoseca.gov.  

The city council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget on Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers (200 East Santa Clara Street). I encourage everyone to attend so your priorities and concerns can be heard. The public hearing will also be televised live on cable channel 26 and archived on the city Web site at http://sanjose.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.

As always, I encourage you to stay abreast of the issues affecting our neighborhoods. Should you have any concerns on these issues, or simply want additional information, please contact my office at (408) 535- 4906. I can also be reached via e-mail at Ken.Yeager@sanjoseca.gov.