Elected officials come and go, and with that so do certain priorities. It seems that with every budget cycle, certain departments have to prove their worth and their existence. For example, San Jose spends less than half (as a percentage of budget) on information technology (IT) than other cities its size. Strategic investments in IT have the potential to improve efficiencies and save money.

Last year, I proposed in a budget memo to allocate $400,000 in one-time monies to replace the legacy Centrex ATT phone system with a VOIP system, which would save approximately $1 million each year going forward. I hope we can implement this in the coming year.

Financial support for other departments ebbs and flows as well. For example, after 9/11 no city in the USA could spend enough on fire departments. However, looking at data and day-to-day concerns from residents, we know that the fire department cannot be the number one priority when its function is narrow and limited.

Funding for police can change based on crime rates, a tragic single incident covered by the media, an incident of alleged police brutality or rising pension costs. We know police are a major factor in maintaining peace and tranquility within city jurisdictions among other factors, like the local economy, education and race relations. But why should support seesaw when something is so important as the Social Contract?

I recommend that the city should commit to a specific police budget each fiscal year. San Jose should allocate a fixed percentage of the budget to the police department that is higher than the 34.7% today of an $885.8 million general fund budget. If the budget grows then more money will flow to the police department. If the budget declines then the department has to live within its means. In a growing budget, opportunities may arise for increased staffing, increased salaries and technology purchases for officer efficiency. With a budget that declines, choices become narrower but police would always be the top priority.

An increase in police staffing could mean less individual hardship, like an officer having flexibility to take a vacation—which would not only reduce overtime but also angst. A larger police force may also lead to the potential of creating more flexibility on shifts.

As a result, no longer would a core service be reduced, as it would be locked in. The only thing asked in return is that the police force work hard and do their best each shift. An increased police force may mean not only suppressing major crimes but also returning to managing quality of life crimes and doing more investigations on child pornography, as I wrote about two weeks ago.

The city should explore and gather data from other comparable cities to determine what that fixed percentage could be. Ultimately, a fixed percentage of the police budget will require changing the city charter and the only way to do this is with an election. A fixed percentage for police would also give San Jose voters reassurance that future tax increases will make sure a certain portion of their tax dollars are spent on police.

The choice is ours if we are willing to ask the question and deal with the trade-offs. I am willing. Are you?

With the passage of Senate Bill 654 (SB654), authored by Senate President Pro tem Darrell Steinberg, cities in California would retain Redevelopment Agency’s (RDA) tax increment financing to build more affordable housing. The entire Legislature is set to vote on the bill.

As we know, the Supreme Court terminated the RDA tax increment statewide. One major reason behind Gov. Jerry Brown’s action is to use the tax increment monies to pay down the state’s deficit and to help avoid further cuts to public schools. If SB654 passes, the state would have less money for education and less funding to curtail the deficit. Further, not only would the state have less money for the governor’s goals, but, in some cases, California would also add in a new level of bureaucracy, because cities would form a new Housing Authority or an expansion of an existing Housing Authority with roles being filled by city councils.

From my perspective, the highest court in the state ruled RDA can be terminated and allowed for a one-time exemption, which done the San Jose way does not pay property tax, road paving fees and up until recently no park fees. If anything, we should make an exemption for transportation projects that have more economic impact. For example, RDA funded the completion of Highway 87.

The other can of worms this opens is it attempts at re-prioritizing the enforceable obligations. Enforceable obligations is a list of who gets paid back first. My priority is to first pay back anything borrowed from a general fund that was borrowed to pay off the state grab, because that has an impact on services that are in the city charter. Housing is not in the charter, but police and libraries are and they should have a higher priority.

If SB654 passes through the Legislature, I hope Gov. Brown vetoes it. Then, moving forward when providing incentives/funding for affordable housing, the goal should be quality not quantity. This way we can build a community with a tax base to pay for city services and open space for residents to enjoy.

And on an unrelated note, thank you to Innovation Games, whose two dozen facilitators volunteered their time to the city of San Jose on Saturday allowing residents to discuss and select priorities under a budget simulation. The output from the 100 San Jose residents will be discussed at the Feb. 13 City Council meeting.

Last week I attended a disturbing meeting. Not a City Council meeting or a committee meeting but rather a meeting with law enforcement on child pornography. I did not know what to expect.

The Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (SVICAC) is responsible for investigating cases of web-facilitated child pornography and cases of child sexual exploitation or abuse that results from contact over the Internet. There is a small team that works in this capacity that presented at the meeting. A San Jose Police Department officer gave a very informative presentation, and the seriousness of the content was striking.

There is no typical profile for a person who commits crimes related to child pornography other than they are almost entirely male. The offenders run the gamut of all ages, ethnic groups, sexual orientation, religion, education, income, etc. Through its investigations, the SJPD has arrested people in Bay Area cities outside of San Jose. This team seems very committed to the task at hand and partners with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

I had never seen child pornography, however, I was about to find out during the presentation.  During the meeting they showed some censored photos. At first the photos looked innocent enough, but soon they became something I could not have imagined and cannot repeat here. Suffice it to say, the photos were very disturbing—to the point that I grimace as I write this blog.

I especially appreciate the efforts of law enforcement in this area as a significant portion of those who view child porn may also victimize a child. For some, it is a cycle as many child molesters were molested themselves as children. Some may say there are cultural issues and that viewing child porn is OK as certain countries or cultures have different social norms. But after seeing it first hand, I do not believe any culture could condone the acts depicted.

The accessibility of this content is available via peer-to-peer file sharing applications. Files are shared across international borders, raising the issue above the level of local law enforcement. Like other types of crime, only a fraction of those who download child pornography are actually caught. Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder and treatment may reduce incidents, but there is no cure.

Today, each conviction requires the efforts of an extensive technical police investigation. Perhaps in the future, there may be a less time consuming way to identify these people via new Federal legislation. For now, though, know that you have a committed team at SJPD along with the Sheriff’s office doing their best to investigate, arrest and convict.

As you may have heard, last month the California Supreme Court terminated all Redevelopment Agencies (RDA) in California. As a result, they will be dissolved by Feb. 1, 2012.

The first step is for each RDA to form a “Successor Agency.” This agency will enforce any and all obligations and agreements that are currently in place. In addition, it will dispose of assets and properties as well as oversee prior agreements to manage specific redevelopment projects. Finally, the agency will prepare an administrative budget every six months. The city may act as the “Successor Agency,” and I assume most cities will do so.

The checks and balances of the new agency will be done so by an oversight board. This seven-member board will include many different officials.  Each of the people and groups listed below will have one appointed representative.
● Mayor
● Country Board of Supervisors,
● Santa Clara Valley Water District
● County Office of Education
● Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
● Labor Union

A final member will be added from the public as a private citizen. The Board of Supervisors will appoint the private citizen. It will be interesting to see who the board picks. I hope they choose a certified public accountant, because this really is about managing finances.

This oversight board directs the dissolution of the former RDA, including selling land and repaying debt. The board establishes payment terms, refunds outstanding bonds and allows cities to buy RDA assets at fair market value,etc…

Another topic that will be discussed by the oversight board is continuing to have a Housing Department. The Housing Department employees have been funded by RDA funds and/or grants. Since RDA will no longer exist, the future of the housing department is now under question.

RDA was not meant to last forever, but the way the state chose to end the RDA caused unnecessary harm to local governments. The state raided millions of dollars from San Jose’s RDA without any regard to cash on hand or how RDA would be able to pay existing debt obligations. The city of San Jose will now inherit a portion of the total debt that comes from decades of accumulated spending by the RDA. For example, although the Fourth Street garage was completed in 2004, its debt was to be paid over 30 years. As a result, the general fund will pick up this debt payment. Perhaps San Jose State would like to lease a floor of parking in the Fourth Street garage to help out?

On another note, the Rules Committee unanimously approved sending my memo regarding allowing volunteers at the library through the meet and confer process. This starts the conversation about allowing volunteers to augment library staff to possibly extend the current hours of operation for our libraries without any layoffs. Stay tuned as the discussions with the union may take some time; however, I am hopeful.

And on a final note, special thanks to the 400 volunteers who contributed to the winter pruning at the Municipal Rose Garden on Saturday morning.

Due to flat tax revenues and escalating pension costs, the city of San Jose has been forced to cut library hours year after year as well as make million dollar sacrifices in all other city departments. Even with all of the eliminations, San Jose continues to have a budget deficit. The current direction for the Library Department for fiscal year 2012-2013 is to cut an additional $2 million, which ultimately equates to library staff layoffs and less hours of operation.

It is unlikely that the four libraries currently closed in four different council districts will open in the coming years with the existing library delivery model. Instead, there is a high probability that library hours across the city will be reduced again to balance the budget. At a time when we need to preserve our police staffing, it is unlikely our libraries will receive any windfall of tax revenue.

San Jose is gifted with beautiful libraries funded by voter passed bonds. Our goal should be to open our libraries for as many hours a week as possible. Certainly, the most important concern is to have the library doors open.

We need to re-examine the current delivery model for San Jose libraries and seriously consider how we can incorporate volunteers to fully maximize the hours of operation at all of our libraries. Any change from the current delivery model requires approval from the union.
Volunteers could add value. For example, they could augment current library staff to extend the number of hours a specific library is open. This does not mean laying off current staff, but rather simply augmenting staff with volunteers to gain an extra open day a week. Or, in a worse case scenario, retaining the current hours in the face of budget cuts. In relation to volunteering for civic purposes, 71 percent of fire fighters in this country are volunteer.

I hope that the mandatory meeting process, which is known as “meet and confer” (not open to the public or even elected officials, unfortunately), between the unions and the city might result in some movement to incorporate volunteers. My fear is that if we don’t make some changes now, then the council may have to consider another cost saving alternative like outsourcing the libraries to a third party, as is being done in other cities. Although outsourcing would extend the hours and days of operation, it would also most likely bring layoffs. As a result, I would like to see volunteers utilized.

As I mentioned above, the vast majority of fire fighters in the USA are volunteer, therefore, I believe mustering volunteers for a library would be less difficult in comparison. One reason for less difficulty is because 95 percent of San Jose library patrons today already use self-checkout machines for their library materials. Maximizing volunteer opportunities would open the door for both residents to utilize the library and for resident volunteers to come forward and be part of the solution.

More than 3,000 volunteers near and far have come out to support the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, and I believe people would do the same for libraries given the opportunity. Allowing volunteers to augment city staff would avoid layoffs and stretch our library department funding further to benefit our customer: San Jose residents.

Please help keep the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden the number one rose garden in the USA by volunteering for Winter pruning this Saturday at 9am. Special recognition will be given to two of the many volunteers, Myles Tobin and Harry Garcia, who have volunteered more than 2,000 unpaid hours each. If you can’t make it, this event volunteer opportunity exists year-round at the park—except when it rains.