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Measure M: Quick escape from bad situation
By JESSE DUCKER
The soon-to-be built library is the largest and most expensive project the city has ever undertaken. Local residents overwhelmingly supported the city's proposal to build a new library, at no cost to themselves, to replace the woefully undersized one it currently uses. However, it there were soon concerns that the city would be unable fund the $22 million project without seriously depleting its reserves. After some deliberation, city staff came up with a number of options, one of which was Measure M, which would extend the city's utility tax until 2030, and which would pour some needed cash into the city's coffers. Cupertino residents should vote for the Measure on March 5. Measure M is the least painful option to get out of a sticky situation.
In all actuality, Measure M isn't intrinsically linked to just the library project. The extension of the 2.4 percent utility tax would dump a few million a year in the city's general fund, which can be used for many capital projects. But it's clear it was conceived with the library in mind.
When the city floated the library project, economic forecasts at the timelooked a lot brighter. In hindsight, it probably wasn't such a good idea. Once you tell the people something is going to be free, they won't take too kindly to paying for it down the line. The city should have been aware that its economic situation could take a darker turn, and building a new library without charging the taxpayers would be nearly infeasible. The city wouldn't have had to scramble to get out of its current position.
However, you'd be hard pressed to find people who are knowledgeable on the state of Cupertino's city government who are in opposition to Measure M. Former Councilman Don Burnett was originally against, but then changed his mind. Even former planning commissioner Geoff Patnoe says that while he doesn't support the measure, he doesn't oppose it either.
But the reality is that Measure M might not be enough. The library is projected to cost $22 million, but what if it ends up costing $25 million, or even $30 million? Moreover, what if a prime piece of land comes up for sale that the city would do well to purchase? What if the Sports Center needs more funding? What if the new hotel currently being constructed at Stevens Creek and De Anza Boulevard doesn't bring in as much money as projected, thereby decreasing the money in that the city can collect from it? There are a lot of variables that could crop up in the next few years, and Measure M might not solve all of them.
Given the high level of approval of the library by the residents, it wouldn't have been a bad idea for the city to ask for a bond while it could. Cupertino residents have supported numerous bond issues over the years, most recently an $80 million bond for the Cupertino Union School District. The projected cost of the library is a little over a quarter of that. And the city wouldn't have needed to float a bond for all of that; it could have asked for, say, $10 million in funding, just to keep the additional property tax to a minimum. Carol Atwood, director of administrative services, said city staff came up with a lot of ideas to escape this situation, including a temporary additional sales tax. This apparently has worked quite well in Alaska.
Still, there's a lot of merit in the city keeping its promise to the residents. Cupertino promised a library without raising property taxes, and the city should do its best to make good on keeping their promise. And it very well might work. According to Mayor Richard Lowenthal, this year the utility tax brought in $3 million to the general fund. That's a lot of money once it's extended over 15 more years.
The city probably could have passed a library bond this time around, but not without some serious consequences. It would have delayed the project, and it would have considerably irked a lot of local residents. Maybe it's best that the city left well enough alone.
So vote for Measure M. It will infuse some much-needed capital into the General Fund. It will help both the library project and other city undertakings. But bear in mind it's not a surefire solution for the library problem, and the city could possibly ask for a little more help sometime down the road.
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Cupertino, California Since 1947
