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Organizations to make push for funding in city's budget Subsidies for Fremont Pool denied, new funding for CCS approved By Jana Seshadri Friends of the Fremont Pool was turned down for an increase in a pool subsidy, leaving them with $40,000, while Junior Achievement of Santa Clara County and Cupertino Community Services (CCS) were approved for additional funding of $10,000 and $4,000 respectively by the Sunnyvale City Council during the annual budget public hearing on June 4. Councilwoman Pat Vorreiter moved to approve the funds for CCS and earmark them for the rotating shelter that the nonprofit organization provides for the needy and homeless. Several former Sunnyvale residents use this service, although the organization has had difficulty in identifying them as residents of Sunnyvale, Vorreiter said. Councilman Jack Walker suggested that the council direct staff to review the process and criteria to identify the residency of the homeless so CCS can appropriately monitor its goals. Councilman Manuel Valerio moved to approve the additional funds requested by Elaine Curran, president of Junior Achievement of Santa Clara County. Valerio agreed with Mayor Fowler's friendly amendment for the funds to be equally matched by a private organization, and the motion carried unanimously. "We're going to add the two amounts to the project expenditures part of the budget," finance manager Grace Kim said. Kim said the Fiscal Uncertainties Fund and the Nonrecurring Events Fund could be possible sources of funding for the two additions. "The Fremont Pool subsidy was up at $102,000, then went down to $75,000 and is now at $40,000," said Holly Lofgren, chairwoman of the Friends, at the meeting. Lofgren requested that the pool subsidy be increased to at least $75,000 in order to accommodate reduced swim rates for youth. "The swim rates for youth have increased dramatically—by 185 percent," Lofgren said. In 2000, when the fees for the pool were originally discussed, the youth rate was set at $1.75 an hour, Lofgren said. It was then increased to $2 an hour to keep up with the other city pools' rates, she said. She added that the new fee structure has eliminated the youth rate, thereby indicating that the youth rate would have to be combined with the adult rate, which is $5 an hour. Vorreiter questioned staff about the rates at surrounding pools and asked whether all their rates have had such large increases. "No other rate has gone up as dramatically as that one," Lofgren said. "This is a wholesome, healthy thing for our youth," Councilman John Howe added. Howe's motion to approve the Fremont Pool subsidy increase to $75,000 failed. "We're subsidizing the pool now," Walker said. "If we subsidize more, we'll never know what the rates should really be." In other fiscal developments, Vice Mayor Julia Miller's motion to provide Leadership Sunnyvale with $10,000 in funding failed to pass. "They haven't asked for the money—I'm not going to give it to them," Councilman Tim Risch said. On the whole, the city is projected to spend more than it earns. According to Kim, the total recommended revenue for the fiscal year 2002—03 is approximately $195 million, and total expenditures are approximately $215 million. The difference would have to be made up by the city's reserves, she said. The city's long-range strategic planning and long-term financial planning—key elements of the city's Planning and Management System—have enabled the city to maintain its services and programs even during times of economic downturn, according to Mary Bradley, director of finance. "Where everyone else is cutting back on finances and laying off people, we're maintaining our levels," Bradley said after the budget was presented to the Sunnyvale City Council during the annual budget workshop on May 21. There have been no major changes to the budget since last year, she added. City Manager Robert LaSala, in his letter of transmittal to council, said, "Our preservation of excess revenues during robust economic times for nonrecurring events and reserves will protect high levels of service in the city, no matter what fluctuations occur in the economy." According to the recommended expenditures chart, the $215 million in total expenditures would include operating costs of $155 million, projects costs of $29.4 million, budget supplements of $2.3 million, SMaRT Station expenses of $10.3 million, $7 million in debt, $300,000 for equipment, and Employment Development Grant programs of $10.6 million. The operating costs would include the city's administrative costs. Some of the projects that make up the $29.4 million would include the construction of the senior center for $9 million, the Mathilda Avenue Railroad overpass for $2.5 million, and other housing and neighborhood projects. The additional $14,000 for Junior Achievement of Santa Clara County and the CCS combined would be added to the projects costs as well, Kim said. An additional project cost of $1.6 million—$900,000 from the unappropriated Capital projects funds, more than $500,000 from the AB 2928 Traffic Congestion Relief Fund and $197,260 from the fiscal year of 2001#150;02 General Fund Fiscal Uncertainties Fund#151;would be for the new traffic signal at the intersection of Lawrence Expressway and Wildwood Drive, which was recently approved by the council. |
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