September 2010 Pilot

(9/10)

In early-August, the California High Speed Rail Authority released the Supplemental Alternative Analysis (SAA) on the alignment of high-speed rail through the peninsula.  This report is a continuation of the process of refining the manner in which high-speed rail will travel through the peninsula.

The SAA report indicated that the preferred alignment through Redwood City is an aerial structure, four-tracks-wide.  The arguments for this alignment include:  CalTrain operations would be least impacted, reduced need to purchase additional properties, avoidance of creeks (Redwood Creek, Cordelleras Creek), and less cost.

I appreciate the fact that CHSRA has narrowed the list of potential alternatives that they are willing to review.  Until recently, there were just too many moving parts to be able to commit resources to explore, examine, review, estimate and engineer.

However, now it is our turn.  As a community, we need to develop a vision of what we want regional and state-wide transportation to look like in 2025/35.  If San Mateo County and the peninsula cities could have resolved BART in the 1960’s, we would not be having a conversation about high-speed rail today.  BART would ring the entire Bay Area.  BART would have been far less expensive to build then, than it will be today, there would be greater frequency in trips, greater reliability, and high-speed rail would be stopping at a multi-modal station somewhere in the South Bay.

I think it is a safe to predict that the world in 2025 will be different than it is today.  Our challenge is to create a vision and a plan for regional and state-wide transportation, and to define Redwood City’s role.

This Fall, there will be a series of meetings in Redwood City.  Some of these meetings will be hosted by CHSRA and the Peninsula Rail Board and will discuss the potential of a high-speed rail station in Redwood City.  Other meetings will be hosted by the City, and will work on developing a transportation vision for Redwood City.  Our efforts will involve a detailed examination of the aerial alignment proposed by CHSRA, the impacts and consequences of being aerial, examine “Redwood City-centric” solutions to high-speed rail and discuss whether we should have a high-speed rail station in our downtown. 

I hope to see you at these meetings!

August 2010 Pilot

After over thirteen hours of presentations, public comment, council conversations, and hours of studying the proposed budget, the Council approved our 2010–11 budget.  While we were fiscally responsible by approving a balanced budget without the use of reserves, I do not believe that anyone is happy with what we had to do.

Here are the highlights of the 2010-11 Budget;

•General Fund Budget: $75 million

•Balanced budget without the use of Reserves

•Overall 8% reduction

•Department reductions ranged from 1% to 13%

•No layoffs of sworn police officers

•No layoffs of firefighters

•No pay cuts, reduction in benefits or furloughs

•Elimination of over 40 staff positions

•Layoffs of 15 – 20 staff

We also increased parking meter rates downtown, will be charging for annual fire department inspections of  commercial properties and apartment buildings, and will be developing a new tree preservation ordinance with associated fees for tree removals.

Even though were able to approve a balanced budget, the hard work ahead will be implementing the changes that we made.  What is even worse is that we are already looking at annual multi-million deficits for the foreseeable future.

The BIG questions that what we need to answer regarding our Quality of Life in Redwood City are:

•What are the services that we need Redwood City to provide?

•What are we willing to pay for these services?

If we are able to answer these two questions as a community, we might be able to establish a more sound financial foundation for our City.  I look forward to hearing from you regarding your thoughts and answers – jgee@redwoodcity.org

July 2010 - Home Owners Association NEWSLETTER - JEFF GEE’S MESSAGE

Summer in Redwood City

Summer in Redwood City is here!  Downtown, Marlin Park, Stafford Park and throughout our City, there are plenty of events to fill out your summer schedule.  The Downtown summer concerts are Friday night, Jazz on Main Street (Monday’s) now include a Farmer’s Market,  Dancing on the Square, and Target Family Days are all underway this summer.  If you love blues, the Police Activities League (PAL) is once again sponsoring the Blues Festival on July 24.  For more information about summer downtown and all around Redwood City, visit http://www.redwoodcity.org/events/musiconthesquare.html

    Upcoming Events

July 7      Stafford Park Concert [6:00 – 8:00]

July 9    Caravanserai [Santana Tribute]

July 11      Target Family Day  [Asian Theme 11:00 – 3:00]

July 14      Stafford Park Concert

July 16      Luce [Pop Rock Alternative]

July 21      Stafford Park Concert

July 22      Music in the Shores [Marlin Park]

July 23    Café R&B [Blues]

July 24      PAL Blues Festival [10:00 AM– 9:00 PM]

July 28      Stafford Park Concert

July 30     Hot for Teacher [Van Halen Tribute]

August 6      Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Boys [Jazz/Boogie] + Art on the Square

June 2010 Pilot

In June, the Council has scheduled a series of meetings to address our budget crisis.  For the next fiscal year, our City Manager and our Director of Finance have projected that there will be close to a $6 million gap between revenues and expenses.  The Council has been very clear to our City Manager and his staff - we need to see a budget that balances expenses and revenues, and focuses on core services.

What this means is the very real possibility that we may need to eliminate between 35 – 50 staff positions, and that some services may be reduced or eliminated. 

This economic reality is not new, nor is it for the 2010-11 fiscal year only.  For the next four years, the budget projections are that the gap between expenses and revenues will continue.  As an architect, I needed to draw a “picture” of these budget projections so I could “see” what the trends are, and unfortunately, the lines on the graph do not cross in the foreseeable future.  From my perspective, this structural deficit will last much longer than any of us can/or are willing to anticipate.  Unfortunately, we cannot look to short term solutions.  We need to work together to identify long-term, sustainable solutions to our City’s finances.  All of us on the Council are committed to having a balanced budget and having a sound and solid financial plan for our community.

The Council has committed the following dates for budget discussions:  June 21, 28 and 30, 7:00 pm at City Hall.

In early-April, the California High Speed Rail Authority (HSR) released their Alternatives Analysis.  This report discusses the physical options that exist for high speed rail on the peninsula, including aerial, tunnel, trench and cover, and other combinations and variations.  There were two community meetings held in May for input and discussion. Our City has different challenges than the other cites on the Peninsula, especially with freight traffic from the Port, and the future of rail traffic on the Dumbarton Rail.

I hope that you are able to take some time to study both of these issues.  I look forward to hearing from you about high speed rail and our budget.