Bond measure could be on November ballot

Money could be used to fund road repairs

“There’s amajor issue here thatwe’re not going tomake up in any otherway.” — Councilman Don Roch

For the first time in 15 years, San Jose voters may see a general obligation bond measure on the November ballot to fund street repaving, playground repair or other projects that would improve the city.

The city is facing a budget short- fall of more than $40 million over the next few years and a $1.39 billion backlog in unmet infrastructure needs.

“There’s a major issue here that we’re not going to make up in any other way,” Councilman Don Rocha said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

But it’s not clear San Jose residents would support a new tax, which would need to pass with a two-thirds vote.

The details of the possible bond measure, including the exact amount andwhat itwould fund, are still being worked out. But a recent survey of 781 voters in the city found that just 62 percent would support a $750million bond measure to upgrade 911 communication to improve emergency response, fix roads and repair libraries, among several other projects.

According to a memo from the chief of staff in the city manager’s office, Lee Wilcox, and Director of Finance Julia Cooper, the average homeowner would pay an annual tax of $127.57 a year if voters passed a $750 million bond.

Even when pollsters reduced the bond amount to $150 million, support did not go up.

Councilman Johnny Khamis understands the wariness. People are “tax burdened,” he said, and he’s concerned about the idea of going to voters without specific projects inmind.

Typically, cities have some flexibility in how they spend money from such a bond measure. But voters’ ex-

pectations and the city’s ability or inability to deliver on projects from earlier bond measures will be key factors on whether the council can drum up enough support for a November measure.

Councilman Sergio Jimenez said during the council meeting that he would have a hard time asking residents in his district to support the idea after a police substation funded by a 2002 bond measure sat vacant.

Residents see it as “a symbol of government inefficiency and waste,” Jimenez said. “Forme it’s going to be very challenging.”

A fire station voters hoped for in Willow Glen also never materialized.

“How do we prevent the same thing fromhappening again?” Jimenez said.

The recession posed serious challenges for the city and San Jose experienced shortfalls it hadn’t anticipated facing. Voters approved a $212 million libraries bond and a $228 million parks bond in 2000. In 2002, the city passed a $159 million general obligation bond measure that helped fix fire stations and other city facilities. But the funding didn’t cover all of the projects, and more needs have emerged in the meantime.

Residents have been particularly vocal about demanding better roads, and there’s a chance the city could go to voters with a more palatable measure specifically to repair streets.

Mayor SamLiccardo said he is open to the idea, and Councilman Chappie Jones indicated he’d back that approach. But that could limit the city’s ability to boost its emergency preparedness.

“I don’t want us to be over cautious again,” Rocha said.

Wilcox, Cooper and their teams will continue finessing a possible ballot measure over the next few months and will return to council before the August 10 deadline for submitting ballotmeasures with a final proposal, including a possible project list.

“I look forward to continued conversation on this item,” Liccardo said.