September 27, 2007

NEWS BRIEFS

AVCA to hold Oct. 1 meeting

The Almaden Valley Community Association will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Oct. 1 from 7- to 9 p.m. at the Almaden Community Center, 6445 Camden Avenue.

The guest speaker will be Dan Collen, director of the Santa Clara County Airport and Roads. He will discuss planned improvements to Almaden Expressway and the impact of Coyote Valley traffic on Almaden. Last month Collen gave a half-hour presentation on planned improvements to Almaden Expressway between Blossom Hill Road and Branham Avenue.

AVCA's November meeting will be held on Monday Nov. 1. The speaker will be District 10 Council member Nancy Pyle

For more information, contact Art Boudreault, AVCA president at artb@netwiz.net or Ron Blake, AVCA vice president ronblake@sbcglobal.net or visit the AVCA Web site at www.avca-sj.org.

Registrar encourages voting by mail

The Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters’ Office began mailing permanent vote-by-mail applications to approximately 380,000 registered voters this week.

The registrar’s office is renewing its efforts to promote voting by mail in light of California’s new restrictions on electronic voting machines, which could result in longer lines and waiting times at the polls. Increasing the number of voters who cast ballots by mail will help mitigate these effects.

The mailing is part of the registrar’s ongoing campaign to increase voters’ awareness of the permanent vote-by-mail option, formerly called permanent absentee voting. Since 2002 the number of voters registered as permanent vote by mail in the county has grown from just 9,000 to over 300,000. The registrar’s office expects that this number will continue to grow as more voters learn about it. The county’s goal is to have 500,000 permanent vote-by-mail voters by next year’s November election.

The popularity of voting by mail is due largely to its convenience. It allows voters to cast their ballots from the comfort of home whenever it fits their busy schedules. Voting by mail is an ideal choice for voters who do not have time on Election Day to go to the polls, find parking, and wait in line.

Vote-by-mail ballots are usually mailed about four weeks before Election Day, giving voters ample time to make their choices.

Once the ballot is completed, it is sealed in the provided return envelope, which must be signed by the voter. Ballots can be returned by mail, in person at the registrar’s office or at any Santa Clara County polling place on Election Day. All ballots must be received by the registrar’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day (postmarks not accepted).

How to apply
Permanent vote by mail is an option available to all registered voters.

Voters who receive the permanent vote-by-mail application in the mail only have to sign the postage-paid reply card and drop it in the mail. The application is being sent to all registered voters who are not currently registered as permanent vote by mail.

The registrar’s office previously sent a similar mailing in April 2007. Over 70,000 voters signed up to vote by mail permanently as a result.

The permanent vote-by-mail application is also available online at www.sccvote.org.

For more information, contact the registrar of voters’ office at:

Toll Free: (866) 430-VOTE [8683]

Spanish: (408) 282-3095

English: (408) 299-VOTE [8683]

Vietnamese: (408) 282-3097

TTY: (408) 288-9820

Chinese: (408) 282-3086

Online: www.sccvote.org

Tagalog: (408) 535-3916

County will not seek repeal of Prop 90

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has decided (5-0) not to seek repeal of Proposition 90, which gives senior homeowners from seven California counties the same assessed value of their former home if they buy a house of equal or lesser value in the South Bay. County Executive Pete Kutras made the recommendation last spring as one of several potential revenue-generating proposals to help balance the county’s budget.

The board concluded that repealing the benefit would result in a modest revenue gain but it would eliminate a benefit that gives greater flexibility to seniors who decide to move to Santa Clara County.

Supervisor Liz Kniss, District 5, said that repealing the proposition would have a ripple effect and would limit the options of both seniors and the disabled. She read an e-mail from a 70-year-old resident who outlined how Prop 90 allowed her to return from southern California to care for her aging parents. “This is especially critical for north county residents,” Kniss said. “My vote supports continuing this valuable benefit for our most vulnerable citizens—the elderly, the handicapped, and the disabled.”

Supervisor Ken Yeager, District 4 agreed. “Most of the people I have heard from want to return home to be close to family and friends. Many would not be able to do that without this benefit,” he said.

“The benefit to older and disabled individuals outweighs the modest revenue gain,” said Supervisor Pete McHugh, District 3.

“We have heard a lot of anecdotes, but I don’t think there has been sufficient analysis to really understand the full impact,” said Supervisor Blanca Alvarado.

Board Chair, Supervisor Don Gage said that this is a very difficult issue. “It is a matter of fairness. Now, only seven counties offer this tax break. All of the state’s 58 counties should be required to offer the benefit so the practice doesn’t disadvantage participating counties.”

Kutras indicated that the recommendation had been made in his 2008 budget recommendations because staff was looking under every stone for savings and revenue. The repeal of the measure would have generated $200,000 this year and $1 million over five years.

County offers free park access to military personnel, families

Santa Clara County has established another way to support area active and reserve military personnel and their families. Under a new program approved this summer, active or reserve members of the Armed Forces or California National Guard and their families may obtain an annual vehicle entry pass for parks operated by the county.

“Our military personnel make such huge sacrifices everyday,” said Supervisor Pete McHugh, chair of the Board of Supervisors’ Finance and Government Operations Committee. “Anything we can do to relieve the stress for the families, while honoring their service to our country, is worthwhile.”

Under the new program, active or reserve military personnel in pay grades E-4 or below and their families who are Santa Clara County residents will be eligible for the annual pass. To prove their eligibility military personnel must provide their Department of Defense Military Identification card, which designates active or reserve status of the Armed Forces or California National Guard in the proper pay status. Dependents can provide the Dependent Identification Card, which includes the status and pay grade of military personnel. Both must provide proof of residency in Santa Clara County.

Military personnel and family members who take advantage of the pass will receive free the annual vehicle pass valued at $70 and will only be required to pay a one-time reduced $4 administrative fee.

For information or applications, eligible military personnel or family members may contact Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department at (408) 355-2200, ext. 0, or visit the Parks Administrative Building at 298 Garden Hill Drive, Los Gatos with proper documentation.

Mayor Chuck Reed appointsBudget Shortfall advisory group

Mayor Chuck Reed recently announced the members of his Budget Shortfall Advisory Group, which will recommend strategies for San Jose to solve its structural budget deficit.

“San Jose’s structural budget deficit remains Public Enemy Number 1,” said Reed. “After six straight years of reducing services to neighborhoods and local businesses, we’re really seeing see the effect. Cuts in maintenance are taking a toll on our streets, parks, community centers and swimming pools. It’s taking longer for the police to get to your house in an emergency. My Budget Shortfall advisory group will help the city tackle this challenge.”

In 2007-’08, the city’s annual operating deficit was $16 million. The city also faces a $450 million maintenance backlog in areas such as street repairs. Its liability for future costs for health care for retirees and current employees could be as much of $1.65 billion.

The members of the Budget Shortfall advisory group are Ted Biagini, chairman, Focus Business Bank and Biagini Vineyards; Pete Constant, San Jose council member; Darrell Dearborn, former San Jose senior deputy city manager: John Kennett, executive director, San Jose Rotary Club; Madison Nguyen, San Jose council member; Lydia Ortega, Ph.D., chair, Department of Economics, San Jose State University; and Karen Willett, chief financial officer, Newark Unified School District

The first meeting of the Budget Shortfall Advisory Group will be held on Monday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at San Jose City Hall, rooms 118-119 (in the Wing), 200 E. Santa Clara Street. Meetings of the advisory group are open to the public.

Santa Clara Valley Water District to promote tap water

The Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors recently passed a resolution promoting the economic and environmental benefits of tap water over bottled water and prohibiting the purchase of bottled water with district funds.

In addition to prohibiting the purchase of bottled water, the district has banned the sale of bottled water on district facilities. This means that district employees will no longer be able to purchase bottled water from their cafeterias.
“We want to help educate the public that tap water is not only healthy and safe for them, but good for the environment,” said Rosemary Kamei, vice chair of the Board of Directors.

“In addition, people can save money by drinking tap water, which costs a fraction of the price of bottled water. In Santa Clara County, people can buy 120 gallons of tap water for the price of a gallon of bottled water.”

The consumption of bottled water is increasing globally, with the United States being the leading consumer. This growth is in large part due to the huge marketing campaigns promoting bottled water as safer and healthier than tap water. Contrary to the propaganda, tap water is, in fact, subjected to more rigorous testing and purity standards than bottled water. According to a four-year study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a third of the bottled water tested contained levels of contamination. A key NRDC finding is that bottled water regulations are inadequate to assure consumers of either purity or safety.

To ensure that the water supplied by the district is clean, safe and better tasting, the district has implemented an advanced technique for water purification known as ozonation. Ozone is the primary method of disinfection at the Santa Teresa and Penitencia water treatment plants. The district has plans to expand this treatment to the Rinconada Water Treatment Plant in the future.