Mayor Reed Calls for Employee Concessions to Reduce Drastic Cuts in Neighborhood Services
On March 29, the City Manager released a preliminary proposal that outlines the drastic cuts that will be needed to close San Jose's $116 million deficit unless employees agree to concessions. The proposed cuts are severe: eliminating senior nutrition programs, cutting 160 positions in the police department, closing 21 community centers and reducing library branch hours to 3 days per week. To minimize these cuts, Mayor Reed has called on all city employees to agree to a 10 percent reduction in pay and benefits. If all employees agreed to this cut, it would save $63.9 million for vital public services. However, none of the city's 11 bargaining units have yet to agree to such concessions. For information about the status of labor negotiations, including proposals made by the City and the unions, please click here. San Jose residents: speak up for your neighborhood during the budget process!Contact your City Councilmember or join us at the Community Budget Meetings being held in every council district. Let the Mayor and City Council know your priorities and ideas for closing the budget gap.
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City Begins Implementing New Incentives to Attract Businesses
 In the latest sign that San Jose is open for business, the City Council has directed staff to begin implementing a package of economic incentives proposed by Mayor Reed and Councilmembers Liccardo, Herrera and Pyle to attract and retain businesses in the city.
On April 6, the Council gave final approval to a set of parking incentives for businesses that move to or stay in downtown San Jose. New downtown businesses (or existing businesses that use private parking lots) will qualify for FREE parking in city-owned garages by signing a new or renewed lease. Companies that are already using a city parking facility can receive a 50 percent discount for extending their lease. The free/discounted parking will be available for half the term of the new lease, up to a maximum of 50 permits. Read more about the parking incentives. The City Council has also directed staff to develop an ordinance that would suspend business license taxes for a limited number of small businesses that sign a new or renewed lease in San Jose. Pending final Council approval this spring, the business license tax suspension is scheduled to be available in June. These key incentives are designed to spur economic activity and attract jobs to San Jose during the current downturn. To inquire about the parking incentives for downtown businesses, please contact Elias Khoury with the Department of Transportation at elias.khoury@sanjoseca.gov or (408) 975-3707.
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State Adopts Tax Incentives for Green Tech Manufacturing
 On March 24, Mayor Reed joined Governor Schwarzenegger and Senators Padilla, Alquist, and Strickland at the Nanosolar, Inc. headquarters in San Jose to celebarte the adoption of SB 71. The state legislation provides a sales tax exemption on the purchase of green technology manufacturing equipment, making California more competitive in the race to create clean-tech jobs. Mayor Reed had personally advocated for state officials to adopt the tax exemption in order to encourage economic development and green innovation in California. "This is great news for Silicon Valley's growing clean tech industry," said Mayor Reed. "SB 71 will encourage our clean tech companies to stay here, grow here and manufacture here, which will help create new green jobs in our community." To read more about SB 71, please click here. |
New Flights Available at San Jose Airport
 Mineta San Jose International Airport is proud to announce that Volaris Airlines is launching direct service from San Jose to Guadalajara, Mexico! Beginning April 30, the new Volaris flights will offer travelers another affordable and convenient travel option to and from Mexico's second-largest city. Learn more about the Airport's newest airline
The arrival of Volaris adds momentum to the Airport's campaign to attract new flights to San Jose. Just last month, Alaska Airlines launched new direct flights from San Jose to the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kona.
Check out the superior comfort and convenience offered by San Jose's new state-of-the-art airport. Fly San Jose!
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Housing Services & Workshops Available
Neighborhood Housing Services of Silicon Valley is offering First-Time Homebuyer Workshops and Foreclosure Intervention Workshops for San Jose residents. Learn more |
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Students: You Can Make a Difference!
The San Jose Youth Commission invites local high school students to the Third Annual City-Wide Youth Conference at the City Hall Rotunda on April 23.
Register by April 9 |
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Help Improve Public Safety in SJ
The City invites you to attend a meeting to provide input on how San Jose can improve policing and community relations. Learn more |
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"Go Wild with Nature!"
Visit the 22nd Annual San Jose Children's Faire on April 24 at Discovery Meadow Park. Learn more |
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Shape the South Bay Shoreline
Share your thoughts on rebuilding our 54-year-old Water Pollution and Control Plant and how we can best use its 2,600-acre shoreline. Learn more |
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