Santa Clara Co. Board of Supervisors
1. Janitorial Services: worker retention and living wage
The County is cutting down on the number of companies it had janitorial contracts with from 6 to 2. The new contracts with Pride Industries and Universal Janitorial for janitorial services at county offices include requirements to retain workers from the old contractor and make sure those new companies comply with living wage ordinances in the local jurisdictions within the country.
Even though we’re not high on “outsourcing”, at least the board of supes is making an effort to assure the workers doing the jobs needed to maintain county offices are not out in the cold, requiring the new contractors to keep workers on with the new deal. Support of the living wage in jurisdictions where the county itself doesn’t have authority is a vital stance to make sure workers are treated fairly.
Link to agenda item: http://sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=4994&MediaPosition=&ID=71076&CssClass=
2. Homeless Solutions?
The Armory is being torn down and replaced with two affordable housing projects. But probably not affordable enough to house the homeless people who will be back out in the cold when the Armory is closed. The Administration has indicated an intent to replace the current model of a fixed shelter location open during a specified period of time with a “warming station” model (possibly at multiple and rotating locations) open only under extreme conditions.
A warming station approach raises several concerns, the most compelling of which is the continuing unmet need, and the County’s responsibility as the provider of safety net services. Even when the weather is good, more than 100 people show up at the Sunnyvale Armory looking for shelter. While the County’s efforts to implement a Housing First approach are appropriate and theoretically sound, they cannot fully address the very real and immediate challenges associated with shelter housing for the North County homeless population.
Link to agenda item: http://sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=4994&MediaPosition=&ID=71246&CssClass=
3. Help could be on the way
Supervisor Dave Cortese wants to request that the County Sheriff’s Dept. approach the City of San Jose Police Department and the San Jose City Manager regarding the Office of the Sheriff providing temporary law enforcement services through a contract. The move would include a request to analyze the operational impacts of the Office of the Sheriff providing temporary law enforcement services to the City of San Jose through a contract.
Dave Cortese is running for mayor, we know, but kudos to him for trying to find immediate, realistic, if not only short term, solutions to San Jose’s crime problems.
Link to agenda item: http://sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=4994&MediaPosition=&ID=71266&CssClass=
4. Strengthening campaign finance laws is a good thing.
The County wants to require reports disclosing a contribution received by or made to a candidate or local ballot measure, or an independent expenditure made for or against a candidate or local ballot measure of one-thousand dollars ($1,000) or more during an election cycle, to be electronically filed; and 3) exclude any instance in which the original document is required to be filed with the Secretary of State and a copy of that document is required to be filed with the local government agency, from being electronically filed. If the proposed amendments are adopted, the ordinance will be effective for reports filed electronically with the FPPC filing period beginning July 1, 2014 for January 1, 2014 committees formed on or after July 1, 2014.
As we can see from the shenanigans in the Liccardo campaign, someone needs to do something to make sure candidates follow the law. Maybe a little more transparency will help.
San Jose
General plan hearing for possible future site of San Jose A’s..er, we mean Diridon Station area
As part of the approval of the Envision San Jose 2040 General Plan, staff is now completing the Draft Diridon Station Area Plan, associated General Plan Amendments, and supporting Environmental Impact Report. A hearing date for General Plan Amendments related to the Diridon Station Area Plan is scheduled to be held on May 20, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
This is a bit down the road, but it’s worth noting that SJ City Council is forging ahead in hopes of getting a downtown ballpark, by making plans to spruce up the area around “Diridon Train Station”, which happens to be adjacent to the area where some would like to see a new baseball park. The site is a little clearer now since a 5 alarm fire took down the abandoned former KNTV studios over the weekend.
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