Will Kennedy speaks to
Santa Clara Plays Fair
(id SCvoter on youtube.com)
on Reason #2 of
top 10 reasons
to Vote No on Santa Clara Measure J
The 49ers urge Santa Clarans to vote for Measure J "for our schools." But their marketing campaign creates the impression that the additional funding for the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) comes from stadium revenue or from the 49ers. It does not. The money actually comes from property taxes paid into the city's redevelopment agency (RDA) fund - the same fund we have used to pay for libraries, bike trails, and fire stations. The 49ers cannot take credit for providing this money - the money comes from Santa Clara taxpayers.
This transfer of money from the City's RDA to SCUSD is because the duration of the RDA must be extended to fund the stadium so the City can take on new debt. In order to extend the RDA, state law requires more RDA money to SCUSD (but not to the Cupertino or Campbell school districts).
SCUSD will get RDA money either way, they just get more with RDA extension. But the transfer of money is like "robbing Peter to pay Paul." SCUSD's gain of $21.7 million should be compared to the overall net loss of $67 million loss to the City's General Fund. And those who live in the Cupertino or Campbell school districts will not only see their city lose money, but will also get nothing for their schools.
Source: Memorandum to Ron Garratt, Assistant City Manager from Keyser Marston Associates, June 2, 2009 .
