We need to work aggressively to revive our local economy. To do that we need to focus on the City's structural deficit, generating revenue, and supporting local business.
Structural Deficit:
- Give temporary Emergency Power to City Manager to make necessary short +term changes to reduce structural deficit.
- Reward good budget management
- Conduct top/down review of Municipal and departmental policy and procedures.
- Conduct fiscal audit of all departments to find savings and reduce inconsistent, redundant or wasteful spending.
- Permit and paper reduction/streamlining policies for all Departments.
- Work hand in hand with all 10 municipal employee unions and retirement boards to development a retirement/pension system that reduces the burden on the General Fund, while offering key incentives to lure talented people to work for the City.
Generate Revenue:
- Develop a REAL cost recovery methodology that ends all excessive and wasteful policies immediately. Charging departments for staff time or "oversight" is not cost recovery.
- Remove restrictive policy and procedures that impact the ability of the City to solicit private-sector partnerships for capital improvement projects (e.g. ball parks, community centers, athletic fields, etc.) and other potential revenue generating projects.
- The City's gift ordinance prohibits anything over $100. If the City wants to establish strong public/private partnerships a new policy has to be developed to allow corporate philanthropy.
- Look at unconventional places for revenue + The City is combating graffiti, why not attaching a fee to spray paint cans to pay for additional staff to stay true to the mission of removing graffiti within 72 hours.
Support Local Business:
- Remove as many barriers and cost as possible for local small and large business to relocate and grow in San Jose.
- We MUST improve the permitting process by making it faster, cheaper and more efficient. Placing a heavy emphasis on technology and web based permitting solutions.
- We need to expand are retail capacity and tax dollars by attracting anchor tenants to our City especially downtown and North San Jose.
Create New Jobs:
- Incentive programs for new companies relocating to San Jose as well as relocation recruitment and retainment programs managed by Office of Economic Development and the Redevelopment Agency.
- Give local companies priority access to local venues such as the Convention Center.
- Expand the RDA's incubator programs to encourage new startups.
- Expansion of the Convention Center, Airport and the development of a Major League Baseball Stadium for the A's downtown can be used as an economic catalyst if marketed correctly.
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