CITY OF SUNNYVALE. Current Issues:

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1 CITY OF SUNNYVALE Mayor: Tony Spitaleri (Term Ends 2013) Vice Mayor: David Whittum (Term Ends 2015) City Council: Christopher Moylan (Term Ends 2013) Jim Griffith (Term Ends 2013) Pat Meyering (Term Ends 2015) Tara Martin-Milius (Term Ends 2015) Jim Davis (Term Ends 2015) City Manager: Gary Luebbers Population: 140,081 (2010 Census) Education: 56.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher ( ACS) Median Household Income: $90,174 ( ACS) Mayor Spitaleri: Tony Spitaleri served the Palo Alto Fire Department for 36 years before retiring. He was awarded the Outstanding Young Man of American Award in Vice Mayor Whittum: David Whittum holds a Bachelors in Physics combined with Mathematics from Harvard, and a Ph.D. in Physics from U.C. Berkeley. Current Issues: Sunnyvale Increases Utility Rates: The total monthly utility costs for an average residential customer increased by $6.13 (5.6 percent increase), yielding an average utility bill of approximately $ at the new rates. The City s commercial rates will increase by the same overall percentage as residential rates. Sunnyvale Names New Communications Officer: On June 18, 2012 Sunnyvale City Manager Gary Luebbers announced that Jennifer Garnett will become the City s new Communications Officer as of July 6, Sunnyvale Adopts Budget: The City has adopted a $288.8 million budget for the fiscal year 2012/13, which began July 1, Of this amount, $219 million will fund the City s operating budget. The operating budget is essentially flat compared to last year. Main Policy Goals: The City of Sunnyvale consolidated their General Plan in 2011 and adopted it on July 26, Within the plan, there is a list of issues the City will focus on improving in the next 20 years. They are as follows: Lack of an active and attractive Downtown, which provides commercial services, community identity and pride. Lack of sufficient affordable housing. Limited fiscal resources to meet a growing demand for quality public services. Overuse of energy and natural resources in the face of global environment problems,

2 Limited participation of many minority and foreign-born residents in the overall life of the community. Insufficient number and variety of retail establishments to meet the needs of the community. Lack of access to public and private services for residents of northern neighborhoods. Limited public transportation options. Additionally, the plan highlights long-term goals. These include long-range physical, fiscal and economic development planning so as to create and sustain an outstanding quality of life in a community with appropriate balances between jobs and residences, development and supporting infrastructure and the demand for services and the fiscal ability to provide them. An Attractive Community: To maintain and enhance the appearance of Sunnyvale and to distinguish it from surrounding communities through the promotion of high quality architecture, the preservation of historic districts and structures, the maintenance of a healthy urban forest and the provision of abundant and attractive open space. Environmental Sustainability: To promote environmental sustainability and remediation in the planning and development of the City, in the design and operation of public and private buildings, in the transportation system, in the use of potable water and in the recycling of waste. Diverse Population: To celebrate the diversity of the population and to provide equal opportunities for all residents to participate fully in community life. In Sunnyvale, 30.8 percent of registered voters state no party affiliation, placing Sunnyvale at 9 th in the top 10 least partisan cities in California.

3 CITY OF SANTA CLARA Mayor: Jamie L. Matthews (Term Ends 11/2014) Vice Mayor: Lisa M. Gillmor (Term Ends 11/2012) City Council: Pat Kolstad (Term Ends 11/2014) Will Kennedy (Term Ends 11/2012) Kevin Moore (Term Ends 11/2012) Patricia Mahan (Term Ends 11/2014) Jamie McLeod (Term Ends 11/2012) City Manager: Jennifer Sparacino Population: 116,468 (2010 Census) Education: 48.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher ( ACS) Median Household Income: $85,294 ( ACS) Mayor Matthews: Jamie Matthews has 26 years of Municipal experience, 12 as a City Administrator. He is a fifth generation Santa Claran. Vice Mayor Gillmor: Lisa Gillmor is on the Economic Development Committee and is a graduate of Santa Clara University. Current Issues: City Furlough Days Help Balance Budget: City staff furlough days closing down services for a few days a year with reduction in pay are helping the City of Santa Clara to balance its budget. Furlough days this summer were June 15 and July 5, New Library: On July 9, 2012 the city of Santa Clara celebrated the start of construction for the Northside Branch Library, 695 Moreland Way, with the Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends. Main Policy Goals: The City of Santa Clara released a statement about their goals: The City Council s priority is to focus on the successful completion of existing City projects, postpone new City projects and proposals and operate within Council adopted budget principles and priorities, with the goal of guiding the City successfully to economic recovery. Demonstrate Environmental Leadership: Proactively extend recycle water project using economic stimulus grants and other resources. Develop Master Plan to expand creek trails in the City. Pursue new electric generation including Lodi Energy Center and solar projects. Exceptional Services and Fiscal Responsibility: Actively pursue economic recovery stimulus grants to

4 maintain and improve City s infrastructure and provide Capital Improvement funding opportunities. Continue to focus on fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget and replenish City s General Fund Emergency Reserves. Maintain lowest combined electric, water and sewer rates in the nine Bay Area counties with emphasis on reliability and excellent customer service. Connect with Community: Review options for Internet outreach for community input to Council decision making and review options for enhanced communication with residents. Complete senior needs assessment follow-up with Senior Advisory commission and non-profit agencies. Pro-active Economic Development and Entertainment: Complete Santa Clara Stadium project. Refocus City s Economic Development committee with policy discussion on development and asset management. Develop formal Economic Development Plan to encourage and support business community. Reinitiate implementation of Downtown Revitalization project. On November 16, 2010, the City Council adopted the General Plan.

5 CITY OF MILPITAS Mayor: Jose Esteves (Term Ends 11/2012) Vice Mayor: Pete McHugh (Term Ends 11/2012) City Council: Debbie Giordano (Term Ends 11/2012) Armando Gomez (Term Ends 11/2014) Althea Polanski (Term Ends 11/2014) City Manager: Thomas C. Williams Population: 66,790 (2010 Census) Education: 39.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher ( ACS) Median Household Income: $92,694 ( ACS) Mayor Esteves: Jose Esteves holds Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. Vice Mayor McHugh: Peter McHugh attended Boston University s College of Business Administration. He then moved to Southern California where he joined IBM Corporation and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of California Los Angeles. Current Issues: Single-Use Bag Ban: The City of Milpitas has instituted a single use bag ban. Micro-Surfacing Project: The California Department of Transportation began micro-surfacing the existing pavement on the State Route 237 between the 237/880 separation to SR-237/680 on June 19, Water Rate Adjustments: The new volumetric rates for bills after July 1, 2012 are now tabulated. These rates are being adjusted to cover the increased cost of wholesale water. Milpitas Sign Ordinance: Two Milpitas resident backed by the ACLU are suing the City of Milpitas for its sign ordinance which the ACLU claims is overly restrictive and diminishing free speech (July 30, 2012). Main Policy Goals: The City of Milpitas has a consolidated General Plan for Within the plan, there is an emphasis on housing. Milpitas goal will be to develop and maintain long term affordable restrictions on 350+ housing units for low and moderate-income households. It will also include development for multi-family units for large households and senior housing. The primary activities to address affordable housing needs will be through assistance for the developers with the acquisition of land, rehabilitation and maintenance of existing

6 housing units and new construction of housing. It will also be important for all residents to maintain their properties in a manner that enhances both their own living environment and the overall aesthetic appeal of the city. Also it is important that persons with special needs are able to rehabilitate their homes in a fashion that makes them accessible and useable for them. The City is very active in economic development programs as well as job search assistance programs which create and increase opportunities for minorities, low income persons, homeless persons and persons with disabilities to find employment. The strongest link that can be made to these existing programs is to find permanent affordable housing for people in the program, as well as to encourage new businesses to locate in the City and maintain existing business during bad economic times. (The General Plan was last updated in January 2002.) In Milpitas, 34.5 percent of registered voters state no party affiliation, placing Milpitas 2nd in the top 10 least partisan cities in California.