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Councilmember Pete Constant
District 1, City of San José
200 East Santa Clara Street,18th Floor
San José, CA 95113
Telephone: (408) 535-4901
Fax: (408) 292-6448
Pete.Constant@sanjoseca.gov
www.sjdistrict1.com
Inside this Issue:
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Message from Pete
Helpful Links for D1 Residents:
Service Providers for D1 Residents:
277-4528 |
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535-3850 |
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535-3570 |
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Cypress Senior Center |
244-1353 |
Moreland West Community Center |
871-3821 |
Starbird Teen Center |
984-1954 |
West San José Community & Policing Center |
249-6580 |
277-8900 |
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| 808-2000 | |
Calabazas Branch Library |
996-1536 |
West Valley Branch Library |
244-4766 |
554-6391 |
Connecting to your government:
Important Phone Numbers:
City Hall Call Center |
535-3500 |
277-5305 |
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277-3208 |
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578-7297 |
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277-2762 |
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535-3555 |
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Bulky Item Pickup |
535-5300 |
Cable TV Complaints |
535-3500 |
277-4528 |
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Crime Prevention— Neighborhood Watch |
277-4133 |
Dead Animal Collection |
578-7297 |
535-3850 |
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277-3700 |
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Emergency Services |
277-4595 |
535-3515 |
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Green Team |
283-8500 |
299-7300 |
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998-5200 |
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723-4114 |
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99-TREES |
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Parks Concerns |
793-5510 |
Police Information |
277-2211 |
975-4480 |
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277-4444 |
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279-7900 |
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Senior Programs |
277-4561 |
277-3158 |
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296-8290 |
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Street Light Repair |
277-5517 |
277-4373 |
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535-5300 |
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277-4341 |
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792-5010 |
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535-3500 |
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Youth Services |
535-3570 |
The Neighborhood Limelight
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Questions or Suggestions?
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Message from Councilmember Pete Constant
One of my guiding principles for public service is to protect the health and safety of our residents, our neighborhoods, and our City. In this issue I wanted to tell you what I am doing to further that goal and how I can use your help.
Public Safety has got to be our top concern as we seek to protect the health of our great City. With the recent upswing in gang violence, I have taken action and pushed to schedule a Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force Town Hall Meeting in District 1 at the Harker Middle School Campus on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. The school is located at 3800 Blackford Avenue and the meeting will run from 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in the Multi-Use room. Opening comments will be made by Mayor Chuck Reed along with San José Police Chief Rob Davis giving an overview of the mission of the Task Force. I highly encourage you to attend the meeting. You will learn valuable information about how to help the Police Department combat gang violence. The Task Force will make recommendations to the City Council on September 9, 2008 and your feedback is vital to ensure that together we make San José’s neighborhoods safe again. Click here to view the flyer.
Part of making neighborhoods safe is planning for their future. We need your help during the visioning process for the Winchester Boulevard Business Corridor, because you know the area and have invaluable insights to offer as we continue to shape the next phase of Winchester Boulevard. Please join me at the kickoff event on May 30th, 2008 from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Bethel Church located at 1201 S. Winchester Blvd.
Physical health and wellness are critical to maintaining a healthy city. We made great strides in our efforts to introduce older adults to the concept of mall walking as a safe way to stay in shape. Over 550 seniors attended the West Valley Senior Walk last month, shattering last year's record participation. Westfield Valley Fair hosted the event for the second year in a row and provided the free breakfast, decorations, prizes, and merchandise gift bags that made the event such a phenomenal success. I want to thank all of the volunteers involved that made this event the best Senior Walk in the valley! I had a great time seeing participants share their enthusiasm for getting in shape. Everyone I talked with was excited about the more than 70 resource tables which housed representatives from local service providers. I know this event will continue to grow as we make a difference in the health of West Valley older adults.
One way to promote the health and safety of our neighborhoods is to give residents a fun opportunity to learn about the community services available to them. In order to accomplish this goal, I host an annual District 1 festival. Planning for our 8th Annual Festival in the Park on September 20, 2008 is underway. Hathaway Park will be the site of free food, games, a resource fair, live music, and an opportunity to get to know your neighbors. Bring your lawn chairs, the kids, and an appetite for fun and join me in celebrating our community. Along with the fun, individuals and families can connect with city resources such as onsite fingerprinting for children by the San José Police Department, San José Fire Department truck tours, a library mobile van visit, and city-wide recreation programming. Mark your calendars and plan to spend the afternoon at the festival.
The fiscal health of a city is paramount to its ability to provide for the health and welfare of its residents. We have all felt the impact of budget cuts and everyone should be actively involved in the solution. I was recently appointed Chairperson of the 3-Year General Fund Structural Deficit Elimination Plan Stakeholder's Group. I invite you to become involved by attending these sessions or emailing me your ideas. All meetings of the stakeholder’s group will be open to the public. For a complete explanation of the Stakeholder’s mission click here.
In support of the efforts of the American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) of California, this month I joined the Mayor in proclaiming May 2008 to be "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month" in the City of San José. I will be joining the more than 500,000 people in the state that find motorcycle riding an exhilarating and efficient mode of transportation as I hope to ride to work every Friday in May. The Proclamation asks the citizen's of San José to "Share the Road" with motorcycle riders and help reduce the number of motorcycle/passenger vehicle collisions and in turn help to reduce the steadily increasing fatality rate of motorcycle riders. Unfortunately, the motorcycle rider fatality rate has more than doubled from 2,116 in 1997 to 4,810 in 2006. If we all make an effort to become aware of motorcycles in our blind spots by checking our mirrors and looking over our shoulders, we can all help to be extra alert for our friends on two wheels. For more information on sharing the road and safety tips for both auto drivers and motorcycle riders go to http://www.nhtsa.gov/planners/ShareTheRoad2008/.Your Neighbor,
STRUCTURAL DEFICIT |
TREE PERMITS |
SUMMER ACTIVITIES IN D1 |
Closing the Structural Deficit
This is the 6th year in a row that the City Council has had to close a multi-million dollar operating budget deficit. This year’s shortfall is estimated to be $29.6 Million. This problem has persisted due to a structural deficit in the City’s General Fund that is projected to total $75 Million in the next 4 years. In addition, the City has $40.4 Million in unmet/deferred maintenance needs and $21.6 Million in unfunded General Fund retirement benefits. This $137 Million budget deficit must be dealt with soon or there will be serious consequences (this will still leave a half a Billion dollars in unfunded maintenance). |
Streamlining the Tree Replacement Process for Homeowners Did you know you need a permit to remove mature trees in your backyard as well as the trees in the parkstrip in front of your house? Unfortunately, many property owners have found the city’s tree replacement permit process confusing, time-consuming, and expensive! It has been difficult to get permission to remove and replace diseased and dying Tulip Trees, which excrete a black sticky residue on parked cars and city sidewalks, often costing homeowners significant cleanup costs |
Plan for Summer Activities Now
Summer dismissal bells haven’t yet began to ring but the time for planning your family’s summer activities is now. Limited enrollment in many programs requires action this month to guarantee a spot for the summer. One of the best kept secrets in San José is the "San José Family Camp." And the secret; it’s not even in San José! San José Family Camp is located in the heart of the Sierras near Yosemite National Park. Families can enjoy fishing, hiking, relaxing or day trips to Yosemite along with three full meals a day. The camp sits next to the Tuolumne River where water fun for the whole family awaits. |
| WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DISTRICT 1? |
Family Night Out |
West Valley Library’s 5th Birthday Celebration |
Celebrate Mother’s Day with Songs, Stories, and Crafts |
Community Traffic Calming Meeting |
Triple Play Days |
Happy Birds |
Community Office Hours |
Book Sale - Friends of the West Valley Library |
State of the School District Presentation |
Mayor's Gang Task Force Town Hall Meeting |
| Wichester Master Plan Kick-Off Event Friday, May 30, 2008 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Bethel Church - 1201 S. Winchester Boulevard, San José You are invited to attend a kick-off event for the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan, a plan to recommend potential future improvements to the Winchester Boulevard business corridor. The event will provide a brief introduction to the process of developing a master plan for Winchester Boulevard and how the community can make recommendations and part. For more information please contact Meghan Revolinsky at (408) 535-4901 or click here to view the flyer. |
NOTICE OF COMMISSION VACANCIES |
The San José Elections Commission is accepting applications for appointment to the attorney representative on the San José Elections Commission. Currently there is one vacancy with an unexpired term ending March 1, 2011. For a full description of the position go to the City Clerk's Web site by clicking here http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/CommissionBoard/Election/2008/EC050108V.pdf. |
The City Council Salary Setting Commission is accepting applications for appointments to the commission. Currently there is one unexpired term ending December 31, 2010. If you would like additional information regarding the City Council Salary Setting Commission, please contact Commission Secretary Michelle Radcliffe at (408) 535-1265. For a full description of the position go to the City Clerk's Web site by clicking here http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/CommissionBoard/Salary/2008/Recruitment08.pdf. |
PETE IN THE NEWS
May 7, 2008
San Jose Biz Journal, San Jose City Council won't allow rezoning of 7 acres near Santana Row
Pete Constant, Forrest Williams, Nora Campos and David Cortese and Nancy Pyle voted in favor of the proposal.
May 2, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Nguyen recall effort is just plain wrong
Nguyen's service to San Jose should be judged not by this one issue, but by everything she has done since taking office. Attempting to recall her will splinter the community, pit leaders against each other and reopen wounds that will take years to heal.
May 1, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Cities worry about 911 fee
San Jose Councilman Pete Constant called 911 "one of the most essential core city services that we offer, and I don't think you should be taxed for it. That's what we pay our basic property and other taxes for."
April 30, 2008
The Metro, I Love a Staff In Uniform
The whole point is to make his staff stand out at these events so that constituents and other folks know them, Constant said, and he claims that at a recent event, the uniform was a hit. "It looks professional for all of us to wear matching shirts and jackets," Constant said. "It really looked like we knew what we were doing."
April 30, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Later hours for downtown S.J. nightlife
Councilman Pete Constant, a retired police officer, backed the chief. "I really am concerned about some of the public safety issues," he said, "and the strain we continue to put on the department as we give them more and more to do with less resources."
April 25, 2008
San Jose Biz Journal, Small signs, big problem
"This doesn't make sense for an auto row when right across the street is the city of Santa Clara, which makes it much easier to do business," says San Jose Councilman Pete Constant, who called the code "almost incomprehensible," requiring business owners to hire consultants to decipher it. "As a city we should be giving them the tools to succeed," Constant says. "There was a time in San Jose when signs were equal to bad. We still have that mentality."
April 17, 2008
San Jose Resident, West San Jose neighborhood gets stop sign after years of trying
Wardall did not give up. He succeeded in obtaining another traffic study a year later with the help of District 1 Councilman Pete Constant. "He was very committed, and it is good to see people whose actions speak louder than words," Constant said.
April 11, 2008
West San Jose Resident, Valley Fair mall hosts walking event for seniors
"The purpose of this walk is to motivate seniors," said San Jose City Councilman Pete Constant, who hosted the event. "This is the biggest year yet," Constant said of the event that drew more than double the participants than previous years.
April 8, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, Leaders talk budget with public
Constant compared the city's money woes to that of a family that overspends. "We have done a great job charging," he said, "but we haven't done a great job paying off those balances."
April 7, 2008
San Jose Mercury News, San Jose leaders look to loosen downtown restrictions for street vendor
Councilmembers Nancy Pyle, Pete Constant, Nora Campos and Sam Liccardo showed early support for the idea, but Liccardo questioned whether more street vendors would sap money from street fairs. Attendance has dropped at some events, and organizers of the San Jose Jazz Festival and Christmas in the Park indicated that sponsors do not like outside competition. Constant said it seemed unfair to make vendors leave when big crowds visit downtown.