Committment to fiscally responsible implementation of Voter Approved Measure C RDA Projects
REDEVELOPMENT
Despite what you may have heard, I am, and always have been, a supporter of the RDA (Redevelopment Agency). Measure C on last June's ballot showed that over 70% of Morgan Hill residents are also supporters. So much so that they approved the $147 million extension of our RDA.
I am personally committed to implementing the Visioning, flood control and infrastructure projects promised in Measure C, and to doing so in a timely, fiscally sound manner.
- We must have a sound, written plan for borrowing money from the General Fund to finance these projects. If we can legally give such a plan the force of law, that would help prevent future councils from jeopardizing the integrity of our General Fund.
- We must ensure that proper environmental studies are done, and their findings considered and acted upon, before breaking ground on new projects. This will keep us from wasting time and money on lawsuits which can delay projects for years, or cancel them outright.
- We must be sure that funding sources for ongoing maintenance are identified and locked in before any project is started. Spending $250,000 dollars to simultaneously determine if we need and can support a new community center while also paying for the initial plans seems like poor planning to me.
- We must be patient, take our time and proceed as the money becomes available. Rampant development of the RDA area to increase annual funding is not an answer. Neither is "Fast Tracking" large industrial projects. Projects such as the proposed Candescent Technologies deal would increase annual funding by about $3 million a year. But is it worth spending almost a year's worth of funding, injecting 300,000 (three hundred thousand) gallons of treated waste water PER DAY into our ground water supplies and possibly maxing out our sewer plant capacity? Let's not rush into something we may regret later.
- We must settle, once and for all, what our priorities are. Do we want to prioritize Visioning projects or flood control or infrastructure or a mix of all the options? If we prioritize Visioning projects, do we want a library first, or a community center or a senior center or a sports complex?
None of these are insurmountable problems, but we must be cautious as we proceed. If we minimize our mistakes over the next 10-20 years we can build projects that will benefit and enrich Morgan Hill for decades to come. All it takes is patience, planning and a little common sense, and I look forward to the challenge.
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