The Next Step: Take it to the Voters

This week our City Council reviewed a ballot measure process for the 49ers stadium project. This is a good thing and a step in the right direction. Our Council and City staff have worked & studied hard to analyze if a new, 49ers stadium will be feasible in Santa Clara. Giving the voters the opportunity to vote on the stadium project must be the next step.

As a member of our City Council, I am confident that we can put together a stadium deal with the 49ers that will follow the guiding principles that our City and the 49ers established at the beginning of the year—no new taxes, no negative impact on our city’s general fund and no use of utility taxes to build the stadium.

I am also confident that after reviewing three independent economic impact report that the stadium will have a major, positive economic impact on our city, creating a synergy of year-round jobs and extra revenues for our existing businesses.

While this project has much positive potential, we must also acknowledge and properly plan for the impact of a major project like a stadium: particularly parking and traffic circulation on Sundays when most games are played. We must insure that there is minimal impact on our Santa Clara neighborhoods.

As a result of the excellent and diligent work of our City staff, I believe that we will soon complete our stadium feasibility study. The City Council will thoughtfully and transparently analyze the next step, which I strongly believe is to take this Herculean decision to our residents, to let the people of Santa Clara vote and weigh in this public policy, a decision that will have an impact on our city for generations.

I am glad to hear that so many community leaders and residents agree that we must take this project to the people of Santa Clara. I am proud that our Mayor, Pat Mahan, and Jed York of the 49ers have publicly said they support a vote on the stadium. Hopefully, my colleagues on the City Council will agree that the people we represent must be allowed to weigh in on this issue at the ballot box.