News and Blog – Cassidy for San Leandro

In June, the mayor and city council had voted to eliminate school crossing guards from the city budget. Prior to the vote, I spoke at a city council meeting and stated the cut would jeopardize the safety of parents and students, and should not be made. The program represented 1/8 of 1% of the city general fund spending.
When the school year started and an outcry occurred over the loss of the crossing guards, Mayor Santos stated in the San Leandro Times that “we just don’t have the money to fund” the program. The community was told the program cost $100,000 a year. This number was grossly inflated as the pay the crossing guards received was far less than $100,000.

At the time, the city was spending $40,000 to poll voters on their support of new tax measures.

Now, we learn the City Manager possesses his own “contingency fund” which contains at least $75,000. That is the amount the city will be spending on a consulting firm in the coming months to conduct a public information campaign. Undoubtedly, the message conveyed to residents will be that the city leadership bears no responsibility for the city fiscal crisis in the hope that voters will support new taxes next election.

There has been no effort to meaningfully reduce the city’s deficit by cutting expenditures. Despite the cuts that have occurred, the city is actually spending more this fiscal year than last year.

Meanwhile, the school district, which is facing a far greater financial crisis than the city, and one entirely due to cutbacks from Sacramento, had to come up with $25,000 in September to keep crossing guards at our schools. This money could and should have been used for student programs. No long term solution has been crafted between the city and school district to keep crossing guards. The program could be cut again next year.

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From the minutes of the October 20, 2009, City Council Finance Committee meeting:

Discussion Regarding Revenue Measures – Public Information Program
City Manager Hollister provided an overview of the revenue measure survey recently conducted by Godbe Research In particular Godbe polled citizens on two specific revenue measures: 1) an increase of 0.25% to the Sales Tax or 2) formation of a Lighting and Landscape District. As a follow up to the survey and as part of assisting the City in making a decision on which revenue measure, if any, to pursue, the City Manager is recommending a Public Information Program.

The Public Information Program would inform the community of the revenue measures as well as seek their input. The Public Information Program can be paid for by tax dollars as it is not a political campaign. The estimated cost of the program is approximately $75,000. $45,000 will be for informational mailings to residents and businesses and this includes the cost of the return and analysis of feedback. $30,000 will be the cost of consulting services to guide the City in the program Hollister stated that there is adequate funding in the City Manager’s contingency fund.

Hollister introduced Catherine Lew of Lew Edwards to the Committee Lew Edwards was hired to oversee and assist the City with the revenue measure survey discussed earlier Catherine stated that her firm would be available to work closely with the City Manager’s office as well as the City Attorney’s Office on the Public Information Program, if desired.

The Finance Committee indicated their approval of a Public Information Program. Further the Committee voted to forward the issue to the full City Council for their review and action.

Fred Korematsu was arrested in San Leandro, California, in 1942, for simply being of Japanese ancestry and refusing to obey the military orders to report to internment camps for Japanese-Americans for the duration of the war.

Sixty-seven years later, the San Leandro School Board is taking nominations for the naming of a new school, the new 9th grade campus for San Leandro High School. Many persons in San Leandro, including myself, believe the school should be named after Korematsu.

Korematsu was a true hero of the civil rights movement. While he lost his case in 1944, the reasoning of the dissenting justices in the opinion twenty years later became the majority view on the Supreme Court and was cited in one landmark civil rights case after another.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton awarded Korematsu thePresidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls. Plessy, Brown, Parks . . . to that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

Naming the 9th grade campus after Korematsu provides the opportunity to inspire students of today and tomorrow to achieve educational success and become active participants in our democracy. It will show that we admire the determination Korematsu in standing up for his rights and that of all Americans to not be deprived of their liberty simply because of their race, ethnicity or national origin.

Please consider sending a nomination in support of Korematsu to the school board.

Nominations must be submitted in writing no later than November 18, 2009, via email to newcampus@sanleandro.k12.ca.us or mail to: Board of Education, 9th Grade Campus Naming. 14735 Juniper Street, San Leandro, CA 94579. Please include your contact information and use the following format:

____________ Campus.

Why the campus should be named this (150 words or less):

Please also join the Facebook group Let’s name the 9th grade campus after Fred Korematsu.

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Update – November 30, 2009:  Fred Korematsu is the leading choice for the new 9th grade campus in San Leandro.  As noted in the Daily Review, his name was nominated by 32 of 73 persons and groups that submitted nominations.

The October 8, 2009, issue of the San Leandro Times has a front page story on the race for mayor. The article noted:

Cassidy says that, if elected, he won’t take a salary until he returns the city to fiscal health. He said his first priority as mayor would be to end the budget crisis without raising taxes by getting city expenses under control.

Today, I have announced my campaign for Mayor of San Leandro. I greatly appreciate the support, advice, and encouragement of so many people in making this decision.  Here is the press release I issued today:

Cassidy Offers New Leadership For San Leandro
– Former School Board Trustee Stephen Cassidy Announces His Candidacy For Mayor

October 7, 2009, San Leandro, CA – Promising not to take a salary until he returns the city to fiscal health, former school board member Stephen Cassidy announced today that he is a candidate for mayor of San Leandro. The election will occur in June 2010.

“I care deeply for San Leandro,” said Cassidy. “I am running for mayor to work with the community to create a better San Leandro.”

“I pledge to always put the best interests of the people of San Leandro first,” added Cassidy. “I will return common sense and fiscal discipline to city hall. I will apply my leadership skills to solve the pressing issues facing our city.”

A Vision Of A Safe, Clean, Vibrant San Leandro

Cassidy’s vision for San Leandro is that it be a clean and vibrant community with safe neighborhoods and strong schools.

Cassidy is a consumer attorney and former small business owner. He will support the small and large businesses operating in San Leandro while attracting new industries to our city. Cassidy plans to target companies in the rapidly growing green economy. These are businesses that manufacture energy conservation systems, produce products for solar power and renewable energy, and sell water purification systems and other environmentally sustainable technologies.

Cassidy’s plan will create quality jobs, revive our local economy and generate revenue for the city to rehire police officers, fully fund senior services, libraries and pools, and fix our streets.

End The City Budget Crisis Without New Taxes

Cassidy’s first priority in office will be to end the city’s budget crisis without raising taxes. The city budget crisis is impacting all San Leandrans. Cassidy is concerned that despite widespread crime, the mayor and city council cut six police officers positions. Funding for school crossing guards, senior services, libraries and pools was also cut.

Even with these cuts, the city is spending more this fiscal year than last year. Last year’s budget was $77 million. This year’s budget calls for $78 million in spending, including $4 million in deficit spending.

The city is rapidly burning through its reserves. Finance officials project $36.5 million in deficit spending in the coming years. If significant action is not taken, the city could be forced to declare bankruptcy. In response, the mayor and city council are actively considering an increase in the sale tax, raising it to 10%. If approved, San Leandro would have the highest sales tax of any city in Northern California.

“Unemployment is at record levels. Seniors are not receiving a social security cost of living increase next year. Thousands of residents have lost their retirement nest eggs. The last thing the mayor and city council should be planning is another tax hike,” stated Cassidy.

“To solve the budget crisis, the city must first get its expenses under control. City employees work hard and deserve our respect, but they will have to make sacrifices, starting at the top. As mayor, I will not take a salary until the city budget deficit is eliminated,” Cassidy pledged.

A New Culture Of Collaboration And Community Engagement At City Hall

Another key problem facing San Leandro today is the lack of shared goals and objectives among the mayor, city council, and staff. If you asked the mayor and council members what is the most critical issue facing our city, you would get seven different answers.

Moreover, the mayor and city council have become insular and isolated from the community. Repeatedly, they have made decisions, such as the planned closure of Farrelly Pool and adoption of the San Leandro Crossings/Transit Oriented Development Plan, that left members of the community feeling their views were ignored. In certain cases, the city council deliberately excluded the public. City council members met behind closed doors on how funds approved under Measure WW for city parks and recreation facilities should be used.

Cassidy will end the isolation of city hall from the community. “An important part of the job of mayor is to inspire and empower the community to achieve more,” Cassidy explained. “I will take a collaborative approach to governing, engage the public in open and honest dialogue, and bring the community into the process of finding constructive solutions to the pressing issues facing San Leandro.”

While on the school board, Cassidy chaired the communications committee. Under his leadership, the district conducted multiple community forums and town halls on the top issues facing the schools. The public learned about district’s challenges, received answers to their questions, and were provided the opportunity to offer solutions.

Protect The Safety Of All San Leandrans

Muggings, car theft, vandalism, and home burglaries are occurring throughout San Leandro. In November 2008, the voters passed a tax measure to fund emergency services. Despite this, San Leandro has less police officers protecting San Leandro than when the current mayor took office.

Today, only 88 police officers safeguard our city of 85,000. Cassidy will bring the police department up to full strength.

A Real Partnership Between Our City And Schools

As a parent and former school board member, Cassidy knows strong schools make a strong city. Cassidy was at the forefront of the campaign to pass Measure B, the $109 million construction bond for San Leandro schools. Measure B will solve the overcrowding at San Leandro High School with the new 9th grade campus.

“The elimination of crossing guards at our elementary schools raises the question of whether the city is a reliable partner with our schools,” Cassidy observed. “As mayor, I will ensure our city works closely with our schools in safeguarding the welfare of our children.”

Keep San Leandro Hospital Open

Cassidy is an active member of the coalition to save San Leandro Hospital. He is committed to keeping acute and emergency care at the hospital.

When the mayor and city council had not spoken out against the planned closure of San Leandro Hospital, in April 2009, Cassidy called upon the city council to adopt a resolution in support of keeping the hospital open. At the next meeting of the city council, the city council followed Cassidy’s lead and adopted a resolution.

Background And Commitment To San Leandro

Cassidy and his wife Amy, a former teacher at Monroe Elementary School in San Leandro, have two daughters. Cassidy earned his undergraduate degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. For his law degree, Cassidy attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, graduating with highest honors.

In addition to serving a term on the San Leandro School Board, Cassidy is currently a member of the board of directors of Building Futures for Women and Children. The non-profit organization operates a shelter in San Leandro for domestic violence victims and provides many other social services to women and their children.

Cassidy also serves on the board of directors of the San Leandro Scholarship Foundation. The foundation provides grants to seniors residing in San Leandro graduating from San Leandro and San Lorenzo public high schools.

Website And Request For Community Feedback

Learn more about Stephen Cassidy and the new leadership he will provide at www.cassidyforsanleandro.com The website offers a survey for San Leandrans to tell Cassidy what they believe are the top issues facing our city. Cassidy welcomes all comments and questions, and will respond to every inquiry.

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