San Jose Residentsโ Voice Federal Funding fears to Local Leaders
SAN JOSE, CA – โฃ Santa Clara County residents shared concerns about looming federal funding โคcuts and their potential impact on โคvital local services during a recent community forum, prompting assurances from โSan Jose officials that solutions โฃare underway. The meeting highlighted a projected โฃ$1 billion โฃloss โin โคMedi-Cal funding for the county, aโ situation leaders say will necessitate challenging choices andโฃ a โคreliance on localโข revenueโ measures.
The โฃpotential cuts threaten to destabilize education, nutrition programs, โand mental health services across the county, according toโฃ Supervisorโ Cindy Arenas.”This will โฃimpact local communities,” Arenas stated, adding that the countyโค is developing a plan to mitigate the damage, including approximately $300 million in internal reductions. A key component of that plan rests with โขvoters, whoโฃ will decide on a five-eighths centโ general sales taxโฃ measure onโ November 4.Former San jose Mayor Sam Liccardo emphasized the importance of the upcoming special election,framing it as an prospect to influence national politics through a proposedโ congressional redistricting plan. “That is something you can affect here โขin San Jose to help โus in โWashington change the direction of โขthis country โฆ and essentially โmake it so we’re able to take back the โฃHouse,” Liccardo told attendees. He urged residents to participate,stating,”Democracy is not aโฃ spectator sport.”
The November ballot will ask voters to approveโ bothโฃ the sales tax measure,intended to โoffset the Medi-Cal funding loss,and the redistricting proposal,which aims to add congressional โคseats for California. โค
Contact Lorraine Gabbert at [email protected].