From the Desk of 

Anonymous
May 10, 2023

City Budget Advocacy 2023 - Phase 2 Council Study Session: May 10

The next phase in the city budget process is underway, and it’s time for us to show up and speak up for the arts!

The City Council is holding study sessions on the City Manager’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, which was released last week. The sessions will be organized by department, with the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, from 10:30am to 12:00pm.

During this session, the Council and City Staff will discuss funding for the City’s Cultural Grants Programs as well as projections for the Transient Occupancy Tax (aka TOT or Hotel Tax), which is central to SJAA’s policy priorities. The proposed budget includes steps to stabilize arts programs, but there is still work to be done to ensure long-term sustainability for San José’s creative industry. This is where your voice is needed.

Obviously, 10:30am on a weekday is a tough time for many of us to get to City Hall or hop on a Zoom. If you can make it work, all the details you need are included below. If not, don’t panic! We’ve got you covered…

We drafted a ready-to-go email that you can personalize and send to the Mayor and City Council before the study session.

More than 30 advocates sent emails to Council in response to the Mayor’s March Budget Message. Let’s see if we can double that this time. It only takes a minute to make an impact!

If you can attend the meeting in person or on Zoom, here’s what you need to know:

  • City Hall is located at 200 E. Santa Clara Street in Downtown San José. Follow the signage to “Council Chambers” and enter the room from the 2nd Floor.
  • Parking is available in the 4th Street Garage or in the City Hall basement, but you should walk, bike, or take public transit if at all possible!
  • Here’s the link to join via Zoom: https://sanjoseca.zoom.us/j/88957084529
  • In either case, follow the instructions provided by staff to make a comment. You’ll likely get one (1) minute to make your point, depending on how many speakers show up.
  • Use these SJAA Talking Points to guide your comments.

By the way, if you’d like to learn more about the City Budget as a whole, there’s an Overview session scheduled for 9:30am. Same room. Same Zoom.