This November, voters will decide on a large number of ballot measures and propositions. To help you make sense of this crowded ballot, Committee for Green Foothills offers our recommendations for several local ballot measures. Please vote YES on Measure K in San Mateo County, Measure H in Gilroy, Measure I, J, and K in Milpitas, and Measure R in Santa Clara.
In San Mateo County:
Measure K: This will extend the existing countywide ½ cent sales tax by another 20 years. When the sales tax was first implemented, one of the big victories to result from that increase in funding was the reinstatement of the County Parks Department and increased funding for county parks. This measure would continue that funding, as well as provide funding for affordable housing, safety, education, transit and other services.
In Santa Clara County:
Measure H (Gilroy): This will create an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) to prevent sprawl and focus urban development to infill areas. Citizens placed this measure on the ballot in response to a developer’s proposal for over 4,000 housing units on 720 acres of farmland north of the city. If Measure H passes, any urban development outside the UGB (with certain limited exceptions) would require approval by the voters.
Measure I (Milpitas): This will extend Milpitas’ Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), which prohibits the city from providing city services to areas outside the UGB, primarily in the foothills. Milpitas’ UGB was enacted in 1998 and is set to expire in 2018; this would extend it to 2038.
Measure J (Milpitas): This will further protect the hillside areas of Milpitas by requiring that any attempt to change the land use designation of hillside property (e.g. to convert it to residential, commercial or industrial) be approved by the voters.
Measure K (Milpitas): This will require that any rezoning of city parks or open space to residential, commercial or industrial, or any proposal for residential, commercial or industrial development in parks or open space, be approved by 2/3 of the voters.
Measure R (City of Santa Clara): This will require that no city-owned land used for parks and recreational purposes, including Ulistac Natural Area and the Youth Soccer Park, may be sold by the City without being approved by 2/3 of the voters. It further provides that any proposal to develop parkland must be done via an ordinance, which is subject to referendum by the voters.
Thank you for voting to protect the environment!
Leave a Reply