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Mayor shares ideas for downtown
City Council will consider next month
Pleasanton school trustees continued their necessary, but difficult planning for budget cuts for next year when they identified $5 million in reductions last week.
The district is facing the most challenging circumstance for school districts, declining enrollment that means less money flowing from the state. The state, in general, pays school districts based on attendance. Fewer students equals fewer dollars.
For Pleasanton, despite the reputations of the city and the district, that’s been a sorry story with enrollment dropping by 2,000 students and forecast to head lower yet. Fortunately, this trend appeared before it committed to building an additional school on the Dolon Elementary campus. Incidentally, the district has done a good job of growing its non-resident students by actively recruiting parents to bring their students to school where they work.
For everyone involved, it’s a major headache that will involve fewer staff members (personnel costs top 80% of the budget) and fewer students should result in fewer staff members.
The district reviewed its annual demographers report in January that showed the trends that were acted upon last week and with another step to go before March 15 when teaching staff must be notified of potential layoffs. None of this will be resolved until the governor and Legislature set a budget by July 1.
What baffles my mind is this issue for the district versus the city’s population numbers. Its marketing materials note its well-educated population with one-third under the age of 19. That would seem to be a solid base and not necessarily reflect an aging community.
Through this process, if you see a school trustees encourage them or give them a hug. They are paid a pittance and spend many hours to deal with these thorny issues.
Speaking of thorny issues, the City Council that took control over a year ago has prioritized economic development and improving the city’s burdensome permitting and approval process. Mayor Jack Balch released his newsletter with some thoughts about downtown that is in a struggling season.
Some of that is tied directly to a 2021 decision by the prior council to limit ground floor tenants to those with active retail businesses. That severely limits other uses.
Balch shared his shopping list of potential changes and improvements to downtown that he will bring forward to the council. He’s welcomes suggestions and noted the list included ideas from residents.
Among the items: allow more music and nightlife, attract businesses that align with demographics, evaluate changes to land use to encourage reinvestment in older buildings; replacing trees and updating lighting; increase signage including digital; and re-evaluate the three-hour parking limit.
The night life one is interesting. People tend to move here to raise families — that’s not a crowd that generally seeks nightlife. Their priorities are different — kids, youth sports and other activities and school.
The council is scheduled to consider priorities March 17.
