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Exhibit CC 06-19-12 #14 Public Hearing and Adoption of FY 2012/13 Budget CC - (9- 1 / ?Jo . 14 Karen B. Guerin From: ULF STAUBER [ulfstauber @sbcglobal.net] Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2012 11:22 AM To: Mark Santoro Subject: $ 5000 contribution to Deer Hollow ' arm Dear Mayor Santoro, I respectfully ask that you please add Cupertino's $ 5000 contribution to Deer Hollow Farm's operation back into your budget. Thank you very much. I am a teaching docent at the farm and volunteered for the last 12 years . I know how much the children enjoy their field trip to the Farm . Ulf Stauber • Karen B. Guerin From: Deb Maniar[d-maniar @comcast.net] Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2012 5:50 PM To: Mark Santoro Subject: Keep DHF funding in budget Dear Mayor Santoro, Please consider continuing to help fund Deer Hollow Farm. Keep$5,000 in your budget for this educational gem visited and enjoyed by many Cupertino residents. Sincerely, Debra Maniar Friends of Deer Hollow Farm Board Member 1413 Wright Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 1 Karen B. Guerin From: Nancy Chu [nancychu62 @gmail.com] Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 5:01 PM To: Barry Chang Subject: Please support Deer hollow farm! Dear Mr. Chang, We live by foothill blvd and we visit county park and deer hollow farm often. We would like to ask your support to continue the $5000/year funding to deer hollow farm. Many Cupertino residents use this park (one of most visited park in the area) and enjoy the farm. Many thanks Stanley and Nancy Chu 1 Karen B. Guerin From: Cheryl Bohley[gramsbohley @gmail.com] Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 8:21 PM To: Mark Santoro Subject: Deer Hollow Farm funding Dear Mayor Mark Santoro, As a resident of Cupertino, a primary teacher who took classes to Deer Hollow Farm each year, a DHF docent, and a Rancho San Antonio weekly hiker, who always stops by the farm, I respectfully ask that you please add Cupertino's $5,000 contribution to beer Hollow Farm's operations bock into your budget. As you know, funding of the Farm is a unique partnership of many Government organizations who spread the costs of the Farm to ensure its stable funding. The City of Mountain View manages the Farm with 2.5 staff who guide the Farm's 80 volunteers, many from Cupertino, whD run the Farm, teach the classes, care for the animals and garden. Last year the City of Mountain View provided about $50,000 after fee/cost recovery; the Town of Los Altos Hills provided $10,000, the City of Cupertino provided $5,000, and the County of Santa Clara provided $50,000. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District provided $140,000, and Friends donors provided $53,000. Please remain in this unique and important funding partnership to ensure that the Farm's environmental education program continues for its 100,000 Silicon Valley visitors annually. Thank you, Cheryl Bohley 1 Karen B. Guerin From: Gary Latshaw[glatshaw @gmail.corn] Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 3:00 PM To: Mark Santoro; Orrin Mahoney; Gilbert Wong; rsinks @cupertion.org; Barry Chang Subject: Funding for Deerhollow Farm Mayor Santoro and Council Members - I urge you to support the Deer Hollow Farm with $5,000 in funding. I have recently been trained as a docent at the farm and can personally attest to the dedication of the very small staff who leverage to efforts of nearly 100 volunteers. The farm is a unique resource for our community. The activities provides an opportunity for small children to view nature and the operation of a farm. It has also been a focus of at least one Eagle Scout project. Please support this relatively modest request which is leveraged in so many ways by other contributions of time and money. Gary Fight for Renewable Energies! Save the global ecology; create jobs; eliminate dependence on foreign oil; reduce military requirements Gary Latshaw, Ph.D. 408-499-3006 1 Karen B. Guerin From: Marion Sotcher[msotcher @gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 9:43 AM To: Gilbert Wong Subject: Deer Hollow Farm Council Member Gilbert Wong: I am requesting that you continue funding Deer Hollow Farm with the five thousand dollars. Many school children from Cupertino attend farm tours yearly,also day camps and other special events. This farm is one of the very few available to give this experience Marion Sotcher i Karen B. Guerin From: Mark Matsumoto [markm @cupertirio-chamber.org] Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 4:24 PM To: City Council Cc: City Clerk Subject: Re: Item#14 and Support for Cupertino's Hotels Attachments: Request to Support Cupertino's Hotels.doc Dear Mayor Mark Santoro and City Councilmembers, On most occasions when I submit a letter a letter to the City and Councilmembers, I am doing it on behalf of the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce. This letter is a bit different in that it is composed and submitted on behalf of a group of Cupertino Hotel General Managers. This letter reflects their feedback and recommendations in regards to Item#14 on tonight's Agenda. Thank you for your time. Best Regards, Mark Mark Matsumoto, Government Affairs Specialist Cupertino Chamber of Commerce markm @cupertino-chamber.orq (408) 252-7054 x14 20455 Silverado Ave Cupertino, CA 95014 Please consider the environment before printing this email 1 slew -11177 June 19, 2012 Mayor Mark Santoro and Cupertino City Council 10300 Torre Avenue Cupertino,CA 95014 Cupertino Chamber of Commerce Your Partner in Silicon Valley Re: Request to Support Cupertino's Hotels Dear Mayor Mark Santoro and Cupertino City Councilmembers, On Thursday,June 14, 2012,a teleconference meeting comprised of Cupertino hotel general managers was held.An invitation to attend this call was sent by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce to all of the Cupertino hotels; representatives of three of the Cupertino's hotels,a majority of such establishments in our City,were able to attend. The purpose of this call was to identify as a group what the City of Cupertino could be doing to support and grow hotel business.This conversation came about as the result of two recent events: First,the Transit Occupancy Tax(TOT) recently increased as a result of the November 2011 ballot measure. Second,a review of the five year budget forecast has revealed that the rationale for placing an increase on the TOT has turned out,at least in the tangible,current term,to be unfounded. When increasing the TOT was first discussed starting approximately one year ago,the Cupertino hotels expressed legitimate reservations about the potential negative impact that such an action would cause to their businesses.In particular,hotel GMs were concerned that the combination of a lingering recession and higher TOT rates would hurt occupancy rates at their hotels,and would disproportionately hurt their finances,which had already been hard-hit by the recession.According to City projections at the time,a large budget shortfall was expected for the following year and new revenues needed to be raised to make this up. In May 2012,the City conducted an update and review of its five year budget forecast. During this review,the City revised upward their estimates for their sales tax revenue.Originally expecting a decline,the City now foresees an increase of 3-5%in sales tax revenue for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. This estimate takes into account both the departure of Hewlett Packard and record high sales tax revenue increases.1 These two events are not listed to provide a critique or commentary about the Transit Occupancy Tax increase or the City of Cupertino and City Staff. In fact, many general managers on the call were appreciative of the sound judgment and fiscal responsibility demonstrated by City Staff in light of the revised budget.Instead,the above information is meant to provide the rationale behind the present discussion. Our hotel general managers make the following observations: 1)the City recently passed a tax increase that impacts and takes revenue from hotels; and 2) Given the City's increase in sales tax revenue,the projected budget shortfall has not materialized in actual financial losses,thus obviating the original rationale for requiring revenue from the increased Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT). As a result of these developments,the Cupertino hotels offer the following recommendations to the City Council on actions the City could fund to support and grow hotel business. In order of importance,the top three priorities of Cupertino's hotel general managers are:2 ' Given the City's prior projection of a decrease in sales tax revenue in the face of what is now actually an increase, continued projections forecasting future revenue decreases s1-,ould be viewed more carefully,especially when such projections result in actions adverse to the financial viability of the business community. These recommendations are made on behalf of the hotel GMs who attended the teleconference.At this time,they do not reflect the stance or position of the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce. 1) Fastidious and aggressive recruitment and retention of large companies 2) Expansion of office space availability to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies 3) Exploration and promotion of activities that encourage leisure stays in Cupertino 1) Fastidious and aggressive recruitment and retention of large companies Hotels in Cupertino rely heavily upon the business generated from large companies. Thus,our hotel managers believe that Cupertino should be fastidious with respect to attracting and retaining large companies.The hotels are also concerned with the departure of HP,as it may not be healthy for them to rely upon the remaining large employer for such a significant portion of their business. Specifically,the hotels recommend that the City should hire someone whose sole or major responsibility is to bring new,large companies to Cupertino.One GM highlighted Sunnyvale as an example of a City that has been very proactive and successful in this effort. 2) Expand office space availability to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies Related to the previous recommendation,the City must ensure it has the space available to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies in Cupertino.The general plan should be updated to allow for the creation of more office space. 3) Exploration and promotion of activities that encourage leisure stays in Cupertino While the business from large companies fill up the hotels during the weekdays and is their"bread and butter",the hotels on the weekends typically have high vacancy rates.While they acknowledge that Cupertino has many great amenities and features,the hotel GMs do not believe there is enough here to market so that traffic and tourism are drawn from surrounding cities. Alternatively,the hotel GMs encourage the City to explore and support multi-day activities,such as a sports tournament in Cupertino.Such activities would ideally draw families and interested followers from a wide geographical region to stay and dine in and around Cupertino.Since these activities would be temporary boosts in occupancy,they are listed as a lower priority compared to the previous recommendations. Finally,please understand that these viewpoints are expressed primarily and most importantly as attempts to ensure the viability and shared success of our City's economy. We defer to the wisdom and responsible stewardship of the City Council and our capable staff with respect to constructive efforts which can and should be taken to ensure that we have a healthy economy for all who make up our community. We appreciate your attention and concern when it comes to ensuring that those who have stepped up to support the City of Cupertino and its citizens in times of financial need are not forgotten when their interests and well-being are similarly at stake. Sincerely, Mark Matsumoto Government Affairs Specialist Cupertino Chamber of Commerce www.cupertino-chamber.org (408) 252-7054 - 2 - 1) Fastidious and aggressive recruitment and retention of large companies 2) Expansion of office space availability to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies 3) Exploration and promotion of activities that encourage leisure stays in Cupertino 1) Fastidious and aggressive recruitment and retention of large companies Hotels in Cupertino rely heavily upon the business generated from large companies. Thus,our hotel managers believe that Cupertino should be fastidious with respect to attracting and retaining large companies.The hotels are also concerned with the departure of HP,as it may not be healthy for them to rely upon the remaining large employer for such a sig;iificant portion of their business. Specifically,the hotels recommend that the City should hire someone whose sole or major responsibility is to bring new,large companies to Cupertino.One GM highlighted Sunnyvale as an example of a City that has been very proactive and successful in this effort. 2) Expand office space availability to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies Related to the previous recommendation,the City must ensure it has the space available to allow for the relocation and expansion of large companies in Cupertino.The general plan should be updated to allow for the creation of more office space. 3) Exploration and promotion of activities that encourage leisure stays in Cupertino While the business from large companies fill up the hotels during the weekdays and is their"bread and butter",the hotels on the weekends typically have high vacancy rates.While they acknowledge that Cupertino has many great amenities and features,the hotel GMs do not believe there is enough here to market so that traffic and tourism are drawn from surrounding cities. Alternatively,the hotel GMs encourage the City to explore and support multi-day activities,such as a sports tournament in Cupertino. Such activities would ideally draw families and interested followers from a wide geographical region to stay and dine in and around Cupertino.Since these activities would be temporary boosts in occupancy,they are listed as a lower priority compared to the previous recommendations. Finally,please understand that these viewpoints are expressed primarily and most importantly as attempts to ensure the viability and shared success of our City's economy. We defer to the wisdom and responsible stewardship of the City Council and our capable staff with respect to constructive efforts which can and should be taken to ensure that we have a healthy economy for all who make up our community. We appreciate your attention and concern when it comes to ensuring that those who have stepped up to support the City of Cupertino and its cit.zens in times of financial need are not forgotten when their interests and well-being are similarly at stake. Sincerely, Mark Matsumoto Government Affairs Specialist Cupertino Chamber of Commerce www.cupertino-chamber.org (408) 252-7054 - 2 -