By Khalida Sarwari
In less than two weeks, voters will finally get their say on a proposal to build a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara.
Measure J, which requires a majority vote, asks voters in the June 8 election to consider a proposal to build a 68,500-seat stadium for the football team next to the Great America theme park.
If it passes, a 2 percent hotel tax approved earlier this month by the City Council would be established at eight hotels in the vicinity of the theme park to generate $35 million toward the $937 million stadium.
The 49ers and the National Football League have agreed to raise $493 million, and another $330 million would be generated by the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. The redevelopment agency is expected to contribute $42 million.
The proposal has drawn crowds of supporters and opponents to City Council meetings.
Proponents, among them Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan and state Sen. Elaine Alquist, say the stadium would create thousands of jobs for local workers and millions of dollars for schools and Santa Clara’s general fund.
Opponents, however, argue that rather than stimulating the economy, the stadium would sap $67 million from the city’s general fund, because money that would otherwise go into the general fund would be diverted to the stadium.
They also have concerns about the stadium’s impact on traffic, parking, noise and air quality. Councilman Will Kennedy and Councilwoman Jamie McLeod are two of the more vocal opponents.
Another measure on the June 8 ballot concerns cardrooms in San Jose.
Measure K asks San Jose voters to approve a 2 percent tax increase at the city’s two cardroom clubs, Bay 101 and Garden City Casino. Increasing the tax from 13 to 15 percent and increasing the number of playing tables by nine at each of the clubs would generate about $5 million for the city.
Approval of the measure would permit any card game authorized by the state and raise betting limits to the level authorized under state law but subject to city audit and oversight.
Supporters of the measure, who include Vice Mayor Judy Chirco and San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Patricia Dando, say the revenue would help minimize the city’s more than $100 million budget deficit without increasing taxes on San Jose residents.
The San Jose Police Officers Association opposes the measure, maintaining that an increase in tables could potentially increase crime in the city.
The measure requires a majority vote.