A Message from the General Manager
General Manager
Ten years ago, more than two-thirds of voters residing within Midpen boundaries voted “yes” on Measure AA. Passage of this ballot measure is allowing Midpen to sell up to $300 million in general obligation bonds over 30 years, “To improve access to hiking and biking opportunities; protect and preserve redwood forests, natural open spaces, critical wildlife habitat and the scenic beauty of our region and coastline; restore creeks to protect water quality; and reduce forest fire risk.”
To date, Midpen has spent $88.4 million, with another $6.8 million in this year’s budget, toward these goals, tracking well with the expenditure plan. This year, as we celebrate 10 years of Measure AA accomplishments, I am reminded of how critical this public funding support is for our region.
Looking back at 2009-10, the economic downturn had constrained Midpen’s revenues which are primarily made up of a small percentage of the property taxes homeowners pay to their county. Revenue was projected to be flat in 2010-11 and only slightly increase in 2012-13. Midpen’s capacity to borrow money for future land purchases was severely constrained as our operating and capital expenses, plus existing debt service payments, were at 94% of revenues.
Yet the needs were growing. There were critical gaps and missing linkages in habitat and trail connectivity. Important and intact natural systems needed protection. Concern was growing about the continued viability of local agriculture, and there were decades of deferred land stewardship needs plus ongoing infrastructure repairs, replacements and maintenance.
Rising costs coupled with Midpen’s limited funding for capital projects made the situation dire. Without a change, Midpen’s ability to preserve open space lands was predicted to shrink from approximately 1,500 acres to about 200 acres per year.
We were just beginning to understand the impacts of climate change and the role open space plays in landscape-level resilience; and the investments needed in vegetation management, invasive weed control, restoration forestry and grassland management.
The Midpen board decided to seek solutions by reaching out to the people. We put in a lot of effort, resources and time going out into our local communities, from Los Gatos to Mountain View, over to Half Moon Bay and up to the neighborhoods along Skyline Boulevard, asking people to envision the future of open space.
We held meetings, conducted surveys and posted questions online. In the end, thousands of community members came together over 18 months to come up with a Vision Plan consisting of 54 portfolios of projects organized around five key themes that resonate with Midpen’s mission: outdoor recreation and healthy living; natural, cultural and scenic landscapes; healthy nature; connecting with nature and each other; and viable working lands.
The top 25 portfolios were deemed the highest priority, out of which an expenditure plan was prepared. The Midpen board then asked the public if they were willing to support a funding measure to help implement these projects. Most of the identified projects in the top 25 portfolios were included in the $300 million ballot-measure ask, and on June 3, 2014, 67.96% of voters said “yes!”
In addition to the overwhelming public support and new influx of funding for capital projects, what makes Measure AA a game changer is a bit harder to see. Dedicated capital funding increased our ability to leverage more than $23 million in grant funding to date, and partnerships, making taxpayer dollars go so much further.
Midpen’s operational general fund budget can now be used to expand public interpretive and educational programs, increase field maintenance and patrol capacity, scale-up capital project delivery, and hire dedicated staff to address wildland fire resiliency, climate sustainability and facilities maintenance.