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Email Header for District 6 Newsletter from Councilmember Kelly Cox




This month’s update is about the long game: the decisions we inherit, the investments we make, and the community moments that show why they matter. From Santa Clara’s upcoming budget discussion to STEM Zone, the Eco Fair at Mission College, and PAL Wrestling, each of these moments tells part of the same story.

A strong city is not built by one meeting, one event, or one program. It is built through years of planning, partnerships, public service, and residents who continue to show up for one another. This is a quick look at what is happening in Santa Clara, why it matters, and how these pieces connect to the future we are building together.

The Biennial Capital Improvement Program: What’s Up and Why It Matters

It’s budget season in Santa Clara, and Council will soon consider approval of the Biennial Capital Improvement Program. Why should residents care? Because the budget is where our values become decisions. It determines how we fund the services people rely on every day, including public safety, parks, libraries, streets, utilities, staffing, and community programs.

This is the CliffsNotes version: Santa Clara is in a stronger position than many neighboring cities. That strength gives us real opportunity, but it also requires discipline. Understanding the budget helps residents see what we can fund, what risks we need to manage, and how today’s choices shape the future of our city.

In 1896, long before data centers, Super Bowls, or global tech campuses, Santa Clara made a practical choice: we wanted control over our own power. What started with the decision to run our own streetlights helped build what is now one of the City’s greatest strengths, Silicon Valley Power. That decision, along with generations of forward-thinking leadership, is paying off today.

Santa Clara has moved from projected General Fund deficits to a balanced budget with small surpluses. Silicon Valley Power remains one of the City’s strongest financial assets, helping support core services while keeping utility rates competitive for residents and businesses.

That is a real advantage, especially as neighboring cities face harder budget choices. But it is also a responsibility. Much of this strength is tied to industrial electric users, including data centers and technology companies. That growth helps fund services, staffing, and infrastructure, but it also means we have to budget carefully and avoid treating today’s revenue as guaranteed forever. Government budgeting by wishful thinking is, sadly, still not a recognized best practice.

What Residents Should Know

* Santa Clara has moved from projected deficits to a balanced General Fund with small surpluses.
* The SVP transfer is projected to contribute $42.9 million to the General Fund in FY 2026/27.
* SVP is now the City’s third-largest revenue source.
* 5% of SVP electric revenue comes from industrial customers.
* Santa Clara has the lowest combined water, sewer, and electric rates in the nine Bay Area counties.
* Measure I provides $400 million for infrastructure, with the first $100 million going toward fire stations, parks, libraries, and public facilities.
* The City is setting aside 3% of General Fund spending, about $10.4 million annually, for future infrastructure needs.
* Even with Measure I, Santa Clara still faces more than $1 billion in unmet infrastructure needs.

Why Public Participation Matters

A stronger budget does not mean residents should tune out. It means this is exactly the time to pay attention. The choices made now will shape how Santa Clara invests in infrastructure, staffing, parks, public safety, transportation, and neighborhood services for years to come.

The budget will come before the Council on June 9, and residents are encouraged to review the materials, follow the discussion, ask questions, and share what matters most in their neighborhoods. Santa Clara’s current strength was built by long-term thinking. Keeping that strength will require the same from all of us.

*More Information* [ https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-city/departments-a-f/finance#docaccess-403832be86ca37ea9ad81f99cd0cf602 ]


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STEM Zone: Creating Spaces Where Community Thrives

STEM Zone

Santa Clara’s STEM Zone continues to show what happens when we invest in hands-on learning and community partnerships. By creating space for students and families to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun and accessible way, STEM Zone helps connect young people to the skills and careers shaping our region.

Its success was more than a single event or program. It reflects the kind of city we should keep building: one where innovation is not just something happening inside major companies, but something our children can see, touch, and imagine themselves being part of. Programs like STEM Zone help turn Santa Clara’s position at the center of technology into real opportunity for local families.

I am incredibly impressed by the work of Patty Wong and her team, who once again turned an idea into an experience that brought people together, and by people I mean astronauts, inventors, artists, Lego master builders, mechatronic maniacs and so many more! Through the Economic Development Committee, staff and community partners have helped create spaces and events that are bringing new life, energy, and connection into our city. As Santa Clara prepares for the global stage of FIFA as it did with the Super Bowl LX, our mission has been clear: residents should not feel like spectators in their own city. We want to celebrate Santa Clara, showcase our community, honor our culture, and highlight the people who make this city feel like home.

This committee, led by incredible City staff, has created real momentum. The STEM Zone is one more example of what is possible when we invest in events that are not just impressive but meaningful. I hope this energy continues, because these are the kinds of experiences that build pride, connection, and a stronger sense of community.

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Sustainability Starts at Home

Mission College

I had the opportunity to attend the Eco Fair at Mission College, and it was a great reminder that sustainability is not just a City policy or a climate goal. It is something residents can see, learn, and practice in everyday ways.

We are fortunate to have Mission College right here in Santa Clara as a partner in education, workforce development, and community engagement. The Eco Fair brought together students, families, local agencies, and environmental partners to share practical tools around recycling, composting, watershed protection, wildlife habitats, energy conservation, and waste reduction. What stood out most was how accessible it felt. This was not sustainability as a buzzword. It was hands-on, local, and useful.

Events like this matter because Santa Clara’s future is not only shaped by major infrastructure, technology, or global events. It is also shaped by how we care for our neighborhoods, open spaces, utilities, and shared environment. The Eco Fair showed how community partnerships can turn big environmental goals into small, meaningful actions residents can actually take.

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Building Confidence On and Off the Mat

SC PAL Photo

I had the joy of attending a second year of the Santa Clara Police Activities League Wrestling closing ceremony, and it was one of those community moments that remind you why youth programs matter so much.

The kids showed strength, discipline, sportsmanship, and a lot of impressive takedowns and high-five skills. Just as meaningful was seeing the teen wrestlers volunteer their time to coach and encourage the younger athletes. That kind of peer leadership builds confidence on both sides: for the kids learning the sport and for the teens stepping into mentorship roles.

Programs like PAL Wrestling do more than teach technique. They create belonging, character, and connection between our youth, families, volunteers, and public safety partners. Congratulations to all the little wrestlers, coaches, and families who made this spring season such a success.

What connects all of these updates is simple: Santa Clara is strongest when we plan for the future while staying rooted in the people who make this city feel like home.

These are moments that make a city more than a place on a map. They build pride, belonging, and trust. As we move through a major year for Santa Clara, my hope is that we continue investing in the services, partnerships, and programs that help residents feel seen, included, and proud of the city we share.

Kelly G. Cox

Councilmember Kelly Cox, District 6








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