Kicking off the first of three budget workshops this week, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors launched on Tuesday the first review of a proposed budget that will have to cut $219.6 million for the upcoming fiscal year. The proposed budget calls for an estimated 110 layoffs, 122 county employees would be bumped to lower-paying positions, and 300 would be transferred to different departments.

In its first month of collecting taxes on medical marijuana being sold inside city limits, San Jose took in almost $290,000. And it appears more money is still on the table. Less than three-quarters (73) of San Jose’s 100-plus collectives paid the business tax in March, according to city figures.

Declaring a fiscal and public safety emergency, Mayor Chuck Reed unveiled his fiscal reform proposal Friday afternoon at City Hall. The reforms will focus on pension and health care for current and future employees, and some actions will require changes to the city charter, meaning measures will need to be put on a ballot for voter approval. The proposal being put forward was co-signed by Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen and councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Rose Herrera.

A 51-year-old San Jose man died from his stab wound injuries late Thursday night, bringing the total of homicide victims in San Jose this year to 21. That total is one more homicide than San Jose had in all of 2010.

A couple of weeks ago, the San Jose city government sent out hundreds of layoff notices to city employees. KRON 4 News reported that 25 percent of the city’s librarians received notices that their positions could be eliminated. The Mercury News reported that the San Jose police officers’ union has offered to cut their salaries by 10 percent in an effort to reduce the number of layoffs. Even with this last-minute concession, San Jose’s police force may still be reduced by 106 officers.

The Police Officers Association announced Friday that its members would accept a one-time 10 percent cut in pay and benefits for the coming year. Union leaders cast the move as a generous proposal that would save jobs. Mayor Chuck Reed immediately called the offer inadequate, and warned that it came dangerously late in the game.

San Jose City Manager Debra Figone unveiled her proposed budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year on Monday, and the forecast is grim. With a projected shortfall of $115.2 million, Figone’s budget says 588 city positions will likely need to be eliminated, which comes out to roughly 10 percent of all workers. Of that amount, 370 workers would be subject to layoffs. These numbers come under the assumption that the city will get all 11 labor unions to agree to an ongoing 10 percent cut in total compensation for city workers. If agreements are not reached, an additional 446 positions would need to be eliminated.

In the 10th year of budget cuts, San Jose City manager Debra Figone has said more than 600 employees could lose their jobs to help tackle a $115 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. The process of handing out pink slips began this week, and more than 100 police officers are being notified that they could be out of a job come July.

Editor’s Note: The following is a letter that was sent out last week to city employees from City Manager Debra Figone. In the letter, Figone explains the current budget crisis. San Jose is expected to have a deficit of $115 million for the next fiscal year starting in July. Even if all workers agree to a 10 percent cut in total compensation, Figone writes, almost 620 jobs will still need to be eliminated. The last day on the job for many of these people would be June 25. Figone will be unveiling her proposed budget on May 2.

Last week, the City Council moved forward with an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the water pollution control plant often referred to verbally as “weepeeceepee” (WPCP). The plant and the land are jointly owned by San Jose and the City of Santa Clara.

There are competing interests on what to do with the area surrounding the plant. Some would like all of open space land preserved for natural habitat for the burrowing owl and other animals. Others would like to the area devoted to large parks with trail connectivity. Still others look to this as an area where San Jose could add office and retail opportunities to increase the tax base.

I attended the District 5 (D5) community budget meeting last week—it was the third D5 community budget meeting I’ve attended. Approximately 50 people were there, with the majority being city employees.  Many of the speakers shared emotional testimonials.

The citywide Community Budget meetings started last week with the city manager and other city department heads in attendance to answer questions. Ten public meetings will be held with one meeting in each Council district.

Yesterday, April 4, marked the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. To commemorate that tragic event, union workers nationwide held rallies to protest recent moves against workers’ rights to organize.

Whatever happened to the ability to compromise for the sake of the whole? We are drowning in a sea of debt and it will get worse without a solution soon, but not one Republican wants to throw out a life preserver to the children and schools of California, which account for 54 percent of the state’s budget. Not one!

Rather, the Republicans seem content on a doomsday scenario. If there is no continuing/new revenue and it must be a “cuts-only” budget students will be in school only seven months and on vacation for five months. How sad for our children. How selfish can we be?

San Jose’s airport looks to be moving one step closer to privatizing its fire and security services, leaving city firefighters and police officers out of the loop in cost-cutting measures.

Last week the council took up the firefighters union contract with more than 100 firefighters in attendance. I thought I would share why I voted no. First, I think it is clear that if you have worked in city government over the years that things are drastically changing due to structural budget deficits. Second, if you are new to working in city government, you will most likely not have the same career as those before you.