Editor,
Recently, I received a survey from San Mateo County inquiring about my priorities for spending Measure K money. Measure K (the county’s Critical Services Measure) was originally passed in 2012 and then extended by voters in 2016 to last through 2043.
Measure K’s financial summary data (smcgov.org/ceo/financial-summary) makes it clear that the county has been collecting far more revenue than it is able to spend on critical services. For example, in 2021-22, the county utilized 70% of the revenue they collected (the math is similar when looking at lifetime revenue vs. spend).
With more than $200 million excess lifetime funds ($804 million revenue — $503 million expenditures), I am concerned that the money will be utilized toward pet projects and items that are noncritical. Compared to statements from 2015, we are already seeing a proliferation of “nonprofits” and questionable line items on the expenditures.
Readers will benefit from parsing the 2021-22 expenditure statement and asking the question: “What are the residents getting in return for the money spent.” The most surprising part of the annual report is the absence of success metrics. What was the baseline? What is the target? How much improvement was achieved?
This is a miss on the part of the citizen oversight committee that is tasked with preparing the format of the annual report. In closing, I believe the Board of Supervisors should discuss the topic of returning excess funds to taxpayers.
Amit Saini
Foster City
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(2) comments
Love your ideas Amit. Looks like David Canepa will be having a "listening session" on Aug. 25 at 1:30, 101 Lake Merced Blvd. Daly City where members of the public can let the Board know how they think Measure K $ should be spent.
As he has indicated previously in an interview - "You cannot change my mind with facts".
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