It’s deja-vu for the San Jose City Council.
They just returned from a month-long vacation after managing to fill it’s own gaping budget hole before their summer recess.
Now, they return only to find the state wants to snag another $100 million from city coffers.
So they will begin debate Tuesday, deciding where they’ll get the money to pay the state.
The city manager made suggestions such as closing park restrooms during the week, perhaps closing community and senior centers and forgoing maintenance on city streets.
There’s also the possibility of closing fire stations and downsizing some of the specialized units in the San Jose Police Department. The units would be undercover officers who fight gangs, drugs and prostitution.
School-aged kids will probably do without crossing guards.
Nothing is off the table.
"I think they should be worried," said Mayor Chuck Reed about the people concerned about the cutbacks.
"I don’t think this is the worst case scenario because things are only going to get worse," Reed said.
The mayor said next year’s deficit is going to be worse than this year because one-time funding will be gone.
He says he will walk up to the dais with the rest of the city council knowing there is no more meat on the bone.
Now they begin chipping away at that bone.
