May 6, 2020 Menlo Park City Council 701 Laurel St. Menlo Park, CA 94025 Re: Menlo Park COVID-19 RESPONSE Dear Members of City Council, The COVID crisis will bring about unprecedented challenges, it can also provide new opportunities to build a better more equitable workplace and community moving forward. We hope that Menlo Park rises to the occasion. We are worried that as Menlo Park is looking at the budget, the instinct is to start cutting. We recognize that there will need to be some cutting to address budget shortfalls, but we believe that the city has very little left to cut since the last economic downturn. The concessions that union members agreed to in the past has led to extraordinary levels of reserves and financial stability for Menlo Park. Union members have continued to provide the highest level of service to the community while also being asked to give back more. Since the COVID crisis has started, we have been meeting with city management weekly to hear updates and discuss safety concerns from our members. We have appreciated the regularity of these calls. Lately, however city management has begun to approach us about the potential for concession bargaining. AFSCME believes that this is premature especially because we are still in the middle of the shelter in place orders and that the city has the reserves to weather the immediate future. Once everyone has a better understanding of how the budget will be impacted by the COVID crisis, we hope the city will investigate potential revenue generating opportunities instead of just looking at cuts. Those include: * Real Estate holdings: How can the City generate revenue to address budget short falls through its leases and land use? * Public/Private Partnerships: The City is home to one of the largest tech companies in the world. How can the City use public/private partnership and philanthropy to save Menlo Park? We believe this can be done without being beholden to those private partnerships. * Supporting The Schools and Communities First Ballot Initiative: The November ballot measure has the chance to bring in an additional 11 to 12 Billion dollars a year in new tax revenue to the state earmarked for schools and vital community services. We will continue to approach Council and City Management with more ideas as our members generate them. The more we can be a part of these conversations, the better the outcome will be. We are also willing to sit on any subcommittees that Council creates to address the COVID response or improve labor relations. Sincerely, Ashley Mates Union Representative AFSCME Local 829 CC: Whit Lory, AFSCME Chapter President Ashley Mates Staff Rep AFSCME District Council 57 Oakland, CA ashley.mates_at_(domainremoved) cell: 510-220-7992 Click here https://afscmecouncil57.na1.echosign.com/public/esignWidget?wid=CBFCIBAA3AAABLblqZhDzABa_0kEmJkJLLPdIVdagkpWajfa9cKMq9v3ANDy544cvClCH9d34eJKsFjQw8Fw *> to become a member! __________________________________________________________________________ The information contained in this email may be privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, or are not the named recipient(s), please notify the sender immediately by reply email and delete this message from your computer. Thank you application/pdf attachment: Letter to Menlo Park City Council.pdf
