Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in East Palo Alto public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
13 issues in taxes budget
Measure JJ Anti-Displacement Program
The family towing business, which serves the city, was given three months to leave its Ontario Street site and asked the council for help finding a new location or extending its tenancy.
Mayor combining State of the City with candidate forum
Residents and two councilmembers blasted the mayor's plan to hold his State of the City address alongside a council candidate forum — with some candidates never notified. Critics call it an appearance of city endorsement; Romero wants it agendized for a vote.
November 2026 General Municipal Election
Two city council seats — held by Ruben Abrica and Martha Barragan — expire in December 2026, and this resolution sets the election to fill them. The city will pay San Mateo County roughly $52,000 to $62,400 to run the vote, already covered in the budget.
$125 Million General Obligation Bond for Civic and Infrastructure Projects
The council voted 5-0 to put a $125 million bond on the November 2026 ballot for a new civic center, library, police facility, sports field, and water and stormwater infrastructure. Homeowners would pay about $105 per $100,000 of assessed value per year. A recent poll showed roughly two-thirds support.
Successor Agency wind-down
The city is paying off the last bond from the old Redevelopment Agency this year. Once that's done, the Successor Agency can dissolve and redevelopment tax dollars return to the normal property tax process.
Structural budget deficit
The city is spending about $4.7 million more than it takes in from its general fund next year, and recurring costs are growing faster than tax revenue. Staff say reserves can bridge the gap for now, but one-time federal money and other stopgaps are running out — meaning harder choices are coming.
FY 2026-27 city budget
The city faces a structural deficit and the budget adoption was pushed to June 23 after the long housing debate.
City vacancies and SEIU staffing concerns
Vacancy rate is down to 4.8%, but SEIU says maintenance worker, public works secretary, and building inspector positions have sat empty, stretching workloads.
BMR monitoring fee debate
Below-market-rate homeowners pay $129 a month — about $1,548 a year — for monitoring of their units. Councilmember Dinan called the fee excessive for low-income owners; others defended it as the price of enforcing deed restrictions that has recovered units sold improperly. The fee is now frozen until the EPA CAN DO contract expires in October.
Legislative advocacy platform
The city's first legislative platform gives staff a framework to take positions on state and federal legislation aligned with council priorities — including $2 million recently won for Woodland Avenue safety and $600,000 for a creek floodway study.
Five-year information technology modernization
The city's computer systems are aging, siloed and vulnerable to hackers. The new five-year plan spends roughly $2 million a year at peak to fix cybersecurity, replace the outdated ERP and build a 311-style system so residents can report potholes online instead of calling council members. Actual spending still needs yearly budget approval.
Council term limits
The council is weighing whether and when to ask voters to limit councilmembers to consecutive four-year terms. June placement would cost more ($75,500–$90,600) with ~20% turnout; November would cost less with ~51% turnout but shares a ballot with a planned bond measure. The council opted to defer a decision to a future meeting.
Strategic priorities progress and deferred projects
Staff reported 39 of 59 strategic priority projects active, including the completed Colibri Commons and the 101 overcrossing. Four projects — library funding and design, the ten-year fiscal strategy, and water infrastructure financing — are deferred, which Vice Mayor Abrica flagged as worrying.