COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

County Manager’s Office

DATE:

March 1, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 7, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

John Maltbie, County Manager

SUBJECT:

County Manager’s Report #4

A.

Resolution amending San Mateo County’s Federal Earmark requests for Federal Fiscal Year 2007 to include the Belmont Library Project

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution amending San Mateo County’s Federal Earmark requests for Federal Fiscal Year 2007 to include the Belmont Library Project

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government

Goal(s): Goal 20—Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

BACKGROUND:

Each year San Mateo County works with its Congressional delegation to secure federal appropriations requests (commonly referred to as earmarks) for specific projects. Earlier this year, the Legislative Committee recommend approval and the Board approved four federal appropriations requests—San Mateo County Preschool for All Funding; San Mateo Medical Center Emergency Department Workflow Redesign; Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Interpretive Center; and Emancipated Foster Youth Housing.

A small delegation of Supervisors and staff will travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference and meet with San Mateo County’s federal delegation members and member staffs to discuss San Mateo County’s appropriations requests.

DISCUSSION:

The Belmont Library is part of the San Mateo County Library, a Joint Powers Authority comprised of the cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos, and Woodside, as well as unincorporated areas of the County represented by the County of San Mateo. They are currently in the process of constructing a new library building. Despite over $11.6 million in local bond funds, and funds from the City of Belmont, private fundraising, and county library funds, the new library still has $115,000 in unmet needs for specific materials and their homework center.

In part, funding will support materials acquisition of audio and large print materials targeted at seniors. These materials support and help expand ongoing senior activities—from the traditional (senior book discussion groups and “Remember When” that utilizes historical and other materials to trigger discussion and reflection on history through which the participants have lived) to the innovative (such as Senior Welcome Mornings where Seniors are welcomed into the library before opening in order to provide them the extra attention they need to facilitate their reading interests or need to gain computer skills).

Funding would also be used to support the Belmont Library homework center. Parents and teachers alike are increasingly looking to their community library to provide homework and project assistance. Homework centers have a proven track record for providing a safe and productive experience for school age children, and many of Belmont’s schools are within walking distance of the Library. In response to this growing need, the new Belmont Library includes a “Homework Place” that will allow for private, quiet study time and supervised homework assistance. The space also includes a bank of computers. Staffing for homework services are not routinely funded by libraries but rely instead on donations and/or support from the Friends of the Library. Start-up funding for the first three years of this new program would allow the library time to identify long-term funding opportunities.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Unknown. Potentially positive.

B.

Resolution in support of S. 146 (Inouye, D-HI) and H.R. 4574 (Issa, R-CA) regarding the Filipino Veterans Equity Act

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution in support of S. 146 (Inouye, D-HI) and H.R. 4574 (Issa, R-CA) regarding the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal(s): Goal 8—Help vulnerable people including the aged achieve a better quality of life.

BACKGROUND:

Under President Roosevelt, the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines was, in 1941, called into service for the United States. Many Filipinos who served were killed or wounded in combat. Those who did serve were supposed to receive full veterans’ benefits by reason of their active service with the U.S. armed forces. Then in 1946, Congress enacted the Rescission Act of 1946, which deemed that the service performed by these Filipino veterans would not be recognized as “active service” for the purpose of any U.S. law conferring “rights, privileges, or benefits.” This included the denial of veterans’ access to health care and pension benefits and limited their death compensation to half of their American counterparts.

S. 146 and a similar measure, H.R. 4575, would deem certain service in the military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippine Scouts to have been active service for the purposes of benefits under programs of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

In contrast, H.R. 170 (Issa, R-CA) the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act, would distinguish between veterans that lawfully reside in the United States or are citizens and those that do/are not. H.R. 302 (Cunningham, R-CA) contains similar provisions. However, with the recent resignation of Congressman Cunningham, Congressman Issa (R-CA) introduced H.R. 4574.

DISCUSSION:

According to Senator Inouye, the sponsor of S. 146, “the treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is bleak and shameful.” Senator Inouye introduced similar legislation in the past including S. 2630 in 2002 (107th).

The Board of Supervisors supported S. 2630 (Inouye, D-HI) and H.R. 4904 (Filner, D-CA) Health Care for Filipino World War II Veterans Act; H.R. 491 (Gilman, R-NY) Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2001; and S. 1042 (Inouye, D-HI) Filipino Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2001.

The Legislative Committee has reviewed S. 146 (Inouye, D-HI) and H.R. 4574 (Issa, R-CA) regarding the Filipino Veterans Equity Act and recommend a support position.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.