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02Public Comment From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Hello Tuesday, March 23, 2021 11:48 AM Public Comment 3-23-21 Council Comments Council Comments 3_23_21 Bonds.pdf Please deliver the attached comments to all city council members. Thanks Ryan Balius March 23, 2021 Honorable Mayor and Members of the Anaheim City Council, I am writing in response to agenda item 02-B, relating to the issuance of Lease Revenue Bonds to offset revenue losses sustained as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am acutely aware of the impact that COVID-19 induced business closures have had on the economy of the City of Anaheim — it is the same impact that virtually every community across the country has felt. I also recognize the need to offset the tax revenue losses the pandemic has caused in order to continue to subsidize critical community services, included public safety and public works -related services. My concern with the proposal set forth in Item 02-B is that the City is exacerbating the problem through the issuance of a significant amount of debt — a debt that will take a generation to repay. Rather than issuing a debt burden that will be an albatross for the City for the next 30 years, I would like to propose that the City Council look at existing alternatives to address revenue needs in the short-term, as it appears that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel coming soon and a return to "normal" may not be too far in the future. While I understand budget reductions are painful, I also believe that the COVID-19 pandemic has given the City a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the programs and services that form the baseline of what Anaheim offers the community. Once those baseline services have been identified and funded, the City Council needs to continue to make difficult funding decisions for programs and services that have been deemed not critical. Quite simply, if existing funding sources are insufficient to fund non-essential services than those services need to be suspended until funding is available. Issuing debt to fund non-essential services is irresponsible. In addition to a thorough evaluation of the budget, I would like to propose that the City re -open negotiations on the sale of Anaheim Stadium and the terms that have been agreed upon. Concessions provided to the developer to fund a $50 million park development need to be re- considered — if the City is in a position of needing to issue significant debt to fund ongoing operations, I do not believe it is responsible for the City to be providing a $50 million subsidy for the development and construction of a park. I would like the City Council to consider re- negotiating the referenced agreement terms in an effort to secure the $50 million subsidy for direct use by the City — and not as a developer inducement. Further, the current proposal for the sale of the Stadium includes an allocation for the development of affordable housing. While the construction of affordable housing is critical, and is in fact a State requirement established through the RHNA process, I would like to suggest that the amount allocated for affordable housing construction be reduced. Reducing the allocation will provide the City with more operating capital in the short-term, while also continuing to provide funding for the construction of needed affordable housing. In short, Anaheim Stadium is one of the City's most valuable assets. I would like to insure that the City is getting the maximum return on the value of the Stadium — and that this one-time revenue windfall is used to it greatest efficacy. Challenging times require challenging and difficult decisions to be made. I simply want to insure that the City has done its due diligence in exhausting all possible revenue and budget reduction alternatives before issuing a large amount of debt that will divert community resources for a generation in order to repay. I am concerned that the issuance of debt is short- sighted and will have significant negative impacts to the City over the next 30 years, even as the immediate infusion of funds will ease current financial burdens. Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts on this important issue. Sincerely, Ryan Balius Anaheim Resident