Santa Rosa City Council members are in agreement on a spending plan for a housing bond on the November ballot. City leaders unanimously supported yesterday the 124-million dollar bond, and voted unanimously to designate 20 percent of the jobs on future projects to go to union apprentices, but no job guarantees for union journeymen. Labor groups were hoping 30 percent would go to union workers, 20 percent apprentices and ten percent journeymen. If approved, the bond will be paid for through property tax increases of 29-dollars per 100-thousand-dollars of assessed value over 30 years.
Vice Mayor of Santa Rosa, Chris Rogers, details exactly what the bond accomplish for housing in Santa Rosa, the controversies that arose at last night’s meeting, how the bond would support local workers first, who will be in charge of oversight if the bond passes, why this is most definitely needed right now except later down the road, and finishes with an update on the closing of the Bennett Valley Senior Center: