PREPARED BY: MATT RODRIGUEZ DATE OF MEETING: 04/07/25
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION TO RATIFY A 2025-26 FEDERAL EARMARK (COMMUNITY FUNDING PROGRAM) REQUEST FOR CITY PRIORITY CAPITAL PROJECTS TRANSMITTED ON MARCH 27, 2025 FROM SAN PABLO MAYOR CRUZ TO THE CITY’S FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES (U.S. SENATORS ALEX PADILLA (D-CA); AND ADAM SCHIFF, (D-CA); AND U.S. CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI, D-8TH DISTRICT)
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA as a budget or financing mechanism pursuant to 14 Cal. Code of Regulations section 15378(b).
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve by Minute Order
Body
Compliance statements
Federal Budget Earmarks for San Pablo Projects is not an applicable policy item contained in the adopted FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan, effective May 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND
The City Manager’s Office (CMO), in collaboration with the City’s lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), have been in direct communication with the following City Federal Representatives regarding potential one-time capital funding requests to be included in the forthcoming 2025-26 Federal Budget cycle to support active City infrastructure projects needing additional Federal funding support, as follows:
U.S. Senate Representatives (CA):
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D)
U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D)
U.S. Congressional Representative (CA-8th District):
Congressional Representative John Garamendi
FY 2025-26 State Budget Funding Earmarks
In March 2025, TPA contacted the CMO to inform of the potential Federal Budget one-time earmarks that would be considered for City infrastructure projects during the upcoming 2025-26 federal budget funding cycle.
As part of this funding process, Federal Representatives will carefully review all direct funding requests from their respective District representative cities. Only those Federal Funding requests deemed appropriate for federal funding support will be considered for potential funding via the Federal Budget one-time earmark process. With guidance provided by TPA, CMO developed the following list of active City capital projects needing potential one-time Federal funding consideration to meet the City’s current project management and construction management goals, as follows:
SAN PABLO CAPITAL PROJECTS UNDER FEDERAL FUNDING CONSIDERATION:
There is considerable economic uncertainty at the local government level on securing critically-needed Federal funding. Despite these challenges, San Pablo is submitting our Federal funding requests in good-faith in the hopes of their formal consideration for 2025-26 period, as follows:
Project #1: San Pablo Avenue Bridge Replacement and Intersection Realignment Project
Project #2: City-Wide Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Charging Station Hub & ZEV Integration into City Fleet Inventory
Project #3: Emergency Back-Up Generators at City Facilities
Project #4: Public Safety Camera Infrastructure Replacement And Expansion
Project #5: Regional Emergency Operations Center and Real-Time Information Center Infrastructure to Support Cyber Crime Investigations
NOTE: Some of these projects noted above are not new and repetitive in nature. At this time, it is unknown if any or a portion of 2025-26 Federal Funding requests will be appropriated before the end of the Federal Fiscal Year period end on September 30, 2025.
City Manager Recommendation
CMO and TPA staff drafted an appropriate Federal Funding request letter with one-time capital funding requests and project narratives for execution by San Pablo Mayor Cruz to transmit to the City’s Federal Representatives to meet the Federal Funding earmark funding deadline of March 31, 2025 (See Attachment)
Local Letters of Support
To support the City’s Federal earmark funding requests for 2025-26 period, three (3) letters of support were obtained from local, non-profit and community service organizations and forwarded to our Federal representative and include the following (See Attachments):
1), Negocios Unidos (23rd Street Business Association)
2). San Pablo Kiwanis Club
3). San Pablo Economic Development Corporation (SPEDC)
This evening, the City Manager requests formal ratification approval by majority vote (via minute order) of the attached letter from San Pablo Mayor Cruz (on behalf of the San Pablo City Council) to support the City’s requests for one-time Federal Budget earmarks for the 2025-26 Federal budget cycle which was transmitted on March 27, 2025 through our lobbyist, TPA, to the City’s Federal Representatives as noted above.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact associated with this agenda item.
Attachment:
1). Letter transmitted on March 27, 2025 from San Pablo Mayor Arturo Cruz re: 2025- 26 Federal Budget Funding Requests from the City of San Pablo to the City’s Federal Representatives
2). Letter of Support from Negocios Unidos (23rd Street Business Association)
3). Letter of Support from San Pablo Kiwanis Club
4). Letter of Support from San Pablo Economic Development Corporation (SPEDC)