The San Jose city council voted to begin the process of establishing a Clean Tech Demonstration Center at yesterday’s city council meeting, and it might not cost the city much money at all.
The council decided to start this process by adopting a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for federal assistance. Sources would include up to $4 million from the U.S Department of Commerce and up to $5 million from the U.S Department of Energy.
The aptly named Scott Green, from the city’s Office of Economic Development, presented the general plan for the Clean Tech center, telling the council that the building will “be a model for the nation.” The site would serve various purposes, providing environmental education and training as well as office space for green start-up companies. It would also be a solar power demonstration site.
Green said construction for the project would ideally begin in May 2010 and be completed by August 2011.
Councilmember Sam Licardo made the motion to pass the resolution to apply for federal assistance.
“I got excited when I found a five dollar bill today, but this is even better,” Licardo said.
Every member on city council voted in favor of allowing the city manager to apply for the funding of the project (except Pete Constant who was absent). When passing the motion, mayor Chuck Reed shouted, “Good luck and happy hunting. Now go get the money!”
Hey, here’s an idea: we can fund ongoing expenses via the paper bag tax that our illustrious City Council is considering.
Or here’s another idea: the SCV Water District owes rate payers nearly $200 million as a consequence of a recent court ruling, which identified the water extraction tax as being illegal. There apparently has been no effort to reimburse customers. Maybe we should direct the money that we’ll never get to the Clean Tech Center operating expenses.
If the city council is going to hit up Washington for some money to spend here, that would be something like doing their job.
It seems unlikely to happen by next May, though. And somehow I can’t help thinking there’s going to be a catch.