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l\lINUTES Page 7 City of San Leandro City Council, San Leandro Redevelopment Agency, and San Leandro Public Financing Authority Joint Meeting-lVlay 17, 2004 Casey Wiseman, Store Manager of \VaIMart, addressed the City Council in support of the BID. He noted the horrendous traffic conditions in the Westgate area and suggested that the Shuttle service could be expanded to operate additional hours. Evelyn Baker, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Program Manager for the Low Income Flexible Transportation (LIFT) Program, addressed the City Council in support of the LINKS Program and its efforts to seek funding through a BID. Marilyn Smith, MY Transportation, addressed the City Council, stating that she is a LINKS driver. She spoke in support of the LINKS Shuttle and suggested acknowledging the businesses that contribute to the service by displaying their names on the buses. There being no further COlnments from the public, and without objection, the Public Hearing was closed. The City Council recessed from 8:40 p.m. to 8:57 p.m. Mr. Jermanis responded to COllllllents made during the public hearing relative to the protest vote. He noted that the use of a protest vote is required by State law for the fOffilation of a Business hnprovenlent District. Mr. J ermanis pointed out that the assessnlent collected from a BID is not a tax imposed by the City for City benefit; rather, the assessnlent would be collected by the City and turned over to the TMO to provide Shuttle service to benefit the assessed businesses. The City of San Leandro Redevelopnlent Agency is a participant in the program as are the other granting agencies such as BART. Mr. Jermanis noted that BIDs such as this one have been considered and inlplemented in the City to raise funds to address the needs of businesses located in a particular area. Mr. Jermanis reported 27% of the businesses in the BID area filed protests against the fonnation of the BID. Mayor Young responded to comments made by speakers regarding the use of the Shuttle by non-employees. She noted that the LIFT grant, which helps to fund the Shuttle operation, provides transportation funds to serve low-income clients such as those who are in the Welfare-to-Work program at Davis Street Fanlily Resource Center. Mayor Young responded to comments that the AC Transit and LINKS Shuttle routes serve the same area. She pointed out that while the routes are similar, the Shuttle runs much more frequently during the hours employees are traveling to and frOln work. Mayor Young noted that home-based businesses and businesses with one or no employees are exempt from the assessment and have been excluded from the list. She was asked by the City Attorney to clarify for the audience that the City Council could modify the assessment, the type of activity or the BID boundaries, but that any increase to the assessment or BID boundaries would need to be renoticed.