Recently, the SJ Mercury News has been following the City of San Jose’s budget process quite closely. Naturally, there are many aspects of the plan that will impact our neighborhood.

One interesting proposal involves allowing smaller Community Centers to be operated by independent non-profits, rather than the City itself. The May 31 edition of the Mercury, further defines the proposal and identifies the centers in question (breakdown of the proposed new uses). Willow Glen centers proposed for re-use next year by non-profits incude the tiny community spaces at River Glen Park and Bramhill Willow Street Park, and the Kirk Community Center. The Willows Senior Center could be available for re-use in 2008, and the City also plans to open a brand new mega-center in District 6 (location TBD) in 2009.

The big question, of course: “If the City can’t afford to run these centers, how would a non-profit make it work?” Several leaders of local non-profits support the idea, but have wondered how they can pay for it themselves. The big issue for non-profits would most likely prove to be staffing expense and/or maintenance costs, as they are for the City.

There are no easy ways to avoid these expenses, but one small Willow Glen non-profit proves it can be done: San Jose Parents Participating Nursery School has leased space from the Willow Senior Center for many years. The volunteer-run cooperative entity provides great preschool programs and maintains an excellent facility. Could this idea catch-on in other ways? Would the City allow another group to try this model in a community center? Perhaps our neighborhood could operate a program, while others could not. Who knows?

The new proposals do suggest the City is interested in new ideas, which is always a good thing.