In Santa Clara, the same officials — the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, City Attorney, and others — serve in two roles at the same meeting.
At one moment, they may be acting as the City Council.
Moments later, the same people are acting as the Santa Clara Stadium Authority.
To follow what is happening, you have to watch the agenda closely.
Different items belong to different government bodies.
A simple way to understand this:
Each official effectively has two roles — two “hats.”
- One as a City Council member
- One as part of the Stadium Authority
Most of the time, they are acting as the City Council.
When stadium matters come up — budgets, contracts, operations — they are acting as the Stadium Authority.
It looks like one meeting.
But since 2011, it is actually the meeting of two different government bodies.
Why This Matters
These two bodies are not governed the same way.
The City Council operates under:
- the City Charter
- the Code of Ethics & Values
- established Council policies
- fiduciary duties to the people of Santa Clara
The Stadium Authority is a Joint Powers Authority.
It is not part of the City Charter and does not operate under the same ethics framework.
Its responsibilities are defined primarily in financial and operational terms, and it is accountable to multiple parties — including financing entities and the stadium’s management company — not only to Santa Clara residents.
The Core Problem
When the same people act in both roles, there is no single, clear place that defines:
- their full duties and responsibilities
- which ethics standards apply in each role
- how conflicts of interest are identified and resolved
- what accountability or oversight exists
- what happens when standards are violated
There is no consistent, independent system ensuring that decisions remain aligned with the City’s stated commitment to ethics and public trust.
What That Means in Practice
Unless a law is broken, meaningful oversight is limited.
In recent years, the primary external review has come from the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury, which has issued multiple reports raising concerns about governance and accountability.
The Questions That Follow
When decisions are made in this structure, three questions must be asked:
- Which rules apply to this decision?
- Which responsibilities come first?
- Whose interests are being served?
When roles overlap and expectations differ, those answers are not always clear.
Bottom Line
What looks like a single City Council meeting may actually involve two different governing bodies, operating under different rules, with different responsibilities.
Understanding that is essential to understanding how decisions are made in Santa Clara today.