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99 the University to approve a restructured program; $19,000 for the Music Resource Center; and $200,000 additional for sidewalks and $300,000 for the Strategic Investment Fund from the surplus funds. Ms. Kay Monroe, Outreach Coordinator for the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA), said that she feels full funding of SARA is justified due to increased services delivered to City residents and an increase in participation in the middle school program. Ms. Kay Peaslee said she is glad the tax rate will remain the same as she feels there are many unmet needs in the community. Ms. Peaslee said she appreciates the quality of the City budget document, but said that it is difficult to compare to the City School and Albemarle County budgets as their formats are so dissimilar. Ms. Peaslee said she is sorry the City is planning another downtown parking garage and feels traffic should be discouraged instead and more emphasis should be put on bike and pedestrian trails. Ms. Karen Kaster, 937 Belmont Avenue, President of the Belmont Neighborhood Association, made the following recommendations: increased funding for traffic signals; clarification of the traffic calming budget; encourage VDOT to build the southern connector road to link between Avon Street and I64. Mr. Kaster made additional personal comments: She would like more information on the housing initiative funds; She is confused about why an attractive intersection, Mclntire/Preston/Market, should be torn up to build an expensive roundabout; She is excited about additional funds for Belmont Park, but confused about the matching requirement; She likes the idea of one- stop shopping with a combined Community Development, Building and Life Safety and Engineering department; She expressed concern about the recent departure of several City employees; She is concerned that some departments do not have adequate staff to meet citizen requests in light of them being prudent with their budgets Mr. Dave Chapman, Commonwealth's Attorney and a board member of SARA, asked Council to consider full funding for SARA. Mr. Chapman said that special needs get lost in a logical approach to the budget and SARA's service is a direct help to victims of crime. Ms. Darcy Phillips, a resident of Belmont, supported comments made by Karen Kaster about traffic signals and about the matching requirement for Belmont Park, and expressed concern about reducing the traffic calming budget. Ms. Daugherty noted that traffic signals are often partly funded by businesses. Mr. O'Connell said there is currently $502,000 unspent in the traffic calming budget. Mr. John Freeman, Executive Director of Children, Youth and Family Services, expressed appreciation for Council's support and said they are committed to providing services to the community. As there were no further speakers, the public hearing was closed. PUBLIC HEARING: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL (HOME) FUNDS (FY 99-00) The public hearing was held jointly by the Council and the Charlottesville Planning Commission. Ms. Claudette Grant, Grants Coordinator in Community Development, said that $681,000 is expected to be available from the Community Development Block Grant and $93,750 from the Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) grant. Ms. Grant reviewed the funding recommended by the CDBG Task Force: $294,421.77 for housing in all CDBG eligible neighborhoods; $142,499.41 for other neighborhood physical improvements; $200,000 for sidewalks and retention walls in the Ridge Street neighborhood; $106,000 for social programs ($16,000 - Music Resource Center; $20,000