SANTA CLARA COUNTY didn’t ask to host next year’s Super Bowl. But the cost of protecting the event from terror attacks could exceed its available cash in an unprecedented budget crisis.
County leaders say President Donald Trump’s administration is withholding millions of dollars in disaster preparedness funds, some of which are needed to plan and staff security for February’s nationally televised football game. Combined with an existing structural budget deficit and major federal funding losses under Trump-backed H.R. 1, officials warn the county will rack up significant — and unreimbursed — costs to run its Emergency Operations Center, the county’s decision-making hub during terror attacks and major disasters.
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“This is a big lift. We don’t know where the funding is going to come from,” Deputy County Executive Megan Doyle said at an October county Finance and Government Operations Committee meeting. “It probably will not come from an outside source.”
Early last month, the county filed a lawsuit with nearly 30 local governments challenging federal efforts to impose what they call “unlawful” conditions on disaster preparedness funds from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Officials say the Trump administration is demanding they align with immigration enforcement policies and abandon diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as a condition of funding.
A hearing for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for Nov. 19.
“It certainly won’t be resolved any time soon,” County Executive James Williams told San José Spotlight. “We will continue to do everything we can to uphold our commitment to ensuring a safe and successful event for our community.”
Shouldering costs, not reaping rewards
Among the plaintiffs, Santa Clara County will be hit especially hard by the task of protecting Super Bowl 60, which will turn Santa Clara into a critical population center. County officials said $3.6 million in annual funding is at risk, representing nearly 43% of the county’s emergency management budget.
“Unfortunately, the county doesn’t benefit from the revenues associated with these significant economic activities, because our major funding source locally is property tax,” Williams said. “We’re therefore faced with significant costs and burdens without offsetting revenues. That makes the cuts imposed on us by the federal government all the more severe.”
The notion has elected leaders raising alarms.
“We are already preparing for the worst financial state this county has seen in decades,” District 2 Supervisor Betty Duong said at the October committee meeting. “I know that we didn’t ask for the games to come. The process by which the bids were submitted for the games did not include our input. And … I want to be fair, H.R. 1 was not a reality on our horizon. But we are where we are now.”
Officials added the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office might also rack up significant unreimbursed costs.
“I know that we didn’t ask for the games to come. … But we are where we are now.” Supervisor Betty Duong
Sheriff Bob Jonsen said Trump isn’t the only person to blame.
“Earlier this year, we submitted a funding request of about $4 million (to the county) to support essential training, equipment upgrades and overall readiness. That request wasn’t approved,” Jonsen told San José Spotlight. “The funding would have covered things like updated protective gear, communications equipment and specialized training to help ensure our deputies are fully prepared for high-risk situations.”
While H.R. 1 has added some uncertainty around federal funding, Jonsen said the more immediate challenge to his office is tied to local budget reductions.
“We’re continuing to work closely with our county partners and regional agencies to ensure safe and successful events,” he said. “At the same time, we’re advocating for the resources needed to meet the scale and complexity of these operations.”
No choice but to prepare
In September, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services gave the county $7.8 million. The county plans to distribute 90% of those funds to partnering agencies such as the cities of San Jose and Santa Clara for mass transit planning; security and public safety planning and staffing; communications support; cybersecurity infrastructure; physical security and access control; and event-related health and medical needs through June 30, 2027.
Doyle said funding concerns won’t translate to a lack of preparedness.
“We don’t have a choice but to be prepared. That’s who we are,” she said. “We are in unchartered times. The Super Bowl is taking place during a different time in our county.”
Duong last month requested a report about the exact fiscal impact of the event on county coffers.
“The revenue generated by the games will greatly benefit the cities, and I’m glad for them,” Duong said at the meeting. “That’s important to me as a policymaker. It will not come to the county. Very little of it, if any, will come to backfill (for us) to be prepared for the safety and well-being of every person coming through the county.”
Contact Brandon Pho at brandon@sanjosespotlight.com or @brandonphooo on X.
This story originally appeared in San Jose Spotlight.