After the San Jose Earthquakes left for Houston last month, funding for a new stadium back to the San Jose area has been cut. A major potential source of funding was dismissed by San Jose's parks and recreation commission with no interest in bringing back the potential for another San Jose MLS Team.

Last Tuesday the San Jose parks and recreation commission rejected the idea of tapping bond money and financial reserves to help fund a new soccer stadium. Some of this money would have been withdrawn from Measure P, that the city voters approved in the year 2000 for community park renovations, remodeling, building public sports fields, and using it to help pay for the professional soccer team's stadium. The commission vote was 0-7 for a new stadium in San Jose.

``It doesn't match what the bond states,'' said Helen Chapman, who chairs the parks commission, which also meets next month as the oversight committee for Measure P. ``Nowhere on there does it say `professional sports with limited usage to the public.' ''

With all of this said, the commission can still be opposed by the city council. Who are free to reject the commission's recommendations. So far none of the city's elected leaders have so far publicly stated support or published a report for redirecting Measure P money toward a new or remodeled pro soccer stadium. Although no comments have been released, the council is scheduled to consider the soccer proposal February 7th.

``I like the idea of us being creative and bold, but that's not an appropriate use of Measure P funds,'' said Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez, a candidate in this year's mayoral race and an influential voice on the council. Soccer fans in San Jose may be disappointed by her views, but this still will not sway here.

Council members David Cortese and Chuck Reed, also candidates for mayor, had stated their opposition to the proposal weeks ago. Councilman Ken Yeager, who is running for county supervisor, also has been opposed to the idea. Most candidates have spoken our against the proposal, but none of the people running for the mayor have stated support. This even farther darkens San Jose's future for a new professional soccer stadium or team in the next few years.

Note: Measure P, approved by 78 percent of city voters, raised $228 million in bonds, of which $132 million has been spent.

The idea to use some of the money for a pro soccer stadium came out of a term sheet drafted last month by city officials, including the city manager and directors of redevelopment and economic development, in hopes of persuading the Earthquakes to stay. But the New stadium and growing sports market in Houston prompted the San Jose Earthquakes to make there move.

The proposed deal would expend San Jose about $80 million dollars. The deal would require city voters' approval as well. The term sheet called for San Jose to contribute up to 12-14 acres of land, valued at $30 million or more, for a new soccer stadium within the premises of Bird Avenue and West San Carlos Street, as well as 40 percent of the construction cost, or about $36 million. In addition, the city would pay up to $3.5 million a year to cover four years of expected operating losses.

The soccer proposal is further complicated by the fact that the proposed location is currently being eyed as parking for a major league baseball stadium that could go to voters in November, with environmental studies to be released next month.

The term sheet on the soccer deal identified four potential sources of city funds: Measure P, HP Pavilion naming-rights revenue, surplus construction and conveyance tax money and the city's general fund. No one on the council has publicly backed any of those sources.

Asked earlier this month about the relative importance of those sources, Paul Krutko, the city's economic development director, said it ``didn't mean any would be used or all of them would be used.''

``That's where the council will make determinations of whether they are willing to use various funding sources to make this transaction,'' he said.

Krutko stated that the justification for Measure P money was that the deal would include 120 days of public use for the new stadium. Chavez and other council members found that unsatisfactory and unfeasible. Yet, soccer enthusiasts and the San Jose Soccer Board are pushing in support of the 120 day public use period as long as they get a new stadium.

Major League Soccer spokesman Dan Courtemanche said league executives plan to visit in ``the near future'' to meet with city officials, potential team owners and others. Although San Jose is a prime spot to replace the old team, 4 other locations have surfaced for new expansion teams in the MLS. Including Toronto which has been confirmed for 2007, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Phoenix.

``We continue to have discussions with San Jose city officials and are hopeful about the future of Major League Soccer returning to the Bay Area and are optimistic that this will continue to move forward,'' Courtemanche said at a public release statement for the topic.