Tag Archives: Governor Brown

Facility Planners Meeting Update – June 2016

June 1, 2016

By CASH Staff

CASH_Logo_Web_Proof3 State Budget May Revision

K-12 School Facility Emergency Repair Revolving Loan Program

As CASH has previously reported, the Governor’s 2016-17 May Revision includes the K-12 School Facility Emergency Repair Revolving Loan Program which would provide $100 million in one-time Proposition 98 funds for bridge loans to school districts to address imminent emergency health and safety facilities repairs. School districts that receive a loan through this program would have the option of paying the loan off in full without interest within one year or having the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) structure a longer-term low interest loan. As loans are repaid, funds would be returned to the program and made available for emergency repairs at other sites.

In light of Budget Flexibility, the elimination of the Deferred Maintenance Program (DMP) under the LCAP, and conclusion of the Emergency Repair Program (ERP), state support for school maintenance has essentially been eliminated. Because health and safety are cornerstone priorities for our organization, CASH supported (with amendments to assist small rural school districts), the K-12 School Facility Emergency Repair Revolving Loan Program as a bridge to a more permanent solution to funding adequate school maintenance, though we do note that this loan program should be a floor, not a ceiling, with regard to support for school maintenance.

On May 17 and 18 the Senate Budget Subcommittee #1 on Education reviewed the proposed May Revision and voted to reject the proposal 2-1, arguing that changes to the facilities program should be made in the context of whether or not a statewide bond for school facilities passes in November, and that there are concerns about, “…the use of Proposition 98 for this purpose…” The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education also rejected this item. The Legislative Analysts’ Office (LAO) and the California Teachers Association (CTA) opposed the program. The Department of Finance (DOF), the California Department of Education (CDE), and CASH testified in support. It is not expected that this program will be included on the Budget Conference Committee agenda.

For the complete June 2016 Facility Planners Meeting Update, please click here.

Legislative Update: Governor’s Actions 2015

October 13, 2015

The Legislature completed its business and went into interim recess on September 11, and the Governor had until midnight on Sunday, October 11 to sign or veto bills on his desk. Legislators will return to Sacramento on January 4, 2016, to kick off the second year of the 2015-16 legislative session, at which time bill introductions will begin again in earnest. Continue reading →

Proposed Irrigation Water Efficiency Requirements

05/19/15

Please see below for information regarding DSA’s proposed irrigation water efficiency requirements. Chet Widom provided some insight on the DSA regulation development process at today’s C.A.S.H. workshop in Sacramento, and C.A.S.H. staff have been coordinating with him to help provide feedback and expertise. Continue reading →

Californians Willing to Borrow Big in 2016 to Help Schools

April 24, 2015

The following article was originally posted by KQED and written by John Myers on April 22, 2015 and is reprinted here with their permission.

[Editor’s Note: Periodically, we publish guest articles that we think inform readers on topics of interest. The article below by John Myers addresses Californian’s willingness to support a school facilities bond in 2016. Necessarily, the views and opinions of the author is his own, but we think the article below is interesting and informative.] Continue reading →

Governor’s 2015-16 State Budget Includes New Proposal for School Facilities

January 9, 2015

Governor Jerry Brown released his proposed 2015-16 State Budget, which proposes a new facilities program with a significantly reduced state role, and no state school bond or state funding for the current pipeline.

While details are far from flushed out, the general themes of the locally-funded school facility proposal are “Local Flexibility” and “Safety Net” (of some form). It includes components that aim to address both objectives, including expanding local funding capacity, restructuring developer fees, expanding the use of Routine Restricted Maintenance Account (RRMA), targeting state funding to overcrowded districts, and augmenting the Charter School Facility Grant Program.

Continue reading →

Governor Brown Delivers State of the State Address, Proposes New Climate Change Goals

January 5, 2015

Today Jerry Brown was sworn in for an unprecedented fourth term as Governor of California, and he gave a combined State of the State and inaugural address. Governor Brown emphasized the need to address long-term liabilities and pre-existing commitments, stating that we must “ground ourselves and nurture all that we have started.” While he did not explicitly address the state program for funding school facilities, he did discuss infrastructure by highlighting funding issues for transportation projects including roads, highways, and bridges.