On Tuesday, November 6, California voters elected Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom as the next Governor of California. CASH looks forward to working with the new Administration who we hope will be more supportive of school facilities than Governor Brown. As far as the Legislature, the 2017-2018 Legislative Session adjourned for final recess on August 31, and the new two-year Session will begin officially on December 3 with the swearing in of newly elected members of the Legislature.
2018 Fall Conference Highlights
The 2018 Fall Conference, What’s Next for School Facility Funding and Programs?, was attended by nearly 400 school facility professionals. General Sessions included a robust legislative and regulatory update, as well as State Agency presentations. The Fall Conference was preceded by the Pre-Conference Workshop, School Facility Mitigation Agreements, Use of Assets, and Delivery Methods, and was attended by more than 100 members. Highlights of the Fall Conference included the Economic Update by Mark Schniepp, networking during the lunch and reception, and presentations by participants in the current classes of the CASH School Facilities Leadership Academy (CSFLA) and CASH Maintenance Management Certificate Program (CMMCP).
Governor Brown Sued for Violating Proposition 51 Bond Program
The Coalition for Adequate School Housing and three California school districts initiated litigation to require the State of California to comply with the law regarding school facility state match funding. Named in the suit are Governor Brown, Director of Finance Bosler and the State Allocation Board.
Current law is simple and clear regarding how the state match for school facilities is calculated and apportioned to eligible school districts. Notwithstanding current law’s clarity, the state chose to shortchange the students in the school districts that have been waiting almost six years for their state match funding.
State Officials Sued for Not Following Regulations
State Officials Sued for Not Following Regulations
Today, the Coalition for Adequate School Housing and three school districts initiated litigation to require the State of California to comply with the regulations regarding allowing school district appeals to the State Allocation Board. Named in the suit are the Department of Finance, the State Allocation Board, and the Office of Public School Construction.
Discussion Points
The Department of Finance cannot unilaterally deny a district’s ability to appeal to the State Allocation Board (SAB) in violation of the SAB’s own rules. If a single SAB member (or Agency) can, without Board action, change the Board’s long established rules, no school district in California, now or in the future, will be able to rely on those rules with an expectation that it be treated equitably.
November Facility Planners Update 2018
The CASH Facility Planners Meeting Update for November 2018 is now available and includes information regarding:
- Legislative and Budget Update
- State Allocation Board Approves Priority Funding Apportionments
- State Allocation Board Approves Regulations for Full-Day Kindergarten Facilities Grant Program
- 2018 Maintenance Network Workshops
- School Facilities Leadership Academy
- 40th Annual on School Facilities
Click here to view the update.
~ CASH Staff