With the help of our members, earlier in the year C.A.S.H. mounted a successful “Call-to-Action” campaign to urge state decision-makers to sell education bonds and fund the then $2 billion worth of approved “shovel ready” school construction projects as part of the solution to creating new jobs and stimulating California’s economy.

In March the State sold bonds twice, and education received about $1.3 billion of the bond proceeds which was used to fund school construction projects on OPSC’s Unfunded List. While the C.A.S.H. Board and staff directed this advocacy effort, it was the collective energy and engagement of C.A.S.H. members that was responsible for its success.

C.A.S.H. is continuing its Call-to-Action campaign to urge state decision-makers to sell education bonds in the fall of 2010 to fund school construction projects and create much-needed jobs in California – and once again C.A.S.H. needs your help. Specifically, we urge our members to send letters and e-mails to the State Department of Finance (DOF) and the State Treasure’s Office (STO) to urge them to sell education bonds in the fall of 2010, and let them know what selling bonds and funding your school construction projects would mean for your district and local community.

Below to assist you make your voice heard is a sample letter template.

Sample Letter Template

The Honorable Ana J. Matosantos, Director

State Department of Finance

915 L Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Bill Lockyer

California State Treasurer

915 Capitol Mall, Rm 110

Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear ______________:

The _______________ School District is ready to create new construction jobs if the Director of the Department of Finance will agree to allow the State Treasurer to sell voter approved school bonds.

The _______________ School District has $_______ in already approved facility projects that have met California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) approval, Division of the State Architect (DSA) approval, State Allocation Board (SAB) approval, and we have our local matching funds ready to apply to the project.

All we need now is the state match from the sale of state school bonds. Our projects total $________ in state and local funding.

California schools have more than $2.8 billion (includes unfunded projects and project awaiting SAB approval) in school construction and modernization projects which have already completed all necessary approvals. These projects are awaiting funding from the sale of already voter-approved state school construction bonds. The Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.) estimates that if these projects are fully funded, nearly 45,000 new jobs would be created. If the 16,000 new jobs created by the $1 billion in local matching funds is included, C.A.S.H. estimates that a total of nearly 61,000 new jobs would be created.[1]

The successful SFP Priority Funding Program, which requires that projects be put on the street within 90 days of SAB apportionment, was over-subscribed by a significant $1.2 billion, and construction needs continue to grow. We urge the Department of Finance and the State Treasurer to review the most current needs of the SFP when planning the next bond sale.

Thank you for your consideration of this request to quickly jumpstart employment in California.

Sincerely,

cc:

• Cynthia Bryant, Department of Finance, State Capitol, Room 1145, Sacramento, CA 95814
• Steve Cooney, State Treasurer’s Office, Post Office Box 942809, Sacramento, CA 94209-0001
• Gretchen Kocinsky, Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.) gkocinsky@m-w-h.com

[1] C.A.S.H. estimates 16 jobs created per $1 million.