FACILITY PLANNERS MEETING NOVEMBER 2014 UPDATE

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1 UPCOMING EVENTS FACILITY PLANNERS MEETING NOVEMBER 2014 UPDATE School Bond Next Steps At the C.A.S.H. Fall Conference, Chair Joe Dixon announced the organization s next steps in developing alternatives to not having a November 2014 state school bond and exploring ways to increase school district access to local facilities funds. C.A.S.H. is developing and investigating both short-term and long-term strategies that will hold the state accountable, per the Constitution s commitment to schools. We aim to preserve the successful state/local partnership, and ensure that all California s public school children have an equal chance to succeed in structurally safe schools that are consistently maintained in good repair. The C.A.S.H. Board reached consensus on this strategy: General/State Level Activities - The Legislative Advisory Committee, chaired by Don Ulrich (Clovis Unified School District) will be developing school bond legislation and adjustments to the School Facility Program (SFP). - C.A.S.H. will continue to review and study recommendations proposed by the Governor, Department of Finance, and the State Allocation Board (SAB) Program Review Subcommittee, responding as necessary. - The Legal Advisory Committee, chaired by William Draa (Ripon USD), will prepare an action plan in anticipation of the necessity to evaluate litigation that would seek to enforce the State s constitutional obligation to K-12 public schools. Local Activities Expand access to local school mitigation measures: - Expand ability to levy local impact fees up to and including full mitigation through the use of CEQA. - Educate the membership on how to utilize planning tools to support levying impact fee needs. - Communicate mitigation strategies developed for use through local government. Potential State Funding - Look at all options to mitigate school facility need. - Become the broken record with a constant message: o Convince the Legislature and Governor to do the right thing by providing both a bridge and long-term capital funding for school infrastructure. - Seek bridge appropriation from the State through Page 1

2 o Streamline access to these funds. o Account for a Local Education Agency s ability to pay. o Explore all options to maintain the state partnership, including but not limited to: School Finance Authority loans secured by state action SAB recognition and funding of financial hardships created for unfunded projects. o Request a percentage of state General Fund revenue as a bridge. - Initiative, if necessary. C.A.S.H. Membership Activities - Demonstrate the facilities need. - Communicate the positive aspects of local school facilities in good repair to: o Community members o Business organizations o Legislative representatives Legislative Update Political Transitions The legislative session is coming to a close, and a number of significant leadership transitions are taking place. The session convenes on December 1, 2014, and immediately adjourns for recess until January 5, There will be a significant influx of new Senate and Assembly members elected on November 4. There is a chance for a Democratic supermajority in both houses, however the outcome may not be clear until the Spring, as a round of musical chairs and special elections plays out. New Legislative Leadership Both houses of the Legislature now have the following new leaders: - Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (San Diego) replaces John Perez (Los Angeles). Her policy priorities are affordable housing and addressing homelessness. - Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin De Leon (Los Angeles) replaces Darrell Steinberg (Sacramento). He has served as Chair of both the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees. He has a community organizing background and was previously an advocate for the California Teachers Association. - Assembly Republican Minority Leader - Kristin Olsen (Modesto) replaces Connie Conway (Tulare). She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Assembly Education Committee. Additionally, Senator Bob Huff from Diamond Bar will likely continue to serve as the Senate Republican Minority Leader. Page 2

3 Facilities Leadership Assembly Member Joan Buchanan is termed out this year, and this creates vacancies in two key leadership positions for school facilities: Assembly Education Committee Chair and State Allocation Board (SAB) Member. Likely successors in the Education Committee are either Shirley Weber (San Diego), a professor, or Lorena Gonzalez (San Diego) who has a labor background. Both are currently serving on the Education Committee. Assembly Member Curt Hagman is also termed out, so there will be two new Assembly appointments to the SAB. Two of the key Senators on facilities issues, Loni Hancock and Carol Liu, have two more years in the Senate and will presumably continue to serve on the SAB and engage on policy issues for a future program. Once the dust settles from the November election and the Assembly appointments are made to the SAB, we ll know the political lay of the land and can identify and begin to cultivate potential champions on the issue of school facilities. Bond Sale Results On August 20, the State Allocation Board approved $100.5 million in Priority Funding apportionments for 34 projects in 21 school districts. A total of $104.9 million was available for the current round, including $35.8 million in cash, less $4.6 million for administrative costs. Proceeds from a September general obligation bond sale were anticipated to fund the remaining apportionments. The bond sale commenced on September 23, and $2.3 billion in bonds were sold, including $882 million in various purpose GO bonds. Proposition 1D received $43.31 million, and Proposition 55 received $23.4 million, for a total of $66.7 million for school facilities. According to the Treasurer s Office, the Proposition 55 funds will be used to buy out commercial paper due to a legal issue. Next SAB Meeting and C.A.S.H. Day The Office of Public School Construction has indicated that the next State Allocation Board (SAB) meeting is now scheduled for Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at 10 am. They are planning to approve apportionments for the Charter School Facilities Program. At this time, there is no SAB meeting planned for December. The next C.A.S.H. General Membership meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10, 2014 from 11:00 am to 12:15 pm. The meeting will be held at 1130 K Street, Lower Level Conference Room A. There is no SAB meeting scheduled for this day. This was the day originally noticed for an SAB meeting in the last Board agenda. Page 3

4 C.A.S.H. Board of Directors Call for Nominations The C.A.S.H. Board of Directors Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for two (2) public sector positions on the C.A.S.H. Board of Directors. All Board terms are for two years. Public sector members have an eight (8)-year term limit and private sector board members have a six (6)-year term limit. Terms will begin in late February Self-nominations are encouraged. Nominees should be active in C.A.S.H. and highly experienced in K-12 school facilities and maintenance programs. Candidates must possess the following qualities: Ability to speak publicly on pertinent school facility issues related to C.A.S.H. Ability to take position on issues Ability to provide leadership to the C.A.S.H. membership Experience with attending C.A.S.H. meetings and membership on committees Ability to provide the time commitment (See below) Board positions require a significant time commitment. Such commitments will include, but are not limited to, the following: Attendance at C.A.S.H. monthly meetings in Sacramento Attendance and participation at the Conference in February Attendance and participation at the Fall Conference in October Attendance and participation at the tri-annual Board of Director meetings Various workshop and committee assignments Other special meetings or subcommittees as assigned Submittal deadline: Friday, November 14, 2014 Please send a letter of nomination outlining your qualifications to: C.A.S.H. Board of Directors Nominating Committee 1130 K Street - Suite 210 Sacramento, CA Attention: Greg Golik, Operations Director Fax to: (916) to: ggolik@m-w-h.com Page 4

5 Conference Exhibitor and Sponsorship Opportunities Sacramento, California will be the site of the premier school facilities event of 2015, where over 1,000 members of the school facilities community will gather at the Sacramento during the C.A.S.H. 36th Annual Conference. Outstanding educational programming and tremendous marketing and networking opportunities are hallmarks of this conference. The C.A.S.H. Conference is the perfect venue from which you can promote your products and services, develop brand awareness, distribute information, and conduct business. C.A.S.H. is committed to your success and will help provide: More sales and leads for your marketing dollar Exhibit hours that maximize attendee time on the exhibit floor An audience anxious to buy your products and services A listing in the Conference Program For more details about how you can sign up to exhibit and/or sponsor, visit the C.A.S.H. website at and click on the conference banner at the top of the home page. C.A.S.H. School Facilities Leadership Academy Now Accepting Applications The Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.) will begin its sixth year of the C.A.S.H. School Facilities Leadership Academy (CSFLA) in March of The CSFLA is an educational and rigorous program designed to develop current and future leaders in the school facilities and maintenance arena with course study both in and outside of the classroom. The scope of what needs to be learned is daunting, ranging from project bidding and construction management, to facility maintenance and repair, to school board and public relations. This knowledge must be fully understood not just conceptually, but practically, as well. The stakes involved in school facility administrations are enormous. Graduates of the C.A.S.H. School Facilities Leadership Academy - over 100 to date -are prepared to deliver exceptional services in school facilities management. Students learn from leaders in all facets of school facilities planning, funding, design, construction and maintenance. Students also benefit from peer-to-peer learning, with individual and group projects throughout the year. Each participant is matched with a mentor to guide them in the learning process. Page 5

6 Please visit: to print and fill out the application and send it in to the C.A.S.H. office prior to December 19, For the latest updates on important matters affecting school facilities, be sure to check the new CASH Register news website at C.A.S.H. is now on Facebook! To like our page and connect with us on Facebook, go the C.A.S.H. home page and click the Facebook link. You can also follow us on Twitter Page 6