Broad Statewide Coalition Calls for Support of AB 2235 to place a School Facilities Bond on November 2014 Ballot
(SACRAMENTO)—Assemblymembers Joan Buchanan and Curt Hagman will host a news conference on Monday to urge the Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, AB 2235, a bill that places a school facilities bond on the November 2014 statewide ballot.
| WHEN: |
Monday, August 4th at 2:30 pm |
| WHERE: |
State Capitol, Sacramento – Room 317 |
| WHAT: |
News Conference in SUPPORT of AB 2235 |
| WHO: |
Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-16) |
| |
Assemblymember Curt Hagman (R-55) |
| |
Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-30) Disponible para contestar preguntas en español |
| |
Jesus Holguin, President-Elect, California School Boards Association |
| |
Cesar Diaz, State Building and Construction Trades Council |
Over 15 years ago, the education coalition, business, and the legislature came together and created the current School Facility Program, a funding partnership between the state, local school districts, and developers. Since then over 55,000 new classrooms have been built and 136,000 modernized.
Funds from the last school bond, Proposition 1D approved by voters in 2006, have been depleted. The Office of Public School Construction estimates the need for new construction and modernization of K-12 facilities statewide at over $16 billion. A new state school bond is needed for the state to live up to its part of the partnership. Aging schools must be modernized and new schools built in areas experiencing growth. Further, the bond is important to California’s recovery, creating tens of thousands of new construction related jobs.
In addition to co-authors of the bill and former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, the following groups will attend to demonstrate their support: California Chamber of Commerce, California Building Industry Association, California State PTA, Association of California School Administrators, State Building and Construction Trades Council, California School Employees Association, Coalition for Adequate School Housing, California Teachers Association, Public Advocates, California Federation of Teachers and the California Association of School Business Officials.
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This press release is also available in Spanish.