MAY 29, 2012
ISSUE: 8
 
Greetings! 
In the News                                     
Another contractor pleads out in corruption probe

Written by Wendy Fry | April 26, 2012 | U-T San Diego

 

EXCERPT: CHULA VISTA - Another contractor pleaded out Thursday in the District Attorney's widening corruption probe into South County construction contracts awarded under voter-approved bond programs at Southwestern College and Sweetwater schools.

 

Rene Flores, president of Seville Group Inc., sent his attorney to enter his plea of no contest Thursday to misdemeanor charges of aiding in the commission of a misdemeanor -- stemming from the failure of public officials to disclose meals he bought them on state-mandated forms.

 

Through his attorney, Flores declared that the meals, entertainment and gifts he provided were made at the request of public officials at Sweetwater schools including former Superintendent Jesus Gandara.

 

"At no time did the elected board members or superintendent reimburse me for the donations, meals, tickets or gifts," a Flores statement said.

 

Flores' plea bargain is contingent on him testifying in court against the Sweetwater defendants, according to court documents. Flores' company oversaw $644 million in construction bond money.

 

He did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

 

Gandara, along with Sweetwater trustees Arlie Ricasa and Pearl Qui�ones and former board member Greg Sandoval, have all denied felony charges that they accepted meals and other gifts and then failed to report them. ...

 

To read the complete article please visit:

 

Blog Postings                                      

Blog post by former Detroit Free Press reporter who exposed CABs in Michigan, which led to their state prohibition in 1994:

See no evil: CABS and media - Joel on the Road - May 16, 2012

Comment on above blog in response to CABs and Consequences:

Mr. Thurtell:  On Friday, May 11, I attended the annual conference of the California League of Bond Oversight Committees in Sacramento. The increasing use of Capital Appreciation Bonds (CABs) to fund construction in California school districts (and fund the funding of school construction) was extensively discussed. Your articles were briefly mentioned by one speaker as influential in banning CABs in Michigan. You may be the catalyst to get CABs banned in California before the next generation of property owners in this state is saddled with a huge burden for construction completed 30-40 years earlier, when the political culture in this state revolved around the principle of "spend now / let someone else pay later." You need to do a speaking tour in California. I recommend contacting the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors, the California League of Bond Oversight Committees, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. - Kevin Dayton, President and CEO, Labor Issues Solutions, LLC

 

First Annual CaLBOC Conference Handouts, May 11, 2012
 
20 page handout that accompanied presentations (1.8MB):  

calboc_handouts_20pages.pdf

 

Preserving the Public Trust: Case Studies in Technical Financial Analysis

Lori Raineri, President of Government Financial Strategies

Raineri_handout_14pgs.pdf  *  www.gfsi.com

 

Forensic Accounting Tips

Alicia Minyen, CPA, CFE, CaLBOC Board Member

Detecting waste and illegal misuses of bond proceeds. Capital Appreciation Bonds and their negative implications on school financing.

In This Issue
Another Contractor Pleads Out in Corruption Probe
Blog Postings: Californians Set Up to Pay Staggering Property Taxes
CaLBOC Conference Handouts Links
Mission Statement

The Next CaLBOC
Board Meeting 

November 9, 2012  
10 am -  3 pm 
 Sacramento 
   
Note the change in time from previous meetings.  
   
Conference call service will be available for this meeting.

At the May 11, 2012 CaLBOC Board meeting it was decided to have semiannual board meetings   Therefore our August 10, 2012 board meeting has been canceled.    
 
Mission Statement 
What is Our Mission  

To promote school district accountability by improving the training and resources available to California's Proposition 39 School Bond Oversight Committees and educating the state legislature, local school boards and the public about the oversight and reporting powers these Citizens' Bond Oversight Committees (CBOCs) have, and to advocate on a state level, where appropriate, on issues of common concern to all CBOCs.

About CaLBOC 
What is CaLBOC? CaLBOC was formed in 2006 by CBOC members trying to find better training to help them perform their duties. Our first training session was held in San Jose in 2007, and we incorporated in the State of California in 2008. In 2009 we were recognized as a 501(c)3 charitable organization by the IRS.
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California League of Bond Oversight Committees, 510-799-1141, [email protected]