California Consulting has written 250 competitive federal, state, and private foundation grant applications that have been awarded to our clients since 2004.  In the past 30 days, the following grants written by California consulting grant writers have been funded:

1.      Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) - City of Kingsburg ($21,494)

2.      CAL FIRE Green Trees for the Golden State - Caruthers USD ($3,300)

3.      CAL FIRE Green Trees for the Golden State - City of Newman ($32,038)

4.      CAL FIRE Green Trees for the Golden State - City of Avenal ($3,824)

5.      Early Intervention for School Success - Salinas City Elementary School District ($50,000)

LOBBYING ACTIVITY

·        Senator Rubio's SB 325 - Update:  The first policy committee hearing for SB 325 (Senator Rubio's short haul rail bill that Kern COG has sponsored) was held on April 12, 2011 at the State Capitol.  The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee heard SB 325 at 1:30pm in Capitol Room 112. In preparation for the hearing California Consulting met with several Legislators, legislative staff, and both Republican and Democrat Committee Consultants.  California Consulting also organized a list of key individuals to testify in support of the bill including private sector leaders, representatives from cities, school district, and others.  California Consulting's Steve Samuelian testified in support of SB 325 at the hearing.  After much discussion SB 325 passed the Committee with a bi-partisan 9-0 vote. The bill now heads to Senate Appropriations Committee.  In the weeks and days before the hearing, California Consulting kept in daily communication with Senator Rubio's capitol staff and organized a variety of meetings and conference calls to line up support for the bill.  We also organized letters of support and council resolutions in support from various organizations. We are now focused on the Senate Appropriations Committee and if the Committee will place SB 325 on "suspense calendar." We are working closely with Senator Rubio personally as well as his staff. Senator Rubio has again distinguished himself as a champion for Kern County, Kern COG, and the San Joaquin Valley region. He should be commended for his leadership on this and other important issues.  Once through Senate Appropriations Committee SB 325 will go the Senate floor and then go to the Assembly to start the process over again in Assembly Transportation and  Housing Committee. 

·        HSR Depots AB 31: California Consulting has met personally with Assemblyman Beall at his Sacramento office to discuss AB 31. We are discussing amendments to this bill that would remove the mandate on cities with HSR depots. Mr. Beall has been receptive to our ideas and we continue to work with his him and his staff.

·        RDAs: We are continuing to work with League of Cities and California Redevelopment Association and others in an attempt to save RDA's.  The vote to eliminate RDA's fell one vote short in the Assembly. In April we have met with several State Assemblymembers, State Senators and key staff lobbying them in support of preserving RDA funding. We have also held numerous meetings with the Department of Finance and the Governor's Office regarding this issue. Senator Rubio and Senator Wright also have a bill that we have been involved with that would bring back RDA's in a different form in the event that there is a vote to eliminate them.  Juan Garza II from California Consulting has taken the lead in working with the League of Cities and CRA on this issue. He has been keeping in contact weekly with the CRA.  Juan has been providing clients with regular updates at their Council meetings, Board meetings, and other events.  Steve has taken the lead working with the Legislature, Department of Finance, and the Governor's Office.

·        Enterprise Zones:  Liz Gomez from California Consulting continues to participate in the weekly EZ conference calls as part of the EZ statewide coalition.  Liz has been visiting with clients throughout California updating them on the latest EZ news.  She has also had several meetings at the Capitol in the past few weeks to lobby on behalf of this important funding.  In addition, during the month of April Steve met with several State Assemblymembers, Senators, and key staff lobbying in support of EZ's.  Steve has met with Department of Finance and the Governor's Office in April regarding this important issue.  Steve has worked as part of the EZ working group on AB 231, the reform package for EZ's.  We encourage all cities, counties, and others to pass resolutions and send letters in support of AB 231.  AB 231 is a fair and reasonable compromise that preserves EZ funding but makes some needed reforms to the program. We are working closely with Assemblyman Perez's Committee staff on AB 231.  In an effort to preserve funding for the EZ program and combat complete elimination of the EZ program (as proposed by the Governor) supporters of the EZ program have crafted a "compromise" that reforms EZ's but preserves the program and some funding.  California Consulting has been very involved with this compromise proposal and although it is not perfect it was incumbent upon EZ supporters to come up with an alternative to "elimination."  The agreed upon alternative is outlined in the attached documents.  Some opponents of EZ's are still calling for total elimination of the program and will not be willing to support this compromise legislation.

·        AB 892: California Consulting has been communicating with Cal-TRANS regarding AB 892 (Carter) a bill that deals with NEPA requirements. This bill is worthy of support and we have attached a summary of the bill. This measure is a key element of continuing efforts to streamline the environmental review process for critical transportation projects.  The 2005 federal transportation bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), establishes a Pilot Program through which Caltrans was delegated the U.S. Secretary of Transportation's responsibilities under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other federal environmental laws.  To assume these federal responsibilities, Caltrans is required to accept the jurisdiction of the federal courts, necessitating that they waive sovereign immunity on a limited basis for this purpose.  AB 892 would make the waiver permanent. 

·        AB 890: Assemblyman Perea has been a leader in the Assembly on issues important to cities and others in the Central Valley, as is shown through his authorship of this bill that streamlines CEQA and NEPA requirements.  We will continue to keep you updated on this legislation as it works its way through the Legislative process.  We are grateful for Assemblyman Perea's leadership on this issue.

ACTION ALERT

Now is a critical time to make your voices heard at the State Capitol.  Please send in letters and resolutions in support of AB 231, AB 890, AB 892, and SB 325 to:

Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814

Senate President Pro Tem Darrel Steinberg

State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento,  CA  95814

Speaker of the Assembly John Perez

State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0046

Please send California Consulting a copy of your letters so we may use them in our lobbying efforts.

TESTIMONIAL

"I have worked closely with California Consulting, LLC for several years since my tenure on the Kern County Board of Supervisors and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Kern Council of Governments. I have always found California Consulting to be well respected throughout the Valley and highly regarded by key policymakers and legislative staff."
Michael Rubio, State Senator, CA 16th District