In 1998, the Leroy
F. Greene School Facilities Act (Senate Bill 50) was signed into law,
establishing what has proven to be one of the state’s most successful
partnerships. Since its enactment, the
partnership between state and local funding sources has generated upwards of
$116 billion in total revenues dedicated solely to the construction and
renovation of California’s school facilities from kindergarten through
university.
But like the re-painting of the Golden Gate Bridge, the job
is never finished.
Just last year in its California Infrastructure Report card,
the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimated that despite public
school districts in California spending $38.8 billion on capital outlays for
construction and renovation between 2005 and 2008, there was still a critical
need for $25.4 billion in infrastructure funding.
Unfortunately, despite an improving economy the state is
effectively out of bonding capacity and has no cash on hand to support its
portion of the program.
The revitalization and strength of an urban community is
found centered around school facilities however, and we have an obligation to
house our students in safe and adequate facilities. Historically, there has been overwhelming
support for statewide bonds to fund such investment, with $35 billion being
raised through bonds since the Act was adopted.
The legislature must act now to
approve a school facilities construction and modernization bond for the
November ballot. Not only will a bond
measure support the education of our students within the best possible facilities,
but will create much-needed jobs.
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Some of you may not know that the late Senator Leroy Greene was a Civil Engineer from Carmichael, CA in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County. Senator Greene was a visionary when it came to allocating state funding for the construction and or modernization of school facilities. His bill, as you have pointed out, became the School Facilities Act of 1998. The Senator foresaw the need to modernize schools that had been built to educate the baby boomers. Unfortunately, funding for school construction dipped during the most recent recession to about half of pre-recession levels. So while school enrollment has been increasing, funding continues to decline. A D+ Grade for Schools from the 2013 ASCE Report Card on Infrastructure is a disgrace both nationally and in California. Let’s hope that we can find Champions in our State Legislature willing to take up the cause sooner than later.
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