While California Slept, Legislature Passes $37.3 Billion Bonds Package

[From the office of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez]

ASSEMBLY PASSES RECORD PUBLIC WORKS BOND PACKAGE

Record Investments Approved for Schools, Roads, Flood Control, Housing

SACRAMENTO -- The California State Assembly tonight passed the largest public works bond package in the state’s history – four bonds totaling $37.281 billion to improve the state’s roads, schools, levees, and provide affordable housing. The bonds will be put on the November 2006 ballot for voter approval.

“This is an investment in our children, adults and senior citizens. But more importantly, this is an investment in California’s future,” said Speaker Fabian Núñez. “Today is a proud day for California.”

The four bonds include:

ü Transportation (SB 1266) -- $19.925 billion;

ü Housing (SB 1689) -- $2.850 billion;

ü Education (AB 127) -- $10.416 billion; and

ü Flood Protection (AB 140) -- $.4.09 billion.

In addition, the Assembly approved $500 million in general funds for levee repair (AB 142) as well as a constitutional amendment (SCA 7) to protect Prop 42, which guarantees funds from the gas tax go to improve the state’s highways.

The Assembly also passed two policy bills. They include:

ü AB 1039, which streamlines environmental regulations for repairing levees and the seismic retrofitting of bridges; and

ü AB 1467, which establishes public/private partnerships for goods movement.

Also approved was AB 1540, a technical bill that provides a ballot label for the constitutional amendment.

Below are additional details on each bond:

Transportation Bond -- $19.925 billion

Mobility, transit, and congestion relief: $16.250 billion

ü $4.5 billion for high priority corridor improvements;

ü $1 billion for State Highway 99 Enhancement Plan;

ü $2 billion for trade infrastructure;

ü $4 billion for rail, bus, transit, and improvements;

ü $750 million for SHOPP and ITS;

ü $1 billion for State-Local Partnership Program;

ü $1 billion for roads – cities.

ü $1 billion for roads – counties.

Safety, security, disaster preparedness: $1.475 billion

ü $1 billion for transit safety and disaster response;

ü $100 million for Port Security Program;

ü $125 million for local bridge seismic retrofit;

ü $250 million for grade separations.

Air quality: $1.2 billion

ü $1 billion for port air quality;

ü $200 million for school bus retrofit and replacement.

Education Bond -- $10.416 billion

K-12 facilities: $7.329 billion

ü $1.9 billion for new construction;

ü $3.3 billion for rehabilitation and modernization;

ü $200 million for small high schools, included in new construction and modernization above);

ü $1 billion for overcrowded schools;

ü $500 million for charter schools;

ü $500 million for career technical education facilities;

ü $100 million for energy-efficient schools; and

ü $29 million for joint use facilities.

Higher Education: $3.087 billion

ü $1.58 billion for UC and CSU;

ü $1.5 billion for community colleges.

Housing and Land Use Bond -- $2.85 billion

Affordable housing: $1.5 billion

ü $345 million for multi-family housing;

ü $300 million for Cal Home homeownership program;

ü $200 million for CHADAP down payment assistance program;

ü $195 million for supportive housing;

ü $135 million for farm worker housing;

ü $125 million for the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods (BEGIN) Program;

ü $100 million for affordable housing innovation;

ü $50 million for homeless youth housing; and

ü $50 million for emergency housing.

Infill incentives: $850 million (up to $200 million available for urban parks);

Housing-related parks in urban, suburban, and rural areas: $200 million;

Transit-oriented development: $300 million

Flood Protection -- $4.09 billion

ü $3 billion for levee inspection, repair, flood control improvements, and delta levee protection;

ü $500 million for flood control subventions;

ü $290 million for flood corridors, bypasses, and flood plain mapping; and

ü $300 million for storm flood management.

Statement by Senator Don Perata

Statement by Senate President pro Tem Don Perata following the Senate’s approval of major transportation, housing, flood control and education bonds early on Friday May 5:

“Today we made a giant step forward in terms of our commitment to the state’s economy and in terms of strengthening our crumbling infrastructure. We also showed what bipartisanship can look like.

I want to thank Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and Senator Dick Ackerman and Assemblyman George Plescia, the Republican leaders, for their strong work. I’m very grateful to my colleagues on both sides and in both houses and to the governor. The governor did what he said he would do, be supportive of the work that we did and he came in when it was necessary. Today we have a Democratic and Republican bond that is good for the state of California.

What was at stake was the future of the middle class. People were spending more time in their cars during the week than with their families.

Now we are putting emphasis on infill development, building our trade corridors and spending a lot of money on transit and disaster preparedness.”

* * * An audio file of the bond press conference immediately following Session can be found on Senator Perata’s website.