That's quite a turnaround and this is now a project that is now open to all contractors because of the actions CFEC and our allies undertook over the course of three intense weeks.
Then we showed up at the next Board meeting, a particularly intense affair, and spoke out against the PLA. At this meeting CFEC's Eric Christen was threatened by a mob of union bosses and then had a fire alarm pulled in the middle of his comments to the Board! What is this, high school??!!
Following this meeting staff asked each side to provide data pertaining to PLAs to help the Board make a decision at their October 11th meeting where the issue would be properly agenized. Which it was and which we won!
Great job everyone! Real team effort.
Educational PLA Update
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District: After finding out a PLA had been placed on the District's agenda (again with no heads up) set to cover their $249 million Measure J construction bond narrowly passed in 2014. CFEC and our allies
sprang into action and set into motion an effort to vigorously oppose it. All this hard work has begun paying off with the school board now forcing unions to have this issue discussed at four different board and Citizens Bond Oversight Committee meetings. At the CBOC meeting
on Tuesday that board, comprised of citizens from around the district, voted 8-0 to oppose the PLA! Next up is Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, October 25th where both sides of the PLA issue will present their case.
What can you do?
1. Attend the meeting
When: Tuesday, October 25th at 5pm
Where:
Central Office Board Room 2490 Hilborn Road, Fairfield, CA 94534
2. Contact the
Fairfield-Suisun USD Governing Board
Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District: Not content to
reduce the value of their previous construction bond by up to 20%, the GCCCD Board of Trustees decided they would go back to voters for even more money, this time in the form of the $400 million
Measure X. The Board of Trustees has already agreed that this bond would fall under a PLA too. With that being the case a group of construction firms, Chamber of Commerce, businesses, and taxpayer groups have come out opposed to the tax increase.
On Tuesday Eric Christen will be speaking, as a private citizen, at a press conference put on by the "No on Measure X" group. If you would like to attend this event contact Bill Baber at 619-316-0592.
West Contra Costa Community College District: WCCUSD is one of the most poorly run and corrupt school districts in California, which is saying something. This District, which of course has a PLA on it, is now at the center of a pay to play scheme that has current and former board members accused of "pressuring" contractors and others of being required to pay money to various charitable groups in order to be awarded work on the District's multiple bond measures.
Metro's Measure M in Los Angeles Looking to Place Another $4.5 Billion Worth of Work Under a PLA
That's what we believe will happen any way should this latest tax increase pass in November. Labor Issues Solutions' Kevin Dayton has written about this typical urban entity and its ways in informative articles like this. Stay tuned.
City of San Pablo Approves Ad Hoc Committee to "Study" PLAs
Do you live in San Pablo? Do you want to let this city know what you think of PLAs? They want your opinion. Contact CFEC to learn more about what you can do.
North Coast CFEC PLA Discussion and Fundraiser a Huge Success!
Thank you to our the North Coast Builders Exchange for hosting an incredible event for us. Thank you also to the contractors, elected officials and candidates for political office who showed up in Santa Rosa
on Wednesday for a discussion on PLAs as well as a CFEC fundraiser. CFEC netted almost $10,000 at the event and we want to thank all those who so graciously donated. The discussion we had on PLAs was quite informative and we laid out some sound strategy to deal with any PLAs that come up for consideration in the Region.
