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July 6, 2015
In This Issue
Caltrain Asks the Feds to Exempt the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project
California High Speed Rail Boondoggle Supporters Work to Limit Taxpayer Accountability
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Agrees to Modify PLA and Allow for 5 Parties to Help Create Language
Port of Long Beach Set to Discuss Port-Wide PLA on July 13th
Imperial County PLA Continues to Generate Heat for County Supervisors
School Bond PLA Update
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Caltrain Asks the Feds to Exempt the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project - a California High-Speed Rail Priority - from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 

As we all know big labor special interests are all modern day Jacques Cousteau's until they have a PLA on a given project at which time they basically become despoilers of the earth. The latest union attempt to avoid the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is with the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project being undertaken by Caltrain. As part of the larger California High Speed Rail scam this project has just recently had a PLA placed on it  which explains why union bosses are no longer too concerned about its environmental impact. But thanks to CFEC and the Western Electrical Contractor Association (WECA) employing Kevin Dayton to highlight why this project should not be subject to an exclusion from CEQA, the Surface Transportation Board  has issued a ruling agreeing with us! News coverage of the decision can be found here.


 

CFEC and our allies will continue to hold accountable those who abuse the environmental process for political gain while fighting to protect all workers right to be employed.  Stay tuned for much more on this fight!


 
California High Speed Rail Boondoggle Supporters Work to Limit Taxpayer Accountability

As we have highlighted for years on our California High Speed Rail Scam website, this gazillion dollar boondoggle is the gift that keeps on giving. The Authority that is charged with trying to get this turkey to fly and its Democrat allies in the state legislature have now created a way to limit public oversight of the project so as to avoid embarrassing spectacles like CFEC's Eric Christen speaking at a legislative hearing that saw the Democrats give all of 60 seconds to public comments. Their solution? Eliminate these hearings all together. 

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Agrees to Modify PLA and Allow for 5 Parties to Help Create Language 

In a victory of sorts last Thursday, a board that for 12 years has been hostile to merit shop firms while towing the union line, was forced to agree to some non-typical items in "negotiating" a PLA for SMUD's $65 million headquarters renovation. The fascinating discussion that took place at this meeting can be viewed here. In the end the board agreed to allow for negotiations to include not only big labor special interests but other members of the community, including the merit shop. Among hot button issues to be negotiated are thresholds, double benefits, and allowing all apprentices to work vs only union apprentices. If this is a project you would consider bidding please contact CFEC today.


 

Stay tuned!
Port of Long Beach Set to Discuss Port-Wide PLA on July 13th

Contractors who are interested in bidding any work at the Port of Long Beach are encouraged to contact the Port Commissioners and attend the meeting at 6:00pm on Monday, July 13th to speak out against a PLA on ALL Port work. 

 

CFEC has meet with staff and the two board members assigned to study this issue and we have given them our perspective on PLAs. Now it's up to the commissioners. Please contact us if you are able to attend.

 
Imperial County PLA Continues to Generate Heat for County Supervisors
Ever since CFEC discovered that the Imperial County Board of Supervisors were quietly trying to get a PLA placed on the County's $33 million Phase II Adult Detention Facility Expansion we have kept the pressure on the Supervisors. This has included speaking at their meeting, educating local stakeholders, and meeting with local media.  On Tuesday  the pressure was ratcheted up a few notches when CFEC convinced the El Centro Chamber of Commerce to write a letter to the Supervisors formally opposing the PLA. This is great news and we will continue to make this a difficult decision for the Supervisors. If you would like to contact them you can do so here.
School Bond PLA Update

With more than $20 billion in school construction bonds out there CFEC continues to monitor for PLA threats. Here is the latest on that front:

 

Vacaville Unified School District: On Thursday, June 25th the board there voted 6-1 to begin negotiations on a PLA with local unions. However it is our belief that because of the work of CFEC, ABC NorCal, and WECA, the board there will NOT, in the end, vote for a discriminatory PLA.

 

Culver City School Board: On Monday, July 6, the school board in this Los Angeles area school district will be discussing the issue of PLAs. The District has a $106 million bond that was approved by voters in 2014. ABC SoCal's Dave Everett will attend this meeting and see where the discussion leads. Stay tuned!

 

Southwestern Community College District: This district is being targeted for a PLA by unions. One way to combat that is to have a Bond Oversight Committee that is made up of people who take seriously the proper use of taxpayer money. This committee is currently looking for members and we encourage you to step up and volunteer. 

 

If you would like more information or are interested in volunteering, please contact Jenna Harris at 619-234-6423 or [email protected]. Please respond by Friday, July 10th if you are interested in participating.