CSEA has been working with Legislators and the Governor to develop a solution to restore the mid-year transportation cut. Senate Bill 81 would restore $248 million to fund school transportation by allocating those reductions to revenue limits instead.

Background

Because state revenues came in lower than expected in December, current law imposes an automatic trigger to reduce the funding for school transportation, resulting in a mid-year cut of $248 million. This cut will have a devastating impact on our schools across this state, and will put the safety and lives of public school children at risk. Students may have to walk further to school or may be unable to get to school at all!

So far, many districts are having difficulty in implementing such a reduction because the special education and home-to-school transportation services provided cannot be reduced or eliminated without having an impact on student attendance. In some districts, the cut has prompted layoffs of bus drivers, maintenance workers, and others classified workers to avoid major reduction to student services.

Take Action!

SB 81 is scheduled to be heard in committee on January 31st. We need you to call the members of the Assembly Budget Committee to express your support of SB 81, and to ask for a “YES” vote on this bill. The committee members are listed as follows:

Member	Capitol Office	District Office
Bob Blumenfield,  Chair	(916) 319-2040	(818) 904-3840
Jim Nielsen,  Vice Chair	(916) 319-2002	(530) 223-6300
Luis Alejo	(916) 319-2028	(831) 759-8676
Michael Allen	(916) 319-2007	(707) 546-4500
Bill Berryhill	(916) 319-2026	(209) 473-6972
Susan Bonilla	(916) 319-2011	(925) 521-1511
Julia Brownley	(916) 319-2041	(818) 596-4141
Joan Buchanan	(916) 319-2015	(925) 325-1515
Betsy Butler	(916) 319-2053	(310) 615-3515
Gilbert Cedillo	(916) 319-2045	(323) 225-4545
Wesley Chesbro	(916) 319-2001	(707) 445-7014
Roger Dickinson	(916) 319-2009	(916) 324-4676
Mike Feuer	(916) 319-2042	(310) 285-5490
Richard Gordon	(916) 319-2021	(650) 691-2121
Diane Harkey	(916) 319-2073	(949) 347-7301
Jared Huffman	(916) 319-2006	(415) 479-4920
Kevin Jeffries	(916) 319-2066	(951) 894-1232
Brian Jones	(916) 319-2077	(619) 441-2322
Dan Logue	(916) 319-2003	(530) 895-4217
Allan Mansoor	(916) 319-2068	(714) 668-2100
Holly Mitchell	(916) 319-2047	(310) 342-1070
William Monning	(916) 319-2027	(831) 649-2832
Mike Morrell	(916) 319-2063	(909) 466-9096
Brian Nestande	(916) 319-2064	(760) 647-0164
Sandre Swanson	(916) 319-2016	(510) 286-1670
David G. Valadao	(916) 319-2030	(559) 585-7170
Donald P. Wagner	(916) 319-2070	(949) 863-7070

Please make the following points when you contact the Assembly Committee members. If the trigger cut is not restored it would:

• Put small school children in harm’s way, when they need to cross busy roads, or go through dangerous areas.
• Force some parents to make unthinkable choices between their job and safely getting their children to and from school.
• Dramatically reduce funding for some schools because of a drop in school attendance.
• Increasing traffic congestion on our roads and especially at our schools.
• Stressing our already fragile economy and high unemployment rate by putting thousands of school bus drivers out of work.
• Unfairly punishing low-income families and rural school districts, who depend the most on school buses to get students to class.

If you are a constituent, please let the person who answers the phone know that.

Thank you for making these important calls in support of SB 81.