Blogs

CSDA and Fire Chief Testify Against Diversion of Local Revenue to Rail Project

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
By: @Marcus Detwiler On Monday, April 27, CSDA Legislative Representative Marcus Detwiler and Ripon Fire Protection District Fire Chief Eric DeHart testified before the California State Senate Transportation Committee in opposition to a proposal to divert local revenue toward the California High-Speed Rail project. Watch Special District Testimony The Senate Transportation Committee convened an informational hearing concerning the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) draft 2026 Business Plan. The hearing served as an opportunity for members of the Committee to critically examine the plan and press representatives from the Authority ...

Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Generates Over $110K

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
The Challenge To dispose of surplus assets, the District relied on a combination of local auction houses, classified advertisements, and online marketplace platforms. This approach created several challenges: Required multiple forms of public notification, increasing the administrative workload Incurred out-of-pocket costs for advertising and auction services Required significant staff time to coordinate listings, respond to inquiries, and manage logistics Made it difficult to dispose of lower-value or miscellaneous items efficiently The process was time-consuming, costly, and difficult to manage across different asset types. The Solution ...

Audit ABCs: Simple Habits That Make Annual Audits Easier

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
By; @Kristin Withrow For many small special districts, “audit season” can feel like a scramble. Files are pulled together, numbers are double-checked, and staff—often wearing multiple hats—try to make sense of it all under tight timelines. But according to Samantha Prall, Managing Director at Platinum Strategies Inc., audits don’t have to be stressful. “An audit is essentially a review of your financial records to make sure everything is accurate and reported correctly,” she explains. “It happens annually, and many districts bring in outside help to get ready.” That preparation often begins earlier than people expect. Auditors typically conduct interim ...

ADA Website Accessibility Compliance Deadlines Extended by One Year

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
This content was provided by Amy Greyson, Senior Attorney, Richards, Watson & Gershon. The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has announced a one-year extension of the deadline for public agencies to comply with its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines . These Guidelines, adopted under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), require that government services, programs, and activities on websites and mobile apps be accessible to people with disabilities. In April 2024, the DOJ published a set of technical requirements requiring public entities to comply, at a minimum, with Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements ...

Initiative Raising Vote Threshold Officially Eligible for November 2026 Ballot

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
By; @Kyle Packham On April 21, 2026, the California Secretary of State determined Initiative 1983 (25-0006A1) is now eligible for the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot. The initiative, which is opposed by CSDA, would retroactively invalidate certain voter-approved special taxes as well as certain property transfer taxes representing a significant share of revenue for numerous charter cities. Titled, “LIMITS ABILITY OF VOTERS TO RAISE REVENUES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT”, the initiative increases the approval threshold on voter-initiated ballot measures from a simple majority (over 50 percent) to two-thirds. In charter ...

CSDA Advocates to Preserve Technology Flexibility for Affordable Services

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
By; @Aaron Avery CSDA and its coalition partners have continued leading the way on legislation that could critically impact special districts’ ability to deliver affordable local services to their communities. Among the key workplace technology bills seeing action in April were two of the bills covered by CSDA members during this month’s Special Districts Legislative Days: AB 1898 (Schultz) Workplace Artificial Intelligence Tools – OPPOSE AB 2027 (Ward) Worker Data Prohibitions: Artificial Intelligence – OPPOSE Updates on these measures and additional important pending legislation are below. SB 947 (McNerney) Employment: automated decision ...

Federal Legislative Updates: Week of April 27, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
Congress: FY27 Appropriations: House Republicans are slated to approve two more bills for floor consideration that would fund some domestic agencies through September 30. The House Appropriations Committee will meet tomorrow to begin voting on legislation funding National Security-State programs, and plans to vote Wednesday on the Agriculture-FDA spending bill. On Thursday, the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Legislative Branch Subcommittees will hold a markup to consider their respective FY27 bills. FY 27 Earmarks: The House Agriculture-FDA bill includes earmarks for dozens of cities and countries. A table detailing ...

Grants Update: Week of April 27, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
NEW GRANTS Program Description Transportation/Infrastructure Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): FY25-26 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program The CRISI program funds projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. Award maximum : $2,039,246,480 Program funding: $2,039,246,480 Eligible applicants: State, county, city, special district governments; Transit authorities; Native American tribal governments; ...

Agencies May Rely on Applicable Retention Policies Under the California Public Records Act

By Morgan Leskody posted 8 days ago
By; Abigail Ellerman, Associate, Richards, Watson & Gershon. The California Public Records Act (“CPRA”) does not impose an obligation on a public agency to preserve records it withholds as exempt beyond their otherwise applicable retention period merely because the agency’s justification for withholding may later be challenged in court. In Gilroy v. Superior Court , the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley submitted a series of CPRA requests to the City of Gilroy after receiving complaints about the destruction of personal property during homeless encampment cleanups. A 2018 request sought “any and all public records constituting, reflecting or relating ...

Data Center Newsletter

By Morgan Leskody posted 8 days ago
With the range of opportunities and challenges data centers present for local governments, understanding how to navigate the federal and state AI policy landscape is key for local governments considering measures to best support their communities. The AI/Data Center Newsletter that is linked below, provided through the National Special Districts Association, provides an overview of AI and data center policy developments at multiple levels of government. Review the Newsletter #AdvocacyNews #FeatureNews

California CLASS NEW Term Series II

By Morgan Leskody posted 9 days ago
CSDA partner California CLASS is pleased to introduce California CLASS Term Series II, a pooled investment vehicle designed to deliver a fixed rate of return while prioritizing capital preservation, planned-date liquidity, and competitive yields - built on the same high‑quality credit exposures as the California CLASS Prime Fund. TERM SERIES II HIGHLIGHTS • Competitive yields • Minimum investment: $100,000 • Minimum investment period: 60 days • Maximum investment period: 365 days • Customized redemption date selected by you • Interest paid at maturity • Investments permitted by California Government Code 53601. View the California CLASS Information Statement ...

Federal Legislative Updates: Week of April 20, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 9 days ago
MGS AI/Data Center Newsletter: With the range of opportunities and challenges data centers present for local governments, understanding how to navigate the federal and state AI policy landscape is key for local governments considering measures to best support their communities. Our new attached AI/Data Center Newsletter provides an overview of AI and data center policy developments at multiple levels of government. Congress: FY 27 Appropriations: House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) released the House’s schedule of FY27 appropriations markups and text for the Financial Services and Mil-Con House appropriations bills. Committee ...

Housekeeping for a Safer Workplace

By Morgan Leskody posted 9 days ago
This article originally appeared in the January/February Issue of the California Special Districts magazine. By @Enriqueta (Henri) Castro , Chief Risk Officer, SDRMA January is the perfect time of year to take a fresh look at your workplace and make organization a priority. A clean, orderly workplace doesn’t just look better, it directly supports a safer, more efficient operation. Cleaning and organizing is a major step in reducing potential hazards, and good housekeeping remains one of the simplest, most effective controls for preventing workplace injuries. Poor housekeeping is a leading and preventable cause of incidents such as slips, trips and falls, ...

Concerns Mount Over CARB ZEV Mandate on Trucks

By Morgan Leskody posted 9 days ago
By @Kyle Packham Media outlets widely covered CSDA members’ concerns regarding the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), which concluded a 15-day comment period on its rulemaking process April 17. Leading experts in water and wildfire prevention are publicly urging CARB to amend its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate on state and local medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. ABC 7 (KRCR): Paradise Irrigation District General Manager San Diego Union Tribune Editorial: Olivenhain Municipal Water District General Manager Red Bluff Daily News Editorial: Tehama County Resource Conservation District GM ...

Grants Update: Week of April 20, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 12 days ago
BioWatch Grant: DHS announced the availability of $10 million to fund early warning systems in select jurisdictions that detect the release of a select biological agent that may pose a danger to public health. Applications are due April 30, 2026. Defense Community Infrastructure Grant: The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation announced the availability of $230 million to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of a military installation. Applications are due June 25, 2026. Program Description Public Safety/Law Enforcement Homeland Security: BioWatch Program BioWatch ...

Welcome our Newest CSDA Members!

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
Please welcome the latest agencies and Business Affiliates approved by the CSDA Board of Directors: Gazelle Fire Protection District California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (iBank) Silicon Valley Clean Energy Syserco Energy Solutions Westside Water Authority Workday Nichols Consulting Riverside County Habitat Conservation Agency i3 Verticals Somach Simmons & Dunn Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Burney Basin Mosquito Abatement District Merchant Cost Consulting Pico Water District Marin Clean Energy (MCE) #FeatureNews

CSDA Expands Advocacy to Protect Workplace Technology Flexibility

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
@Aaron Avery CSDA recently joined its local government partners in signing onto coalitions to preserve public agencies’ flexibility in using workplace technology. The first measure, AB 2027 (Ward) Worker data: prohibitions: artificial intelligence, provides that an employer shall not use a worker’s personal information to train an artificial intelligence system to replicate, automate, or replace a worker’s job. The bill would leave significant questions about whether agencies can use AI systems or how they could train them to perform their tasks. AB 2027 will be heard in the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee on April 16. The second ...

MUST READ: Details Emerge on CARB Truck Ban – Last Chance to Help

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
@Brittney Barsotti April 17 deadline rapidly approaching to comment on CARB mandate on local agencies’ to purchase only ZEV medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. Special district leaders brief media on how CARB truck ban would severely hinder emergency readiness, using real-life examples from recent events. CalTrans releases report detailing the extraordinary costs and operational deficiencies of CARB’s truck ban. On Thursday April 9, 2026, CSDA hosted a press briefing with four special district general managers who provided clear examples of the troubling consequences the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulations ...

Grants Update: Week of April 13, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
Grant Announcements: FTA Ferry Grant Program: The FTA announced the availability of $657 million to modernize passenger ferry service in rural and urban communities nationwide. The Ferry Grant Program provides funds to modernize terminal infrastructure, launch new ferry routes, and fund new ferries. Applications are due May 11, 2026. Safe Streets for All NOFO: The DOT announced $993 million for projects and strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets. Applications are due May 26, 2026. Program Description Transportation Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit ...

Federal Legislative Updates: Week of April 13, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 15 days ago
The House and Senate are in session this week. The Senate returns April 13, and the House returns April 14. Congress: Reconciliation Update: Congressional Republicans continue to deliberate on a new party-line budget reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP. Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) visited the White House to brief the President on Senate Republicans’ plans for a budget reconciliation bill. Surface Transportation Reauthorization: The markup of the surface transportation bill has been delayed from April 14 until late April. Lawmakers will reportedly continue negotiating the top-line funding ...