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The State gas tax has been a declining source of revenue to maintain roads and bridges in California since it was last increased in 1994. We have lost approximately 50 percent of the buying power of the fuel tax due to the fact that it has not kept up with inflation and advancements in fuel efficiency. Even more drastic is the actual reduction of revenues in the past two years, amounting to an annual loss of more than 30 percent of the funds used to maintain roads and bridges in California. We are seeing this loss in dramatic fashion here in Stanislaus County.

One of the best things about being the President of CSAC is hosting our Annual Meeting coming up in Palm Springs in Riverside County. CSAC’s leadership and staff have put a lot of thought and effort into making this a great meeting and the only thing I can think of that would make it any better is for you to decide to attend, if you haven’t already done so. It runs the week after Thanksgiving, from November 29 through December 1.

To watch a short video about this program, click here.

At the junction of Highways 120 and 6 in eastern Mono County – 37 miles from Bishop and 51 from Lee Vining — sits the isolated, rural community of Benton. There is little evidence left of Benton’s rich mining history. The town is now home to either 164 or 282 residents — depending on which state sign you believe when you enter the town. The Benton Paiute Reservation is just a few miles away.  The surrounding region, sitting more than 5,700 feet above sea level under the towering Mt. Montgomery, is desolate yet beautiful.

Local officials and staff play a vital role in the wellness, health and safety of California’s children and families. To address health and social disparities, counties are looking to build upon innovative methods to maximize finite economic and human resources. Specifically, agencies and staff are using collective impact approaches to create healthier and more vibrant communities. By leveraging collaborations and partnerships for shared services, joint use or proactive program planning, counties may achieve results greater than any one agency could achieve on its own.

It’s no secret that our Sierra Nevada forests are in big trouble. We have more than 66 million dead trees in the mountains and foothills of California—killed by a prolonged drought and an onslaught of bark beetles. The images from the Southern and Central Sierra are frightening. Acres and acres of pine trees are orange and brown, dead, dying, dry. And the bark beetles are moving north. As they kill entire stands of trees they move on to new sections of forest.

This election year, election officials will have a new collection of tech tools to help them engage their communities and improve how elections are run throughout the United States. The Election Toolkit, an online library of tech resources, includes tools like a Twitter guide, a free app to measure voter wait times, tools for publishing real-time election results and a collection of civic icons.

Originally printed in the Sacramento Bee on Sunday, August 7, 2016.

“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long-range risks of comfortable inaction.” – John F. Kennedy

“Indecision may or may not be my problem.” – Jimmy Buffett

With these two quotes framing this issue, we are imploring the California Legislature to fix the crumbling roads, bridges and highways we all rely on.

Taxes touch on every issue we face in California, from funding education to addressing our growing transportation needs.

Developed more than eight decades ago during a manufacturing-based economy, our tax system fails to generate dependable revenues or to keep pace with changes in the state’s economy. Our system leaves the state budget prey to boom-and-bust cycles, in turn disrupting funding of essential public services. As the state’s chief fiscal officer, I am responsible for managing cash flow in a time of continued revenue volatility. I know counties experience these dramatic revenue effects as well.