Focused Services &
Fiscal Sustainability

With a struggling economy and a perpetual multi-billion dollar state budget deficit, many policies that affect special district budgets or address fiscal sustainability are now at the forefront of political discussion. Issues such as the dissolution of redevelopment agencies, increasing pressure for pension reform and additional challenges to local budgets will be the focus of CSDA’s 2012 Special Districts Legislative Days (SDLD).

Along with CSDA’s advocacy efforts in Sacramento to protect special district finances and educate policymakers on the effective service delivery provided by special districts, it is critical that you engage!

What you can do:

Visit CSDA’s Grassroots Action Center at csda.net to read about the proposals impacting special districts, and find action items so you can engage now!

Register for SDLD to hear directly from policymakers about some of the proposals directly affecting special districts. You will also have the opportunity to communicate with legislators about the critical services your district provides, along with examples of your district’s efforts to increase efficiency and create a higher value of service for Californians.

Keynote Speakers

California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer
Thursday, May 17
On November 7, 2006, Californians elected Bill Lockyer as the 32nd State Treasurer and on November 2, 2010, re-elected him to serve a second term. Treasurer Lockyer’s public service career has spanned more than three decades. From 1999-2006, he served as California Attorney General. Prior to his election as Attorney General in 1998, Treasurer Lockyer served 25 years in the California Legislature. He culminated his Capitol career as Senate President pro Tempore, crafting agreements to balance the state budget and make government work better for taxpayers.

California Department of Finance, Chief Deputy Director of Budget, Michael Cohen
Wednesday, May 16
Mr. Cohen advises Governor Jerry Brown on the state budget and serves as the department’s lead contact with the State Legislature. From 1997 to 2010, Mr. Cohen worked at the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), most recently as deputy legislative analyst. He previously served as the LAO’s director of state administration and as a local government finance analyst. Mr. Cohen earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas and a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Studies from Stanford University.

See all speakers

Roundtable Discussions

Roundtable discussions hosted by industry experts and local government partners provide attendees with an opportunity to ask detailed questions and learn about issues specific to your type of district. See more than one roundtable that interests you? We’ll be playing musical chairs halfway through to allow attendees to participate in more than one roundtable! The following organizations will be hosting roundtables:

Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD)
Get updated on the status of legislation affecting healthcare districts, and other legislative threats from ACHD’s senior legislative advocate, Amber Wiley.

Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BFFP)
Hear from the Board’s Executive Director, George Gentry, on the status of the State Responsibility Area (SRA) Fee as well as other fire protection related subjects.

California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO)
Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with CALAFCO’s Executive Director Bill Chiat on the proposed changes to LAFCO law and all other things LAFCO related.

California Association of Public Cemeteries (CAPC)
Hear from the Executive Director of CAPC, Dewey Ausmus, and discuss all pertinent cemetery district issues.

California Association of Recreation and Park Districts (CARPD)
The Executive Director of CARPD, Henry Agonia, will be hosting a roundtable to talk about the future of recreation and park districts and steps that are being taken to ensure sustainability in a contentious political landscape.

California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD)
Karen Buhr, Executive Director of CARCD, will be hosting a roundtable to afford attendees the opportunity to ask questions and address issues specific to resource conservation districts.

California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA)
Interact with CMUA’s Director for Water, Jennifer West, as she addresses the metal theft epidemic and its impact on municipal utility districts as well as any other relevant issues.

California State Association of County Auditors (CSACA)
Join with Kim Le, from the Sacramento County Department of Finance Auditor-Controller Division and member of the CSACA ABx1 26 Guidelines Working Group, to discuss the ongoing redevelopment agency dissolution process and what to expect in the future.

CalPERS
Discuss with CalPERS representatives, Danny Brown and David Lamoureux, options for pension financing, health care benefits, the recent Board decision to lower the discount rate, and the future of the state’s largest public pension system.

Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)
Interact with DIR’s Assistant Labor Commissioner Eric Rood on the latest issues affecting prevailing wage, workers’ compensation, and other employee related topics.

Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
Discuss the generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP), the recent exposure drafts on accounting and financial reporting for pensions with Eric Berman, managing partner of the Brown Armstrong Certified Public Accountants Pasadena office and representative from GASB.

State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS)
For those districts that that are members of a 1937 Act county retirement system, come speak with the Executive Director of the association that represents all 20 county retirement systems about potential pension reform measures.