Blogs

Five Member Benefits Every District Should Be Using

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
Value A dded B enefits CSDA has partnered with 14 different organizations that offer various discounts and elevated services to CSDA members. Your agency can directly benefit from our partnerships in risk management, financing, websites, cybersecurity, investments & other financial resources, HR, rental cars, and more. As a bonus, CSDA just launched a brand-new program with Amazon Business where all member agencies can get a free Business Prime account ! Knowledge Base At our core, CSDA is centered around collaboration amongst our members , with each generation ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of June 9, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
House and Senate Action Both chambers gaveled into session on Monday, with much of the focus this week shifting to the Senate, where lawmakers are weighing the merits of the House-passed budget reconciliation package (H.R. 1). In the coming days, key Senate committees with jurisdiction over the thorniest provisions in the bill are expected to release their proposed changes to the House measure. Notably, any modifications will have to be approved by the lower chamber – a reality that threatens to stall or derail President Trump’s centerpiece legislation. More details on the latest in the reconciliation process are below, and the Senate’s daily schedule can ...

Thinking Like Fire: Fireshed Approach to Wildfire Planning

By Morgan Leskody posted 2 days ago
By Lexi Journey, Natural and Working Lands Program Manager, Rincon Consultants Wildfires are prevalent in San Luis Obispo County. Within the last 75 years, wildfires have burned more than 300,000 acres (7,500 square miles) and today San Luis Obispo County averages more than 300 wildfires per year. Examples of large and destructive wildfires in San Luis Obispo County include the 1960 Weferling Fire (51,451 acres), 1950 Pilitas Fires (30,100 acres), 1985 Las Pilitas Fire (84,271 acres), the 1989 Chispa Fire (9,750 acres), the 1994 Highway 41 Fire (50,729 acres), 1996 Highway 58 Fire (106,969 acres and the largest fire in San Luis Obispo County’s recorded history), ...

Airport District Breaks Ground on $200 Million Project to Elevate Safe Travel

By Morgan Leskody posted 3 days ago
By: @Richelle Noroyan The Monterey Peninsula Airport District hosted a momentous groundbreaking ceremony at the Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to mark the building of a completely new passenger terminal. This $200 million project will elevate and improve travel to and from California’s Central Coast for both locals and visitors alike. As planes were taking off and landing during the ceremony, the President of the airport district board and retired Pacific Grove Police Chief, Carl Miller, expressed appreciation for Congressmember Jimmy Panetta’s efforts to secure funding for the project. Miller went on to say, “Our MRY metamorphosis has been a marathon, ...

Grants Update: Week of June 9, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 3 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Commerce FY 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program will help communities and regions devise and implement long-term economic recovery strategies through a variety of non-construction and construction projects to address economic challenges in areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024 was issued. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? District organizations of EDA-designated economic development districts (EDDs); Indian tribes or consortia of tribes; states, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of June 2, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 9 days ago
Senate Takes up Reconciliation Package Congress returns today from a week-long Memorial Day recess, marking the beginning of a crucial four-week stretch for Republican Lawmakers to finalize their reconciliation package and send it to President Trump’s desk by their internal deadline of July 4. While the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB, H.R. 1) cleared a major milestone when it passed the House by a slim one-vote margin (215-214) on May 22, the measure will face new hurdles in the Senate. First, it will undergo review by the Senate parliamentarian to determine whether it complies with reconciliation rules, which could impact several provisions within the ...

Partnership Between Palomar College and Vallecitos Water District Develops Water Workforce

By Kristin Withrow posted 10 days ago
Byline: Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District Public Information/Conservation Supervisor A partnership between Palomar College's Water Technology Program and the Vallecitos Water District's workforce development program is giving students a hands-on opportunity to explore water and wastewater industry jobs and increasing their career readiness. Palomar College professor Jacob Shiba and Vallecitos Water District Public Information/Conservation Supervisor Chris Robbins first discussed the idea in 2019. “We talked about having the interns spend time in each department so they would get the full depth and breadth of our employee roles,” said Robbins. ...

$2 Billion Strong: CSDA Sponsored California CLASS Reaches Major Milestone; Strong Special District Participation

By Morgan Leskody posted 10 days ago
CSDA is proud to announce that the investment program it helped to create less than 3 years ago, California CLASS, has reached a significant milestone surpassing $2 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM). This achievement reflects the continued confidence of California’s public sector entities in California CLASS, with over 230 participating agencies now benefiting from the program — more than 80% of which are special districts. This remarkable growth highlights the critical role California CLASS plays in helping local agencies, particularly special districts, manage their funds safely, efficiently, and transparently. The overwhelming adoption of California ...

Grants Update: Week of June 2, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 10 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Defense FY 2025 Community Noise Mitigation Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to reduce the impact of military fixed-wing aviation noise on covered facilities, which include hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and private residences. These facilities must be located either within one (1) mile of a military installation or another location at which military aircraft are stationed (one mile is determined from the location’s outermost boundary), or within an area experiencing a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels or greater due to military ...

Are You Missing Out on Advocacy News?

By Morgan Leskody posted 10 days ago
@Kyle Packham Last week, subscribers to CSDA Advocacy News heard it first when Governor Gavin Newsom announced California’s efforts towards reducing the risk of wildfires through fast-tracking 13 vegetation management projects due to federal budget cuts. Subscribers also received word from the National Special Districts Association about a recent letter from U.S. Senators and the International Association of Fire Fighters regarding the impacts of private equity roll-ups of fire truck manufacturers, and the adverse impact of this consolidation on public safety. These are just two of the hundreds of stories published exclusively to CSDA Advocacy News subscribers, ...

International Water Partnership Strengthens Communities Across Borders

By Morgan Leskody posted 16 days ago
Reliable Water, Lasting Impact Rowland Heights, CA (March 1, 2025) – "Caring for our Neighbors" isn’t only a motto at Rowland Water District (RWD). It is the organization’s guiding principle. And that extraordinary commitment reaches far beyond the service area, across the Pacific to the Philippines and Norzagaray Water District (NorWD). Initially a technical exchange, the transformative partnership brings hope, resilience, and sustainable solutions to both utilities and ultimately their customers. RWD and NorWD have a lot in common as water providers. RWD serves a 17.2-square-mile area in southeastern Los Angeles County, providing potable and recycled ...

CSDA Scores Wins in Appropriations Committees While SB 496 Fails to Advance

By Kristin Withrow posted 16 days ago
On May 23, the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees held their respective Suspense File hearings—an essential phase in the legislative process where lawmakers determine which bills will proceed to a floor vote and which will be held in committee. The Suspense File mechanism allows legislators to evaluate the fiscal implications of proposed legislation within the broader context of the state's annual budget and legislative priorities. CSDA closely monitored both hearings. The Chairs of the Appropriations Committees acknowledged the difficult budget environment this year, noting that many bills were either amended to reduce their costs, converted into ...

Grants Update: Week of May 26, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 16 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Homeland Security FY 2024 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Program WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to provide critically needed resources to fire departments and non-profit organizations to carry out fire prevention education and training, fire code enforcement, fire/arson investigation, firefighter safety and health programming, strategic national projects, prevention efforts, and research and development. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Units of local government, tribal governments, non-profit organizations, public and private higher education institutions, ...

Don't Let Go of Your Logo: Preventing Unauthorized Use and Protecting Your Rights

By Kristin Withrow posted 16 days ago
By Steven L. Flower, Shareholder, Richards Watson & Gershon and General Counsel, Tri-City Mental Health Authority California special districts and other local agencies rely on their logos to establish an identity and build trust with the public. So, the unauthorized use of a district’s logo—whether by political campaigns, businesses, or members of the general public—can create confusion and lead to legal complications. But what counts as an unauthorized use of your district’s logo, and what can you do to protect it? Government Seals vs. Government Logos It is important to distinguish upfront between government seals and government logos. Seals are official ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of May 19, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 23 days ago
House and Senate Action The House and Senate convened on Monday afternoon, kicking off a make-or-break week for the GOP’s reconciliation package ahead of next week’s Memorial Day recess. With the House scheduled to adjourn on Thursday, Republicans in the lower chamber have just four legislative days to pass their reconciliation bill if they are to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) ambitious timeline. More on the status of Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is located below. In addition to plans to advance the reconciliation package, House Republicans will consider a slate of bills on the suspension calendar (which requires a 2/3 majority vote). ...

10 Critical IT and Cybersecurity Recommendations for Small Special Districts

By Morgan Leskody posted 24 days ago
Content provided by: CSDA Endorsed Affiliate VC3 If you’re a small special district, you likely face big challenges. Tight budgets. Few staff. Old technology. It can sometimes feel like technology hinders rather than enhances your operations, and you might worry about the possibility of a devastating cyberattack. Luckily, focusing on just a few critical items—possible even with limited budgets—can take you from worried and vulnerable to safe and secure. In this article, we present 10 important (and budget-friendly) steps that you can take to improve your IT systems and cybersecurity readiness. 1. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative ...

Happy Special Districts Week 2025!

By Morgan Leskody posted 24 days ago
By: @Lilia Hernandez Join us in celebrating Special Districts Week! If you are not one of the nearly 200 special district leaders from throughout California gathering in Sacramento today to advocate on behalf of the communities special districts serve, you can still participate. Find everything you need in CSDA’s Special Districts Week Toolkit . Assembly Concurrent Resolution 36 , authored by Assembly Local Government Committee Chair Juan Carrillo, was introduced on February 20, 2025, proclaiming the week of May 18, 2025 – May 24, 2025, to be Special Districts Week. Since the introduction of the resolution, we have proudly secured sixty-seven co-authors ...

A State Budget Problem Has Emerged Since January

By Morgan Leskody posted 24 days ago
By: @Ophelia Szigeti Governor Gavin Newsom opened his press conference releasing his May Revision to the 2025-2026 State Budget by spotlighting California’s continued economic strength, such as its gross state product of $4.1 trillion. He then pivoted to acknowledge the state nonetheless faces a $12 billion revenue shortfall driven by multiple factors, including delayed tax payments due to the Los Angeles County wildfires in January 2025, economic uncertainty tied to federal policy shifts and international trade tariffs, rising Medi-Cal expenditures, and the ongoing housing affordability crisis. According to the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, ...

Grants Update: Week of May 19, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 27 days ago
New Grant Opportunities Department of Agriculture FY 2025 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer markets to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Click here for more information. WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Agricultural businesses and cooperatives; producer networks and associations; community-supported agriculture (CSA) networks and associations; food councils; local governments; nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations; economic ...

Federal Legislative Update: Week of May 12, 2025

By Morgan Leskody posted 30 days ago
House and Senate Action The House and Senate are both in session this week. The Senate convened earlier today, with its immediate focus on confirming a series of mid-level nominations, including Katharine MacGregor to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior and James Danley to be Deputy Secretary of Energy. Separately, the chamber may consider a resolution aimed at blocking California’s electric vehicle mandate, which is set to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The mandate relies on a waiver granted under the Clean Air Act (CAA), which allows California to set stricter emissions standards than those required at the federal ...