Santa Ana College
• Provision for a one-time COVID-19 block grant. The League made this a priority to assist districts in their management of the extraordinar y expenses from the pandemic. • Continued inclusion of the Proposition 51-funded capital outlay projects. The League contended that these specially funded projects represent voter intent and ser ve as an economic stimulus for local communities and the state. In April, the League instituted weekly webinar meetings to ensure that all trustees and CEOs are engaged and informed of best practices in response to COVID-19 and to provide insight into what Sacramento is considering as it addresses the crisis. The League has also brought together all of our Sacramento-based community college partners for a weekly call to share information and develop common advocacy messages on the budget. Following the release of the Administration’s May Revise, the League joined with the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) and the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) to advocate for system funding. Collectively, the three organizations conducted 18 virtual lobbying visits with members of the Legislature and representatives of the Administration. The organizations reunited for meetings with US Senators Feinstein and Harris to promote further federal assistance. The League has signed onto letters with our numerous partners to lobby Sacramento and Washington D.C. for additional aid. View all relevant material on the budget, including the League’s budget letters, at https://www.ccleague.org/advocacy/budget-analysis-and-issue-briefs.
Our Continued Efforts With the likely revision of the budget in August and the inclusion in the budget deal of an October trigger date for federal assistance to stave off the deferrals, the League is continuing to be focused on the following: • Meeting with state lawmakers on the importance of community college funding. In these meetings, the League is emphasizing the themes of stability, predictability, and flexibility as it reminds lawmakers of the critical role of California Community Colleges in economic recover y. • Congressional advocacy to promote federal assistance. The League maintains an ongoing connection with its federal partners in Washington, D.C. and has reached out to Senators Feinstein and Harris on the need for more funding. This will be an even higher priority in the weeks and months ahead.
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