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Jurupa Unified hears legislative-platform briefing; board urged to press Sacramento on Prop 98 holdback
Summary
Consultant Kevin Gordon briefed the Jurupa Unified board on its legislative platform and warned the governor's proposed $5.6 billion holdback of Prop 98 funds could shortchange schools; trustees discussed advocacy steps and contacting local legislators.
Kevin Gordon, president of Capital Advisors Group, told the Jurupa Unified School District board that the district's legislative platform gives the board a prebuilt record of its priorities to present to state lawmakers and to guide local advocacy.
That record matters, Gordon said in a presentation the board heard Tuesday, because the governor's budget includes what he described as a proposed holdback of roughly $5.6 billion in Prop 98 funds that would shift money away from schools to other parts of the state budget. "The governor is proposing to do a holdback of Prop 98," Gordon said, urging the board to be prepared to press for the district's share.
Why it matters: Prop 98 establishes the state's minimum funding guarantee for K-14 education; Gordon and staff told trustees that a holdback would force districts to defend both base funding and one-time allocations. Board and staff questioned whether the governor's approach would treat some ongoing needs as one-time funding and stressed the difference between base (ongoing) funding and discretionary one-time grants.
During the presentation Gordon outlined several platform priorities the district could press with lawmakers: stronger base funding, relief for legally mandated costs such as special education, an enrollment-based (rather than ADA-based) funding approach and continued support for career-technical education. He warned that some proposals being discussed in Sacramento would place additional conditions on discretionary block grants and that the district should be ready to advocate for local control.
Board members pressed Gordon on the revenue outlook and what the district should ask local legislators to do. Trustee Gwynn urged constituents to contact state lawmakers, specifically naming Senator Sabrina Cervantes and Assemblywoman Leticia Castillo, and to participate in Legislative Week outreach. "Your legislators are perfect," Gordon replied, saying a coordinated push from districts and community partners increases leverage in Sacramento.
The board did not take formal action on the platform Tuesday. Staff said the district will reactivate its legislative committee and bring more detailed platform language to the board for potential amendments and to direct advocacy ahead of the May budget revision.
The presentation closed with an agreement to continue refining the platform and to organize local outreach to state legislators.
