Blogs

Public Contracting Made Simple

By Amber Phelen posted 3 days ago

By @Jeff Frey , Of Counsel, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo Do public contracting issues freak you out? Well, my friend, I feel you. Despite the Legislature’s goal to make the law “clearer and easier to find” (Pub. Contract Code § 100), the topic involves numerous statutes buried across the Civil Code, Labor Code, Public Contract Code, Government Code, and more. The following is a summary of important issues to consider when preparing and reviewing your next bid or contract. Bidding Many, but not all, special districts have competitive bidding requirements. Knowing your bidding rules is half the battle! If competitive bidding is required ...

Partner with CSDA - Help Us Build Next Year’s Education Lineup!

By Morgan Leskody posted 6 days ago

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026 Special district leaders across California rely on CSDA to provide professional development opportunities that empower them to tackle the challenges they face every day – and often the best sessions are hosted by thought leaders and innovators like you, who provide services to these same leaders. We are currently working to build next year’s calendar of educational offerings and would like to invite you to submit your session ideas. Choose your format: Webinar: 1–2 hours, offered free to CSDA members. Perfect for timely topics and broad reach across the state. Virtual Workshop: Two half-day sessions, ~6 hours ...

Federal Legislative Updates: Week of May 4, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 6 days ago

DHS Reopened: The House approved a bill by voice vote to fund all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) except its immigration enforcement agencies, ending the longest agency shutdown in U.S. history. The shutdown has lasted more than 10 weeks, with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin warning that the agency would soon run out of money to pay its employees. While House Republicans have opposed passing the Senate-approved bill, arguing that it should include funding for immigration enforcement agencies, House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly faced pressure from the White House and some House Republican lawmakers to pass it before the chamber leaves town for ...

Support SDLF Scholarships: Get Your Custom Horseshoe Artwork

By Morgan Leskody posted 6 days ago

Looking for a meaningful, one‑of‑a‑kind way to showcase your district pride? The Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) is offering custom cowboy horseshoe artwork personalized with your district’s initials, handcrafted by artist Rick Wood. Best of all, proceeds support the SDLF Scholarship Program. Each piece is uniquely designed to highlight your district’s identity—making it a standout display for your office, board room, or home. How It Works Bidding starts at $200, and the top 10 highest bids received by July 1 will be accepted. What Winners Receive Each winning bidder will receive a custom-designed horseshoe art piece and can: Choose ...

The Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan: From Fallowed Land to an Energy Powerhouse

By Morgan Leskody posted 6 days ago

By; @Kristin Withrow One of the nation’s largest agricultural water districts, Westlands Water District spans roughly 1,000 square miles — about 614,000 acres — primarily in western Fresno County with a small portion in Kings County. Formed in 1952, its core mission is to deliver reliable and affordable agricultural water to farmers who grow nearly 70 varieties of food and fiber commodities to communities across the country and the world. That mission has grown more complicated as the state addresses the limitations of an unpredictable water supply. Allocations from the federal Central Valley Project fluctuate sharply from year to year. At the same time, ...

CSDA “Advocacy News” Delivers Busy Season's Breaking News

By Morgan Leskody posted 7 days ago

By: @Anna Stagg While CSDA’s eNews highlights the most important news of the week, CSDA’s Advocacy News community board and email list keep you up to date on developments from the California state capitol and beyond. Don’t miss out! Get the hottest issues, including breaking news, from CSDA’s lobbyists at the Advocacy News Community Board. Subscribe now for updates delivered to your inbox in real time or daily digest. Below is a sample of some hot issues from last week shared to Advocacy News: House Sends DHS Funding Bill to President Trump's Desk Breaking news from the National Special Districts Association (NSDA), of which CSDA is a founding ...

NSDA Special Report: FY 2026 Appropriations Review

By Morgan Leskody posted 7 days ago

On April 30, the House passed, by voice vote, the Senate-passed Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7147); President Trump signed H.R. 7147 into law shortly thereafter (P.L. 119-86), ending the 76-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which began on February 14, 2026. P.L. 119-86 fully funds all parts of DHS through September 30, 2026, with the exception of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Security Operations of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). House and Senate Republicans plan to provide three years’ worth of funding ($70 billion) for those two agencies by June 1, ...

Grants Update: Week of May 4, 2026

By Morgan Leskody posted 7 days ago

NEW GRANTS Program Description Infrastructure Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Housing Policy Research Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity Awards made through this NOFO will fund quality research projects that: (1) contribute to knowledge about housing policy in the United States; and (2) generate actionable insights and evidence that can applied by policymakers and communities in the short-term. Award maximum : $1,500,000 Program funding: $8,000,000 Eligible applicants: State, county, city governments; Native American tribal governments; Small businesses; ...

CSDA and Fire Chief Testify Against Diversion of Local Revenue to Rail Project

By Morgan Leskody posted 13 days ago

By: @Marcus Detwiler On Monday, April 27, CSDA Legislative Representative Marcus Detwiler and Ripon Fire Protection District Fire Chief Eric DeHart testified before the California State Senate Transportation Committee in opposition to a proposal to divert local revenue toward the California High-Speed Rail project. Watch Special District Testimony The Senate Transportation Committee convened an informational hearing concerning the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) draft 2026 Business Plan. The hearing served as an opportunity for members of the Committee to critically examine the plan and press representatives from the Authority ...

Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District Generates Over $110K

By Morgan Leskody posted 13 days ago

The Challenge To dispose of surplus assets, the District relied on a combination of local auction houses, classified advertisements, and online marketplace platforms. This approach created several challenges: Required multiple forms of public notification, increasing the administrative workload Incurred out-of-pocket costs for advertising and auction services Required significant staff time to coordinate listings, respond to inquiries, and manage logistics Made it difficult to dispose of lower-value or miscellaneous items efficiently The process was time-consuming, costly, and difficult to manage across different asset types. The Solution ...