This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

March 22, 2017 Capistrano Unified School District Meeting

CUSD Spends $334,798 in tax payer money (per bus) $1.6 million of TAXPAYER MONEY to Buy 5 Electric School Buses

Dawn Urbanek, Neighbor
|

MIS-USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS?

$334,798.00 for ONE electric school bus.

On February 7, 2017 Kristen Vital, WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL applied for the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Electric School Bus Funding Program.


Board Audio: Not available yet, will show...

TRUSTEES THOUGHT THEY WERE APPROVING A GRANT APPLICATION WHEN IT FACT THEY WERE AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF 5 eLION ELECTRIC BUSES FROM FIRST PRIORITY BUS SALES. Staff allowed Trustees to believe that this was approval for a "Grant Application". Staff intentionally mislead Trustees.


CUSD's Current Bus Inventory-
Diesel Buses: 92 total



Pre 1994: 34
1994 and later: 58
CNG/Propane buses: 24 *These were purchased on a similar Grant Program

While this is a "GRANT" aka "free money" for CUSD, this is California taxpayer money. When you consider that CUSD students have no art, music or science programs, the largest class sizes in the nation, and aging and facilities that need $889 million in repairs, you have to pause and wonder if this money could be better spent.

The California Constitution guarantees that the State's #1 spending priority is K-12 Public Education. Every student is entitled to:


As one of the requirements to receive the Grant school districts must participate in CARB's Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program.


CARB - Truck and Bus Regulation School Bus Provisions


CUSD's Grant Application Execute February 7, 2017 by Superintendent Vital



One Bus costs $334,798.00 which is funded as follows:
$242,193.32 from Grant
$130,000.00 from HVIP Incentive

The W-9 is for FIRST PRIORITY BUS SALES
Diesel Buses: 92 total
Total Diesel Buses Pre 1994: 34
Total Diesel Buses 1994 and later: 58
CNG/Propane buses: 24
CUSD has 239 Vehicles

CUSD is saying that it is applying for credit for 5 buses purchased when applying for the Electric Charging Infrastructure Grant- $100,000.00
Here are the proposed costs to build the EV Charging Stations
ChargedEV.com $184,451.00
Auto Charging Experts $188,046.00
evConnect $165,019.50


CARB BOARD MEETING December 2, 2016 Agenda No 7











Orange County Register - Capistrano Unified will open a natural gas filling station to fuel buses

ANOTHER MIS-USE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS?


BLUE CARD Dawn Urbanek

On February 7, 2017 Superintendent Vital executed a Grant Application to Purchase 5 Electric School Buses.
No Matching Funds are Required - This is totally funded with California Taxpayer dollars.
The busses must be purchased from ELion (a Canadian Company) The only approved vendor for this grant money.
Each Bus Costs: $372,193.32 (100% California Taxpayer dollars)
  • $242,193.32 will be paid by Grant Funds
  • $130,000.00 will be paid for with HVIP funds
Receipt of the Grant is dependent on CUSD building a EV Charging Station
The costs to build the Charging Stations cam in at:
  • ChargedEV.com $184,451.00
  • Auto Charging Experts $188,046.00
  • evConnect $165,019.50
CUSD is applying for $100,000 Electric Charging Station Infrastructure Grant ($20,000 per bus)

The balance < $100,000.00 will come from CUSD

California Taxpayers are fully funding these expensive busses. CUSD is cutting its bus routes. Parents have to pay for the few bus routes that are remaining.

This is a shameful scam on California Taxpayers. Multiply this by thousands of school districts that are being forced to lay off teachers (or cut books and supplies by $6 million) to balance their budget and this is truly a disgrace.

CUSD Current Bus Inventory:
Diesel Buses: 92 total
  • Pre 1994: 34
  • 1994 and later: 58
CNG/Propane buses: 24

CUSD built an $800,000.00 Natural gas fueling station last year which is probably a similar program to this.

Under "Local Control", the State is suppose to give districts money that is NOT earmarked for a specific purpose. Rather than increase the Base Grant the State is now giving millions in one time grants that must be spent on particular things:
  • Teacher Effectiveness Grant - Professional Development (Pay to Play)
  • Technology Grants - Technology for Common Core Implementation (Pay to Play)
  • Energy Grants - Millions to Schnider Electric to do energy audits (Pay to Play)

and now Electric Bus Grants.

All of this waste of money while our facilities need $889 million in repairs, we have 8,555 students over capacity, our class sizes are the highest in California and the nation, parents have to fundraise for core educational programs like Art, Music and Science, they have to pay fees for parking and ASB positions.

Does this really make financial sense for California students? This is why California Education is in the bottom in the Nation. California is not educating students. California uses our Public Education System to raise tax revenues to spend on new programs and entitlements that are not Constitutionally mandated.

This Grant is nothing more than the use of taxpayer money to promote a political agenda of California's radical left CARB Board.

Find out what's happening in San Juan Capistranofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from San Juan Capistrano