As the President and lead negotiator of College of the Sequoias Adjunct (part-time) Faculty Association (COSAFA), that statement is both demonstrably incorrect and deceptive. COSAFA submitted a proposal to COS (“the District”) for health insurance on 5/17/2024. COSAFA’s proposal followed the state program requirements to ensure the District would be eligible for full reimbursement from the state. The District rejected the proposal on 6/24/2024. “The District is hereby rejecting COSAFA’s 5/17/24 proposal to add a new article on “Health Insurance” for part-time faculty employees.”

After the District brought up concerns that state funding might not be sustained, COSAFA submitted a modified proposal for health insurance on 7/2/2024. Our modified proposal added a clause that if the District received less than 100% reimbursement from the state, the District could reopen negotiations on health insurance. The District rejected the modified proposal on 7/15/2024. “The District is hereby rejecting COSAFA’s 7/2/24 proposal to add a new article on “Health Insurance” for part-time faculty employees.”

To this day, COSAFA has yet to receive an offer or proposal from the District regarding health insurance for part-time faculty members at COS.

Earlier this year, an attempt by Trustee Diaz to discuss researching health insurance for part-time faculty at COS was ultimately voted down by the other trustees.

COSAFA members at COS have been puzzled and disheartened that the District decided not to seek available state funds that could have provided full reimbursement for the provision of much-needed health insurance for our part-time faculty. This is one of the reasons why COSAFA has endorsed Susie Nava for Ward 5.

Danielle Alberti

COSAFA President

The post COSAFA Fact Check on Part-time Faculty Health Insurance at College of the Sequoias appeared first on Valley Voice.

COS has 3 unions representing employees, all of which have endorsed the three challengers: Louis Lyons, Kristina Roper and Susie Nava. The voters deserve to hear the perspective of the employees that currently work with our students every day.

A recent letter cites a 95% employee satisfaction rate in arguing for the re-election of the incumbents.  That statistic deserves context.

The figure comes from a COS survey. The total number of employees that year was reported to be 1,032, but only 297 completed the survey.  This is only a 28.7% response rate.  95% of employees did not respond.

The district rejected multiple proposals from the part-time faculty union to participate in the fully state-funded part-time faculty health insurance program.

None of this means COS is unsuccessful.  COS is financially strong, and there are many accomplishments worth celebrating.  Financial success should lead us to another question: Are we using those resources to ensure that students throughout our district have equitable access to an education?

For some students, paying for childcare and/or finding reliable, timely transportation can determine whether they can take classes at all. A financially healthy district should be asking how we can: expand course offerings at Hanford and Tulare, provide reliable transportation between campuses, and offer childcare.

These are the kinds of issues that don’t show up when the health of a college is measured primarily through reserves, buildings and select satisfaction statistics.

The question before our community is not whether COS has accomplished good things, it has. It is whether financial strength and institutional success are translating into opportunity for all of our students and whether the voices of the people currently teaching, supporting and serving those students are being heard.

When all three employee unions reach the conclusion that change is needed on the Board, their perspective deserves to be heard alongside that of long retired administrators.

Tracy Redden
President, College of the Sequoias Teachers Association

The post COS Teacher Association President: Unions have endorsed three challenger COS board candidates appeared first on Valley Voice.

We faced shrinking revenues, rising expenses, construction challenges at the Tulare campus and, most seriously, an accreditation sanction that threatened the institution’s future. When you work shoulder-to-shoulder through something that consequential—protecting an institution that thousands of students and families depend upon—you learn a great deal about a person.

I learned that Ken was steady under pressure. His accounting background showed in his attention to finances, willingness to ask difficult questions, and insistence on transparency and accountability. Through those difficult days, we developed a professional relationship built on trust and a shared commitment to COS.

We were also planning for COS’s future. Many priorities envisioned then have since become reality: modernized career and technical education center, a comprehensive student success center, a new athletics stadium, and expanded university partnerships. Especially meaningful is the partnership bringing a Fresno State Center to the COS campus, expanding access to four-year degrees for students who cannot easily relocate or commute to Fresno.

Since the COVID crisis, the Board, administration and staff have continued to grow enrollment, increase the number of degrees/certificates earned, increased the number of graduates each year, increased the number of successful transfers to four-year colleges/universities. While accomplishing all of this the Board, administration and employee organizations have also worked collaboratively to provide salary and benefits ranking among the highest in the state—helping COS attract and retain the people who serve its students.

None of these accomplishments belong to one person. They reflect years of collaborative work. But it is proven time and again in public governance that sustained progress also benefits from institutional knowledge and continuity in governance.

The Ken Nunes I came to know through good times and bad was attentive, transparent, fiscally responsible and deeply committed to the students and communities COS serves.

Stan A. Carrizosa Sr.

The post Former COS Superintendent Carrizosa: Steady, strong, caring leadership at COS appeared first on Valley Voice.

I, Al Branco, and writing to endorse Bob Aguilar of Visalia, Ken Nunes of Tulare, and John Lehn of Hanford for re-election to the College of the Sequoias Board.

I am a COS alumnus who returned to the College and spent 40 years working in various capacities including coaching football, baseball, and softball, as well as serving as the Athletic Director. I continue to frequent the campuses as a volunteer and fan, and from that perspective, I can attest that the College has never been better. The Board deserves significant credit for that success.

The Board has focused on hiring and retaining top talent by offering some of the highest salaries in the State. They have built or remodeled facilities across all three campuses, and they are bringing Fresno State to our community (something no one else was able to accomplish) to offer four-year degrees locally and make our community more competitive.

They have also overseen significant gains in student achievement, including enrollment, graduation, and transfer. They have accomplished all of this while maintaining COS as one of the most fiscally stable colleges in the California system.

Is it any wonder that COS has a 98% satisfaction rate among students and a 95% satisfaction rate among employees? These accomplishments reflect the leadership of the institution, and this Board deserves credit for its role.

Let’s help COS continue this remarkable run by re-electing these dedicated Board members!

Thank you,

Al Branco

The post Al Branco: Re-elect board members to continue COS’ remarkable run appeared first on Valley Voice.

Prop 43 would require a two-thirds supermajority for special taxes that voters place on the ballot through citizen initiative. Today, those measures pass with a simple majority. This November, Bay Area voters are deciding on two major transit measures that reached the ballot exactly this way: San Francisco’s Prop H for Muni and the five-county Regional Measure RTM for BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit. Under Prop 43’s rules, measures like these would need two-thirds of the vote to pass.

What transit and transportation leaders are saying

“Our members drive the buses and run the trains that California riders count on every day,” said Louie Costa, Safety and Legislative Director, SMART Transportation Division, “When transit funding falls short, riders lose routes and workers lose jobs. Prop 43 would let a small minority block voter-led transit funding even when most voters say yes. That puts service, safety and good union jobs at risk. Vote no on Prop 43.”

“I’ve helped Angelenos organize, gather signatures and win at the ballot box, and I know what that power means for our communities,” said Eli Lipmen, Executive Director, Move LA. “Prop 43 would eviscerate our democratic right to organize for the transit our communities need, from better bus service to safer streets. Prop 43 is a step backward for climate, for congestion and for working families who rely on transit.”

“California communities rely on local funding measures approved by voters to keep buses and trains running and invest in new transportation options that connect people to jobs, education, and essential services,” said Michael Pimentel, Executive Director, California Transit Association. “Prop 43 would raise the threshold for voter-led transit measures to a two-thirds supermajority, allowing a small minority of voters to block investments supported by a clear majority. This proposal would undermine local decision-making and make it significantly harder for communities across California to fund the transit services residents depend on every day.”

Two measures on this ballot show what is at stake

San Francisco Prop H would fund Muni operations with a parcel tax for 15 years, raising an estimated $160 million or more a year to help close SFMTA’s operating deficit. It qualified after San Franciscans signed a citizen petition, so it needs a simple majority to pass.

Regional Measure RTM would fund BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit with a sales tax across Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. It would raise roughly $1 billion a year for 14 years. More than 235,000 valid voter signatures put it on the ballot, and it needs a simple majority to pass.

Under Prop 43, a measure like Prop H or RTM would need two-thirds of the vote. A measure supported by 60 percent or more of voters could still fail.

The damage would last for years

Prop 43 does not reach back to measures already decided. Its harm falls on what comes next:

• Renewals. When Prop H and RTM expire in the early 2040s, any voter-led renewal would need two-thirds.
• Expansions. New voter-led measures for service increases, extensions, safety upgrades or fare programs would face the same higher bar.
• Every region. The tool Bay Area voters are using this year would be much harder to use in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Central Valley or anywhere else in California.

Transit agencies face serious operating deficits as federal relief runs out. Prop 43 would make one of the few remaining local funding paths much harder to use, right when riders need it most.

Transit, transportation and infrastructure organizations opposing Prop 43

• ACT-LA
• California Alliance for Jobs
• California Bicycle Coalition
• California Transit Association
• Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities
• Move LA
• Rebuild California
• Rebuild SoCal Partnership
• Seamless Bay Area
• SMART Local 23
• SMART Transportation Division
• SPUR
• Transportation California

The full coalition is listed at noprop43ca.com/our-coalition.

The post California transit, transportation leaders announce opposition to Prop 43 appeared first on Valley Voice.

The turkeys many plan to eat on Thanksgiving, have just been born. Long before families write shopping lists or debate who is bringing the mashed potatoes, millions of turkeys are being raised by an industry designed to turn living animals into holiday products as quickly and efficiently as possible. They are only a few weeks old and they will be slaughtered before they’ve lived even six months.

By Thanksgiving, their story is already over. But ours does not have to follow the same script. Traditions evolve. We can keep everything we love about Thanksgiving—the crowded tables, family recipes, gratitude, football, pie, and second helpings—without requiring any animals to die for it.

So let’s start thinking about Thanksgiving earlier this year. There is plenty of time to plan a feast centered on abundance, connection, and compassion. What better way is there to give thanks than by sparing a life?

Bryan Vicenti

The post Reader: The Turkey countdown has already begun appeared first on Valley Voice.

As an alumnus of COS, I returned to the college as an agriculture instructor, Academic Dean and served as Provost for the opening of the COS Tulare Campus. As a lifelong resident of Tulare County, I served on several bond committees which resulted in the expansion of the Visalia Campus and the building of the Tulare and Hanford facilities. Now, as a retired almond grower I continue to provide support for the college.

Residents of Tulare and Kings Counties will agree, the College has never been run better, especially during the past ten years under the leadership of our incumbent board members. The growth in the three campuses, especially with the building of facilities on the Tulare Campus for CTE programs like automotive, industrial maintenance and construction, is unmatched in the valley.

Under the current leadership of our board, the college is offering opportunities for those of our community to get job skills or higher education without leaving home. Hopefully, they will return to our communities to further promote economic prosperity for us all. COS salaries compete with any college in the state; amazing facilities; and all-time high student achievement numbers are just some of the highlights of the current Board’s efforts.

And don’t forget they have brought Fresno State to our County to offer 4-year degrees here at home! There is a reason that the College has a 98% satisfaction rate among students and 95% among employees and it all starts with this Board.

Let’s keep our community strong by Re-electing these great Board members!

The post COS Tulare College Provost Emeritus: Re-elect great COS board members appeared first on Valley Voice.

More than 70% of VUSD schools are over 50 years old, and 87% of our portable classrooms have exceeded their useful lifespan. Last year alone, our maintenance teams responded to 383 roof leaks.

These challenges aren’t new, and neither is our community’s commitment to addressing them.

In 2018, Visalia voters approved Measure A, building on the investment made through Measure E. Since then, Measure A has helped us deliver modernized science facilities, modernized gymnasiums, technology upgrades and safety improvements across our schools. Projects are also moving forward at Houston and Veva Blunt elementary schools, with additional modernization work that will deplete these funds already in development across our four comprehensive high schools.

That progress matters, and so does our management of the resources entrusted to us.

Through refinancing and restructuring our existing bonds, we have also saved Visalians approximately $157 million in debt payments over the repayment period compared with the original plans. In addition, our teams secured over $60 million in state matching funds that have helped provide further facility improvements.

Measure A funds have been subject to oversight by a community-based Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee and annual external audits. Those audits have consistently resulted in zero findings. We are proud of that record, but responsible stewardship also means being honest about what remains. Our current bonds have allowed us to modernize and make improvements across half of our 42 schools, and yet an external facility audit identified more than $600 million in additional work still needing urgent attention.

The highest-priority needs require action today, while others will continue to emerge as time goes on and our aging buildings and infrastructure deteriorate.

Our maintenance teams work diligently on repairs and keep our schools operational, but, there is a difference between maintaining aging infrastructure and addressing the underlying problems. A roof can be patched, but eventually it needs to be replaced. A portable classroom can be maintained, but it cannot serve students forever.

That is why our Board unanimously placed Measure Z on the November ballot, a proposed $158 million local education bond. If approved by voters, the measure would provide local funding to continue addressing aging infrastructure, including roofs, plumbing, HVAC and electrical systems, replacing aging portable classrooms and modernizing learning environments.

We recognize that any investment must be considered carefully by our community. Today, VUSD’s bond tax rate is far below other local communities, and it is directly tied to the needs we see in our aging schools and infrastructure. If Measure Z is enacted, the tax rate would be $40 per $100,000 of assessed (not market) value. For a homeowner with an average assessed property value of $300,000, that would amount to approximately $120 per year, or about $10 per month.

Great schools strengthen the entire community and preserve the quality of life we want in Visalia, including property values. This is about more than buildings. It is about providing every student, regardless of the school they attend, with a high-quality education, because when they succeed, our community succeeds.

We have made meaningful progress together. Our responsibility now is to be honest about what has been accomplished, transparent about what remains, and thoughtful about how we prepare our schools for the generations of students who will walk through their doors next.

I look forward to continuing that conversation with you through our upcoming meetings and campus tours. Review the progress we’ve made and what remains at engage.vusd.org and find our transparent audits at vusd.org.

The post VUSD Superintendent: Building on our local investment in Visalia schools appeared first on Valley Voice.

As Tulare grows, that responsibility grows with it. The approval of Measure A will determine if your fire department continues to grow or falls short in serving our residents.

New homes, new businesses, and new neighborhoods are something to celebrate. They show that our city is moving forward. But growth also means more people to protect, more roads to cover, more buildings to serve, and more emergencies that may require a fast, capable response. Fire and emergency services must grow alongside the city if we are going to remain safe, prepared, and resilient.

Over the past three years, our department has worked aggressively to bring outside funding into the community. More than $7.5 million in federal, state, and local grant funding has helped us secure critical resources, including lifesaving cardiac monitors, a ladder truck, and a fire engine. We also secured a three-year SAFER grant that currently funds 12 firefighter positions through March 2028.

Those investments have made Tulare stronger. They have improved our ability to respond, increased safety for residents, and provided our firefighters with equipment and staffing needed to do their jobs effectively. But grants, while valuable, are temporary.

The SAFER grant is a good example of the challenge ahead. It pays for 12 firefighter positions today, but when that funding ends in March 2028, the City must decide whether it can absorb the ongoing salary and benefit costs into the General Fund. If Tulare wants to retain those positions and maintain that level of service, a stable funding plan will be essential.

That is why planning ahead matters.

Tulare needs to continue investing in long-term public safety priorities: building Fire Station 64 on the east side of the city, ordering three new fire apparatus, and developing a sustainable staffing plan. These are not luxury projects. They are necessary steps for protecting a community that is expanding.

Fire Station 64 would improve coverage in one of Tulare’s growing areas. The City already owns the property, and the project is ready to enter the design phase once a reliable funding source is identified. The City continually seeks grants and examines reserve funds, but those sources have limits. Reserves must remain available for emergencies, and grant funding is competitive, temporary, and often insufficient for major capital projects.

Meanwhile, the City is facing real financial pressure. Inflation, rising pension obligations, state mandates, and the increasing cost of fire apparatus and medical equipment are putting strain on City finances. Local revenues are not keeping pace with the cost of providing the services our residents depend on. This creates a structural deficit, meaning expenses are rising faster than ongoing revenue.

If approved by voters, Measure A would generate additional General Fund revenue that could be used to support essential City services, including fire and emergency response. Because Measure A is a general tax, those funds would not be dedicated only to the Fire Department. But the revenue could provide the City with greater flexibility to address public safety, infrastructure, and other core needs through the public budget process.

Our 2023 Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Coverage study reinforces what growing cities already understand: reliable emergency response requires the right people, the right equipment, and the right stations in the right places.

Waiting until staffing falls behind, a fire engine fails, or emergency coverage becomes strained is not responsible planning. By then, the cost is higher and the risk is greater. Tulare has an opportunity to prepare now, invest wisely, and protect its future before it reaches a crisis point.

The Tulare Fire Department will continue seeking grants, managing resources responsibly, and working hard for this community. But lasting public safety requires a long-term local commitment. As Tulare grows, we must ensure the people, facilities, equipment, and resources that protect this city grow with it.

The post Op-Ed: Tulare needs to continue investing in long-term public safety priorities appeared first on Valley Voice.

If approved, Proposition 1 would provide $11.25 billion in bond funding to create and preserve affordable homes, expand homeownership opportunities, and support housing for veterans, seniors, farmworkers, first-time homebuyers, working families, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, Native American communities, and individuals with disabilities.

The measure would also help move thousands of already-approved affordable housing projects forward by providing critical funding needed to turn plans into homes.

At SHE, we know that continued investment in affordable housing is essential to creating opportunities for communities throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Proposition 1 could help support future housing efforts while building on the work already underway through communities like Rancho Colegio in Visalia, Los Arroyos in Farmersville, and Guardian Village in Reedley.

“Voting ‘YES’ on Proposition 1 is the single most important thing that Californians can do this November in response to our housing crisis,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises. “Key programs in the bond – for farmworkers, homeless, seniors, Native Americans, veterans, first time homebuyers – are desperately needed for SHE to improve urban and rural San Joaquin Valley housing options for the foreseeable future.” Learn more about Proposition 1 here.

The post Prop 1 heads to November ballot appeared first on Valley Voice.