Sacramento - Assembly Member Anna Caballero today announced that she has introduced a bill that would establish a state clearinghouse to aid local agencies in setting up public-private partnerships for local infrastructure funding.

"I was a mayor of Salinas for eight years, and spent seven years before that on the city council," said Caballero, currently chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee. "I know what it is to try to raise the resources to pay for upgrades of sewage treatment plants and drinking water systems, repair streets and roads, or build parks and libraries.

"With 38 million people in California, the need is huge at the local level - just as it is for state infrastructure. We can't do it on public money alone."

She added: "It makes good sense to me to give local agencies as many tools as possible. Public-private partnerships can be one more tool for fee-producing infrastructure projects."

AB 1756 would establish the Office of Local Public-Private Partnerships at the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The Office will promote and facilitate the use of "best-value" public-private partnerships (also known as P3's) for local governmental agencies by sponsoring educational seminars and by preparing informational materials. It would also serve as a clearinghouse of information about local agencies that are using P3's to build infrastructure in California so that private investor dollars can be located.

AB 1756 also responds to a concern that local agencies may lack the legal or technical expertise to craft P3 agreements, by calling for the Office to help connect local agencies with resources that can help structure agreements that fully protect the public interest.

AB 1756 is Caballero's second bill dealing with public-private partnerships for local agencies. She is also carrying AB 1261, a bill that would clarify existing laws governing the use of public-private partnerships by local agencies. The bill is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"Assembly Member Caballero is showing great leadership on this issue," said Paul Meyer, Executive Director of the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California (CELSOC), a sponsor of AB 1261 and supporter of AB 1756. "She really understands the infrastructure need at the local level, and why local agencies need access to this important tool."