California Recovery Task Force Announces Regional Road to Recovery Conferences

SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — The California Recovery Task Force announced July 6 upcoming regional Road to Recovery Conferences being held in Southern, Central and Northern California to provide practical and technical guidance on how local communities, including government entities, private employers and non-profits, can apply for and access funding available through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to stimulate job creation and the California economy. The conferences are co-hosted by the California Commission for Jobs and Economic Growth.

“We want to create a straight line between federal Recovery Act funding and the local agencies and employers who are positioned to put this funding to work immediately to create jobs and stimulate the California economy,” said Cynthia Bryant, director of the Governor’s California Recovery Task Force. “Our job is to demystify the process, help local employers identify opportunities and help clear any obstacles.”

Recovery Act funding is distributed by the federal government directly to applicable organizations including local, state and federal government entities as well as private businesses, non-profits and other organizations. California’s share of the federal stimulus package is estimated to be approximately $85 billion over three budget years - including an estimated $30.2 billion in federal tax relief and an estimated $55 billion in spending for federally designated purposes.

Put on at no cost to taxpayers, full-day conferences are scheduled to take place in the following regional locations:

•Central Valley: July 8, 2009 at California State University, Fresno
If you have not received registration materials to date, please visit the Road to Recovery Conference registration web site

(Information for reporters interested in covering the conference will be distributed Tuesday, July 7, 2009).

•Southern California: July 22, 2009 at the Anaheim Convention Center
Registration details will soon be available at the Road to Recovery Conference registration web site

•Northern California: July 23, 2009 at San José State University
Registration details will soon be available at the Road to Recovery Conference registration web site

Set up as a series of focused workshops, the conferences will convene federal, state, local and regional experts from various industry sectors for which Recovery Act funding is available - including transportation, education, broadband development, workforce training, energy and others.

“Getting accurate and complete information to public agencies and other employers about the stimulus money, what opportunities exist and how they can take advantage of those opportunities is critical to getting our economy back on track,” said Mark Mosher, executive director of the nonprofit Jobs Commission. “Many public agencies and other employers are unsure about what’s available or how to access funding and these conferences will help answer those questions.”

Transparency and accountability will also figure prominently during the conferences. Laura Chick, the Inspector General appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in April to act as watchdog over the disbursement of Recovery Act funding in California, will lead a discussion at all three conferences to help employers understand the accountability measures that accompany the federal funding and also to outline how the state is working to protect the Recovery Act money from waste and fraud.

Road to Recovery Conferences are being put on at no cost to the taxpayer. In addition to donations from various sponsors, use of conference facilities has been generously donated by the campuses and convention center.

Governor Schwarzenegger created the California Recovery Task Force to track the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding coming into the state; work with President Barack Obama’s administration; help cities, counties, non-profits, and others access the available funding; ensure that the funding funneled through the state is spent efficiently and effectively; and maintain a Web site that is frequently and thoroughly updated for Californians to be able to track the stimulus dollars.

California’s share of the federal stimulus package is estimated to be approximately $85 billion over three budget years - including an estimated $30.2 billion in federal tax relief and an estimated $55 billion in spending for federally designated purposes.
The Task Force can be reached through its Web site, www.recovery.ca.gov, or by telephone at (916) 322-4688.