Save-the-CCC
Save-the-CCC
| California Conservation Corps Foundation Press Release CCC SAVES TAXPAYERS MILLIONS IN 2008 |
Without the California Conservation Corps as a labor force, its work in 2008 alone would have cost
state taxpayers $30.8 million more, the CCC Foundation said today.
Schwarzenegger has proposed eliminating the CCC, claiming it would result in a net savings of $16
million to taxpayers. But in examining the work costs for the CCC in 2008, the CCC Foundation found
the CCC saved millions of dollars last year in its work for CAL FIRE, Caltrans, California State Parks
and the Tahoe Conservancy.
CCC Foundation Board Member Barbara O’Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and
Media at California State University, Sacramento, said the figures tell the story. “It’s a case of simply
doing the math,” Dr. O’Connor said. “Hiring CCC crews saves money now and would save money in the
future. Ultimately, it’s California taxpayers who would have to shoulder the additional costs when the
CCC is no longer a resource.”
Dr. O’Connor said the CCC provided approximately 622,000 hours of fire response work in 2008, at a
cost of $11.2 million. If the work had been done by other non-CCC personnel, the cost would grow to
$32.7 million.
The CCC worked for California State Parks, Caltrans, the Department of Water Resources and the
Tahoe Conservancy, among other agencies, in 2008. The cost of the work charged by the CCC was
$7.1 million; the cost if the work were performed by others would be $17.4 million, more than twice the
Corps’ rate.
CCC Foundation President Cindy Laubacher said the CCC’s closure would overlook not only its cost-
effectiveness but the benefits to young people.
“It’s indisputable -- closing the CCC will not save money,” Laubacher said. “And along with its ability to
save other state agencies money, the icing on the cake is all the benefits corpmembers receive --their
on-the-job experience, high school and college classes, life skills, community volunteer projects and
more.”
The CCC is a state agency with a 32-year track record of success. More than 100,000 young men and
women have been employed by the program during that time, providing conservation work and
emergency response throughout the state.
# # #
Fire Response in 2008 -- 622,000 hours
$11.2 million, CCC cost
$32.7 million if other fire personnel
Additional cost to taxpayers, $21.5 million
Natural Resource Work in 2008 (partial list)
Caltrans 290,000 hours
Calif. State Parks 106,000 hours
Dept. of Water Resources 71,000 hours
Tahoe Conservancy 41,000 hours
Total hours 77,000 hours
Cost if performed by the CCC $7.15 million
Cost if performed by others $17.4 million
Additional cost to taxpayers, $10.3 million
2008 Total, fire response, natural resource work -- Additional cost -- $30.8 million
state taxpayers $30.8 million more, the CCC Foundation said today.
Schwarzenegger has proposed eliminating the CCC, claiming it would result in a net savings of $16
million to taxpayers. But in examining the work costs for the CCC in 2008, the CCC Foundation found
the CCC saved millions of dollars last year in its work for CAL FIRE, Caltrans, California State Parks
and the Tahoe Conservancy.
CCC Foundation Board Member Barbara O’Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and
Media at California State University, Sacramento, said the figures tell the story. “It’s a case of simply
doing the math,” Dr. O’Connor said. “Hiring CCC crews saves money now and would save money in the
future. Ultimately, it’s California taxpayers who would have to shoulder the additional costs when the
CCC is no longer a resource.”
Dr. O’Connor said the CCC provided approximately 622,000 hours of fire response work in 2008, at a
cost of $11.2 million. If the work had been done by other non-CCC personnel, the cost would grow to
$32.7 million.
The CCC worked for California State Parks, Caltrans, the Department of Water Resources and the
Tahoe Conservancy, among other agencies, in 2008. The cost of the work charged by the CCC was
$7.1 million; the cost if the work were performed by others would be $17.4 million, more than twice the
Corps’ rate.
CCC Foundation President Cindy Laubacher said the CCC’s closure would overlook not only its cost-
effectiveness but the benefits to young people.
“It’s indisputable -- closing the CCC will not save money,” Laubacher said. “And along with its ability to
save other state agencies money, the icing on the cake is all the benefits corpmembers receive --their
on-the-job experience, high school and college classes, life skills, community volunteer projects and
more.”
The CCC is a state agency with a 32-year track record of success. More than 100,000 young men and
women have been employed by the program during that time, providing conservation work and
emergency response throughout the state.
# # #
Fire Response in 2008 -- 622,000 hours
$11.2 million, CCC cost
$32.7 million if other fire personnel
Additional cost to taxpayers, $21.5 million
Natural Resource Work in 2008 (partial list)
Caltrans 290,000 hours
Calif. State Parks 106,000 hours
Dept. of Water Resources 71,000 hours
Tahoe Conservancy 41,000 hours
Total hours 77,000 hours
Cost if performed by the CCC $7.15 million
Cost if performed by others $17.4 million
Additional cost to taxpayers, $10.3 million
2008 Total, fire response, natural resource work -- Additional cost -- $30.8 million
 | |  | |  | |  |