Jonathan P. Cristy, Of Counsel

Jon represents cities, school districts, water agencies, community services districts, and other public agencies in all aspects of public finance. He primarily serves as bond counsel, disclosure counsel, or agency counsel to these public entities in connection with their debt financings. In other bond financings, he has served as counsel to the underwriter or lender.

As bond counsel, Jon advises public agencies concerning the debt options that are available to them. He works with their financial advisors and underwriters to create a legally sound borrowing and to bring the debt securities to market.

As an outgrowth of his experience as a bond lawyer, Jon has developed extensive knowledge of related public finance matters, such as the rules for levying taxes, assessments, and fees, and provides counseling to clients and other firm attorneys dealing with those issues. He also advises public agencies concerning the limitations on the use of public funds in connection with bond and tax elections.

Legal Experience

In practice since 1983, Jon has completed financing’s using a broad range of borrowing methods such as:

  • General obligation bonds
  • Certificates of participation
  • Lease/purchase agreements
  • Mello-Roos bonds
  • Special benefit assessment bonds
  • Utility revenue bonds

Examples of debt issuances completed in the past two years for which Jon served as bond counsel include:

  • West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency Assessment Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2020 (Federally Taxable) (principal amount: $11,655,000)
  • Middle Fork Financing Authority Revenue Bonds, Series 2020 Refunding (principal amount: $64,280,000)
  • Lake Elsinore Unified School District five separate Community Facilities Districts’ Special Tax Bonds, Series 2020 (aggregate principal amount: $36,192,000)
  • West Sacramento Financing Authority 2020 Water Revenue Refunding Bond (Federally Taxable Convertible) (principal amount: $40,175,000)
  • City of Rio Vista 2020 Lease/Purchase Refinancing (principal amount: $1,944,352)
  • Capitol Area Development Agency Tax Allocation Revenue Bonds, Series 2020 (principal amount: $31,455,000)
  • Placer County Water Agency Water Revenue Certificates of Participation, Series 2021 (principal amount: $15,260,000
  • Buckeye Union School District 2021 Refunding Certificates of Participation (principal amount: $8,900,000)
  • City of Woodland Community Facilities District No. 2004-1 (Spring Lake) Special Tax Bonds, Series 2021 (Capital Projects) (principal amount: $20,845,000)
  • Newcastle Fire Protection District Loan Anticipation Note (principal amount: $3,587,010)
  • Woodland Finance Authority Water Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2021 (Green Bonds) (principal amount: $13,205,000)

Examples of issues for which Jon served as disclosure counsel in the past two years include:

  • Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District General Obligation Bonds, Election of 2016, Series 2020 (principal amount:  $85,00,000)
  • Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District 2020 General Obligation Refunding Bonds (principal amount: $15,205,000)
  • Ceres Unified School District 2020 Refunding Certificates of Participation (principal amount: $8,920,000)
  • School Facilities Improvement District No. 1 of the Mojave Unified School District 2020 General Obligation Refunding Bonds (Federally Taxable) (principal amount: $9,730,000)

Practice Examples

  • Proposition 218: Jon has advised Kronick clients concerning compliance with the required public approval process for their utility rates and charges.
  • USDA Programs: Jon has worked with public agencies located in rural areas to devise the interim and long-term borrowing vehicles necessary to implement funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s rural utilities and community facilities programs.
  • Development Mitigation: Jon has provided the legal services necessary to form or to annex property to existing Mello-Roos districts and maintenance assessment districts used by public agencies to provide infrastructure and otherwise mitigate the impacts of new development.

Professional Activities

Jon has made presentations at seminars sponsored by Kronick, League of California Cities, California Special Districts Association, Association of California Water Agencies, California School Boards Association, and University of California/Davis Extension on a variety of public finance subjects including:

  • Debt financing methods available to public agencies
  • Proposition 218 requirements
  • Revenue sources (taxes, assessments, and fees) for public agencies
  • Developments in disclosure law
  • Collection of delinquent special taxes
  • California State Bar #111351

Academic Background

J.D. Stanford University, 1983

M.A. Brown University, 1976

B.A. University of North Carolina, 1974

    Speaking Engagements

    07.27.2018

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Sustainable Groundwater Planning in California

    DATE:

    July 26-27, 2018

     

    LOCATION:

    Sacramento, CA

    Organized By:

    Law Seminars International (LSI)

    Program Overview:

    Kronick attorneys Scott Morris, Jonathan Christy and Holly Roberson will present at the Sustainable Groundwater Planning conference in Sacramento on July 26-27.

    Scott will provide opening remarks as Program Co-Chair and participate in a panel discussion about “Cross-Boundary Flows and Basin Coordination” discussing the legal issues around coordination challenges and issues (a) within a groundwater basin, (b) with adjacent basins, and (c) when an adjacent basin is on the critical list and yours is not; essential terms for coordinating agreements.

    Jonathan’s presentation will discuss financing options and strategies for GSA/GSP and what GSP developers and stakeholders need to know about constraints and viable pathways.

    Holly’s panel will discuss legal parameters for working with Tribes as sovereigns, including requirements for Tribal consultation.

    Registration:

    Please visit the event website for more information and to register.

    02.05.2018

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Sustainable Groundwater Planning

    Date:

    February 5-6

     

    Location:

    Los Angeles, CA

    Sponsored By:

    Law Seminars International (LSI)

    Overview:

    Kronick Shareholders Constantine Baranoff, Jon CristyScott Morris and Holly Roberson will present at the Sustainable Groundwater in California conference in Sacramento on February 5-6. Scott will provide opening remarks as Program Co-Chair. Constantine and Jon’s presentation will discuss financing options and strategies for GSP development, including perspectives on whether it is possible, or desirable to try to structure initial planning to avoid falling under Proposition 218 as well as anticipating rate setting issues under Propositions 26 and 21. Holly will discuss working with Tribes as Sovereigns as opposed to stakeholders including legal parameters and requirements for Tribal consultation.

    For more information or to register, please visit the event website.

    07.10.2017

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Sustainable Groundwater Planning in California

    Date:

    Monday, July 10 - Tuesday, July 11

    Time:

    8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

    Sponsored By:

    Law Seminars International (LSI)

    Overview:

    Kronick Shareholders Jonathan Christy, Scott Morris and Eric Robinson will present at the Sustainable Groundwater in California conference in Sacramento on July 10-11. Scott will provide opening remarks as Program Co-Chair. John's presentation will discuss SGMA and cost recovery under Proposition 218 and provide an update on recent decisions and how they impact project planning, as well as issues still to be resolved and tips for dealing with the resulting uncertainty. Eric will discuss the validation of GSAs and GSPs: Automatic approvals under the validation statutes; timing issues for validating GSAs and GSPs; reverse validation suits; tips for developing plans with validation in mind and strategies for challenging validation.

    For more information or to register, please visit the event website.

    01.09.2017

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    Speaking Engagement

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    SGMA, GSA Setup& GSP Preparation

    Date:

    January 9-10, 2017

    Location:

    Los Angeles, CA

     

    Organized By:

    Law Seminars International

    Program Overview:

    Kronick is pleased to sponsor the SGMA, GSA Setup & GSP Preparation conference in Los Angeles on January 9-10. Shareholders Jonathan CristyScott Morris and Eric Robinson will present. Scott will provide opening remarks as Program Co-Chair. Eric will provide an update on appeals – the processes for challenging GSPs including forums; standing; standards for review; and tips for participating in plan development with the possibility of appeal in mind. John's presentation will discuss SGMA and cost recovery under Proposition 218 and provide an update on recent decisions and how they impact project planning, as well as issues still to be resolved and tips for dealing with the resulting uncertainty. 

    Registration:

    Please visit the event website for more information and to register.

    06.06.2016

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Sustainable Groundwater in California

    Date:

    Monday, June 6 – Tuesday, June 7

    Time:

    8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

     

    Sponsored By:

    Law Seminars International (LSI)

    Presenters:

    [SPEAKERS]

    Overview:

    Kronick Shareholders Jonathan Christy, Scott Morris and Eric Robinson will present at the Sustainable Groundwater in California conference in Sacramento on June 6-7. Scott will provide opening remarks as Program Co-Chair. John’s presentation will discuss SGMA and cost recovery under Proposition 218 and provide an update on recent decisions and how they impact project planning, as well as issues still to be resolved and tips for dealing with the resulting uncertainty. Eric will provide an update on water rights rules for allocating groundwater; surface water storage (when water in the ground is not groundwater); relationship between groundwater rights law and Sustainability Plans.

    For more information or to register, please visit the event website.

    02.01.2012

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    Speaking Engagement

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    Webinar: The End of Redevelopment – What Does it Mean for Schools?

    Date:

    February 1, 2012

    Time:

    2:00 - 3:15 p.m.

    MCLE Credit:

    1.25 hours

    Sponsored By:

    The Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH)

    KMTG Presenters:

    [SPEAKERS]

    Overview:

    The demise of the redevelopment agency has far reaching impacts across the California political spectrum. This webinar discusses how the end of redevelopment will affect the finances of California public schools. We will discuss what funds school districts may expect to receive and what the funds may be spent on. We will also discuss the role school districts will want to play in the new oversight boards which will oversee the dissolution of redevelopment agencies.

    Registration:

    Click here to register for this webinar.

    Registration fee is $59.

    12.14.2006

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    Kronick Breakfast Seminar

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    2006 School Facilities & Finance Year in Review: Charting the Course for Your District in 2007

    Date:

    Thursday, December 14, 2007

    Registration & Breakfast:

    7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

    Program:

    8:30 - 11:00 a.m.

    Location:

    Holiday Inn Sacramento
    300 "J" Street
    Sacramento, CA

    Cost:

    $60 per person
    Includes breakfast and printed materials

    Parking:

    Parking is available in the city lot adjacent to the Holiday Inn. Four hours of complimentary parking available to all attendees. Bring your ticket to the seminar for validation

    Seminar Agenda:

    • Impacts of November 7, 2006 Statewide Election and New Legislation
    • Update on Other Legislative Changes and Legal Developments
    • New Law and Developments Impacting Sale and Marketing of Local School Bonds

    Presenters:

    [SPEAKERS]

    Who Should Attend:

    School board members, superintendents, school business administrators, facility planners, construction managers and other administrative personnel responsible for making and implementing facilities and finance-related decisions for school districts should attend this seminar.

    Registration:

    Use our online registration form or call our KBK registration line at 916.321.4216. You may pay at the door or in advance by mailing a check payable to:

    Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard
    400 Capitol Mall, 27th Floor
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    ATTN: Alma Ablog

    11.15.2005

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    Kronick Breakfast Seminar

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    2005 School Facilities & Finance Year in Review: Charting the Course for District in 2005-2006

    Date:

    Tuesday, November 15, 2005

    Registration & Breakfast:

    7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

    Program:

    8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

    Location:

    Embassy Suites
    100 Capitol Mall
    Sacramento, CA

    Cost:

    $60 per person
    Includes breakfast and printed materials

    Parking:

    Parking is available in the city lot directly across from the Embassy Suites. Four hours of complimentary parking available to all attendees. Parking coupons will be distributed at the seminar

    Seminar Agenda:

    • 2005 School Facilities and Finance Developments & Updates
    • 2005 New Legislation
    • Implications of Changes to School Facilities and Finance

    Presenters:

    [SPEAKERS]

    Who Should Attend:

    School board members, superintendents, school business administrators, facility planners, construction managers and other administrative personnel responsible for making and implementing facilities and finance-related decisions for school districts should attend this seminar.

    Registration:

    Use our online registration form or call Teresa Patterson at (916) 321-4216. You may pay at the door or in advance by mailing a check payable to:

    Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard
    400 Capitol Mall, 27th Floor
    Sacramento CA 95814