Proposition 218 Election

Prop 218 Election Passed

At the North Fork Kings GSA board meeting and public hearing held on June 26, the successful Proposition 218 election results were announced. Votes in the election were weighted by acreage. Of 514 votes received, 87% were in favor. Through the Prop 218, the agency is implementing a land-based assessment. The Board of Directors set the assessment rate at $6.00 per acre for fiscal year 2024-2025 and plan to escalate the rate each fiscal year until it reaches the approved maximum of $18 per acre in 2027, as detailed in the now-approved Prop 218 budget.

Beginning this fall 2024, landowners will see the assessment as part of their county property taxes and will be payable in December 2024 and April 2025.

Where will assessments be invested?

1. Administrative costs: this enables the agency to maintain administrative functions, covering expenses related to General Manager duties and future agency staff
2. Professional services: this includes consultants and attorneys that provide a variety of services needed for the agency’s operations in support of GSA activities for the General Manager
3. GSP implementation: this includes expenses for implementing its Groundwater Sustainability Plan to meet State sustainability requirements

The funding will immediately help the GSA fund the required work to update its Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) for resubmittal in January 2025. In 2023, North Fork Kings GSA received approval on its GSP from the CA Department of Water Resources (DWR). The approval was conditional on the grounds that the GSA fix twelve corrective actions provided by DWR.

The value of maintaining GSP approval cannot be overstated. It means the North Fork Kings GSA can continue to be a locally run agency, managed with direct stakeholder input. Although GSP approval was received, funding is required to implement GSP activities and programs essential to keep the North Fork Kings GSA’s good standing with the State. Passing the Prop 218 election was a critical step to achieve that goal.

In May and June of 2024, the North Fork Kings GSA hosted public workshops to inform stakeholders about the new Prop 218 election which had over 60 attendees.

• Initial Prop 218 assessment passed in 2018 with 94% of votes in support
• Prop 218 authorized a max of $10 per acre per year
• Prop 218 had a 5-year sunset that concluded in 2022-2023
• North Fork Kings GSA did not collect any assessments in 2023 because there was enough funding in the GSA’s reserves