Last day to vote on flood tax
By Deb Kollars - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, April 19, 2007
Today is the last day for property owners to turn in ballots for the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency's special assessment election.
Ballots can be brought to a public hearing on the proposed new assessment district at 3 p.m. today at the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors chambers, 700 H St.
Ballots were mailed in March to 140,000 property owners in Sacramento and Sutter counties, asking them to agree to tax themselves for greater flood protection.
The assessment would raise $326 million over 30 years, and would help pay for $2.68 billion in flood improvements, including raising and strengthening levees on the Sacramento and American rivers and adding a new spillway to Folsom Dam.
The bulk of the costs would be covered by state and federal sources. The improvements would take about 10 years, and would bring a 200-year level of flood protection to the community. Currently, some urban areas don't have 100-year protection, considered the minimal safety margin by the federal government.
The amount of the assessments vary, depending on the type and size of the parcel, potential flood depths and cost of the improvements that directly benefit the particular property. Property owners get one vote for each dollar of assessment they would have to pay. It requires a majority of votes to pass.
Results are expected April 26.
