Vote 'yes' on the Ross Valley flood 'fee'
Marin Independent Journal
Article Launched:04/12/2007 11:07:17 PM PDT
NO ONE should be surprised that there are local property owners
objecting to another tax - this one to help the remedy flooding that
all too often damages the Ross Valley.
But without this tax and the improvements it will pay for, flooding
inevitably will strike the valley again, repeating the loss of property
and setting back the local economy. The most recent floods - on New
Year's Eve 2005, when stormwaters escaped the banks of local creeks -
turned several into rivers of destruction.
In May, property owners in the Ross Valley area will be asked to
endorse a special fee. This fee will cover each property owner's share
of the proposed improvements. The average charge, based on an estimate
of each property's contribution to local drainage, is $125.
This fee goes to the greater good: Protecting Ross Valley homes,
businesses and government properties. The government properties,
remember, are owned by all of us.
Those who object to the fee offer various reasons. Two of the most
common: That there should be a senior-citizens exemption or discount,
and that the fee should require a two-thirds majority for passage, the
same required for most local tax measures.
Interestingly, there has been little objection to the plan itself,
which seeks to strike a balance between flood protection and
environmental conservation.
While senior-citizen exemptions are offered on most school taxes, this
proposed fee is different. With school taxes, the theory is that
seniors already have paid taxes and that they are unlikely to have
school-aged kids. The exemption has helped sell school taxes; seniors,
a solid core of Marin voting population, can easily vote for a tax they
don't have to pay.
This flood fee is different. It is based on each property's estimated
drainage and for improvements that benefit all residents, regardless of
age. Remember, property that is not in a major flood zone still
contributes water to potential flooding in the form of runoff. That
property is part of the problem, and needs to be part of the solution.
Protecting downtown San Anselmo means a great deal to the local economy
and to local residents. A thriving marketplace is much more appealing
than a flooded disaster zone.
More than 15,000 Ross Valley property owners will be asked to vote on
this tax. These are property owners who rely on their downtowns and its
shop owners for services.
The Ross Valley flood-protection fee is important to each and every property owner and resident in the area.
It is time for effective action to prevent recurring flooding. That's
why the IJ has supported Ross Valley leaders' hard work in putting
together a flood-protection plan and is asking all property owners to
vote for it. |
|
|