GAINES GAZETTE
July 2019
I've had a busy six months on the Board of Equalization! Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time touring the First District and have met many county tax assessors and constituents who have been more than willing to share their thoughts with me about taxes and another issues of concern.
Summer is in full swing. I hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing 4th of July holiday. I will continue to keep you updated on important developments and the latest news from the BOE. It is an honor to serve as your taxpayer advocate
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Honoring Butte County Assessor Diane Brown
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I had the honor of presenting a Board resolution to
Butte County Assessor
Diane Brown and her team to recognize their rapid response following the Camp Fire and for their ongoing dedication to the people of Butte County.
We often give accolades and praise to first responders and law enforcement personnel for their heroic efforts during times of crisis. However, there are many people dedicated to helping victims in the aftermath of a disaster and it is important to recognize their hard work too. Assessor Brown and her team expedited the reassessment process in order to quickly provide homeowners with property tax relief. I was proud to honor them for their tremendous efforts.
Even before the Camp Fire was fully contained, Assessor Brown and her staff started educating property owners about property tax relief and, by the end of November 2018, were already reassessing properties damaged or destroyed in the fire.
Assessor Brown and her staff worked long hours assisting taxpayers at their main office in Oroville and at the Disaster Recovery Center in Chico; and by March 2019, Butte County Assessor’s Office appraisers had visited most of the affected parcels and had completed 13,000 assessments for new tax bills.
The Camp Fire was one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history, consuming more than 153,000 acres and taking the lives of 85 people. It destroyed ninety percent of the town of Paradise and approximately 19,000 residences, structures, and businesses in the region.
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Meeting District 1 County Assessors
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In the last month, I have been able to meet with six more District 1
County Assessors
to discuss their needs and how I can assist as their BOE representative. The assessors are doing a tremendous job as fair and transparent representatives of the businesses and taxpayers in their county. I look forward to working with them to better serve Californians
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Pictured clockwise top left: Plumas County Assessor Chuck Leonhardt, Sierra County Assessor Laura Marshall, Tuolumne County Assessor Kaenan Whitman, Alpine County Assessor Donald O'Connor, San Bernardino County Assessor Bob Dutton, and Stanislaus County Assessor Don Gaekle.
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Ensuring Safe Drinking Water Without a Tax Increase
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Several months ago, Governor Newsom proposed a 95-cent tax on most residential water bills to improve drinking water systems. Thankfully, it was rejected by the Senate. Instead, they put forward a plan that would use existing taxpayer dollars to make the improvements.
I was pleased to learn that the Governor signed
Senate Bill 200
into law, creating the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, which will provide funding to communities that lack access to clean drinking water. The bill appropriates $130 million annually from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to support the program, while specifying that a tax or fee will not be imposed.
Everyone has a right to safe and clean drinking water and I applaud state legislators for finding other ways to fund the program without burdening California’s hardworking taxpayers, especially when the state is sitting on a $22 billion budget surplus.
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Anniversary of the Angora Fire
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When I toured the area devastated by the Angora Fire in the Lake Tahoe Basin 12 years ago, I was overwhelmed by the amount of destruction. The community has done a remarkable job of rebuilding their homes, lives, and the local economy. But we can never be too vigilant. Tahoe is still at extreme risk for catastrophic wildfires and we need to take every precaution to keep this area safe.
The Angora Fire scorched about 3,100 acres and destroyed 254 homes, costing many tens of millions in damages and in emergency response costs. Tahoe’s conditions in June 2007 – steep canyons, ample fuel, dry years when the area received only 29 percent of normal precipitation, high winds – were a recipe for a forest fire disaster. While this year’s conditions are different in that the area has received more precipitation, the new vegetation growth in combination with hot summer days can lead to a dangerous fire season.
We must continue to implement the recommendations made by the bi-state Blue Ribbon Fire Commission, which was formed in the wake of the Angora Fire by the Governors of California and Nevada with the aim of strengthening the region’s ability to prevent and respond to fire catastrophes. I will continue to do everything in my power to help make the region safer.
I encourage residents and visitors to do their part for fire safety by exercising extreme caution with cigarettes, campfires, tools, engines, or anything that could possibly spark or otherwise cause a fire – which is how the Angora Fire began. Homeowners should create defensible space around their homes and be vigilant in clearing out brush to at least 100 feet.
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If you’ve filled your gas tank since July 1, you’ve probably noticed it costs more. That’s because gas taxes rose from 41.7 to 47.3 cents—a price hike of 5.6 cents
per gallon
! This is the latest increase stemming from a
2017 law
signed by Jerry Brown to fund transportation projects. Unfortunately, Californians are left paying the highest gas taxes and gas prices in the nation. When will California's hardworking taxpayers ever catch a break?
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Tuesday, August 6th is the 36th annual
National Night Out
, “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” Created to promote safer communities by highlighting local crime prevention groups, businesses, and agencies, National Night Out is now observed by 37.8 million people and 16,124 communities across the country.
Since 1984, the National Association of Town Watch has provided resources and information for communities interested in participating in the National Night Out. Join your local neighborhood watch or town watch today and help keep your community safer.
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