On January 15, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the proposed “Clean Water, Clean Beaches” Measure Protest Hearing was a big win for the business community, with all five Supervisors acknowledging our key point that the measure isn’t ready for prime time. SBAOR worked closely with LA Bizfed - of which we are a member - and other business coalitions to tell our County friends to "send it back"!
While the underlying environmental science appears relevant, the process by which the proposal was constructed and the public given notice was not acceptable. How many of you received that flyer in the mail? Folks, that flyer was effectively a ballot - not a Trader Joes mailer. Did you throw it away? So did many County property owners. Even a past mayor of a city in LA County admitted throwing it away.
Then, what are we actually paying? Is it a tax? A fee? Both? Neither? What exactly will the money pay for? No one seems to know for sure. While all this may be compliant with existing law, it is simply insufficient to move ahead.
After more than 4.5 hours of public testimony and an hour of debate among the Supervisors, they passed the following motion:
The protest process shall remain open for 60 days, delaying further Board of Supervisors action until March 12 and allowing parcel owners additional time to submit protest forms.
The final, revised ordinance must be completed and made available to the public before any election is scheduled.
LA County Department of Public Works staff is directed to report back to the Board of Supervisors within 60 days:
1. An assessment of the feasibility of adding an on-line process for filing protests
2. Details for the Board of Supervisors to consider the option of putting the measure on a general election ballot (rather than a mail-in ballot among parcel owners)
3. Revising the measure to include a sunset clause of not more than 30 years
4. A list of projects that would be funded by the measure
5. Revising the measure to provide for credits or reductions for properties already performing storm water runoff pollution abatement
6. Alternative options for funding storm water runoff pollution abatement
Stay tuned! More to come on this issue. Meanwhile, keep conserving water and help encourage everyone to pick up their trash before it goes into our rivers.
