By Jondi Gumz
Local environmental leaders are gearing up for a campaign to persuade voters to support an $87 permanent parcel tax for property owners in Santa Cruz County.
If approved by 50% plus 1 voters in the Nov. 5 election, the tax will be in place until ended by the voters.
The parcel tax is designed to “safeguard water quality, preserve clean ocean and beach areas, reduce wildfire risks, protect forests, enhance wildlife habitats, and improve community spaces,” according to an analysis prepared by the Santa Cruz County counsel.
Santa Cruz County has 101,311 parcels, and supporters say the parcel would raise about $7.5 million each year. There are no senior exemptions.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors would distribute the parcel tax funds, with 40% going to eligible applicants for eligible projects as grants, 20% going to the four cities for projects, 20% going to County of Santa Cruz projects, and 20% to the Resource Conservation District and “a local land stewardship implementation partner” — not named — for projects on private lands resulting in a public benefit.
The initiative says each city should get at least $200,000 if the per capita allocation is less than that amount.
The measure also says: $600,000 for projects to increase fire resilience on forested property in North County protected by “the largest conservation easement in the County.” The property owner is not named, but the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is leading the campaign and owns more than 3,137 acres of conservation easements in the county. Sempervirens Fund has conservation easements over 495 acres in Santa Cruz County.
The measure also says: $600,000 a year for projects that benefit the residents of Pajaro Valley, including the City of Watsonville, 7 urban areas bordering the city, and areas within a mile of the Watsonville Slough system, Pinto Lake, and the Pajaro River and its tributaries. Funds are to go to one to three entities.
Many projects are eligible, including those focusing on water conservation, water quality, flood protection and restoration, protection of public access to beaches, wildlife protection, pollution reduction, development of shaded fuel breaks and reduction of hazardous fuels, forest management, wetlands restoration, trail development, park improvements, recreation programs, and climate risk-reduction.
Priority will go to projects that “address extreme weather and natural disasters, climate change impacts, water pollution, or saltwater intrusion impacts,” or “meet the greatest need of communities lacking adequate access to parks and recreational facilities in the incorporated cities,” or “repair or enhance existing parks and recreational facilities.”
The parcel tax measure also gives priority “to the extent feasible,” to:
- Projects that are a local source of match funding that makes eligible or makes more competitive grant applications to other public or private sources
- Support multiple benefits maximizing climate resiliency and adaptation, including water conservation, air quality improvements, climate pollution reductions, habitat protection, and public health improvements
- “Invest resources for stewardship, development, restoration, Community Development, and other improvements in Disadvantaged Communities for flood protection, drought protection, improved water quality, groundwater supplies, improved public access to resources, or recreation, including improvements to lakes, rivers, creeks, beaches, ocean, wetlands, and the coast.”
The initiative creates a Citizens Oversight Advisory Board that would conduct hearings and receive public input, receive reports from local agencies on funded projects, and approve a five-year vision plan to help prioritize expenditures.
The measure, named the Water and Wildfire Protection Act, has support from Sen. John Laird, (D-Santa Cruz), Assemblymembers Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) and Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay), Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley, and Watsonville City Councilmember Eduardo Montesino.
“Flooding, fires and other threats from climate change are real. We’ve seen the impacts in the Pajaro Valley, as well as throughout Santa Cruz County. We have to do more now and for future generations to become climate change resilient,” said Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, who represents Watsonville.
“Sempervirens is proud to help lead the effort to pass this essential ballot measure in Santa Cruz County,” said Sara Barth, Sempervirens Fund executive director.
Sarah Newkirk, executive director of Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, said the CZU lightning wildfire and the Pajaro River levee flooding were wakeup calls.
She added, “I’m excited about the coalition that has come together to support this measure because, for the first time, we have the opportunity to take collective action to stand up to climate change in Santa Cruz County.”
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County has been working with the Peninsula Open Space Trust to develop easement terms with the owners of the 1,204-acre Estrada Ranch tin South County to permanently protect that property under the management of the Estrada family.
The measure also has the support of: Save Our Shores, Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County, Coastal Watershed Council, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, Save the Redwoods League, Regeneración — Pajaro Valley Climate Action, County Park Friends, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, Friends of Watsonville Parks & Community Services, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship and Mid County Democratic Club.
For info, see www.sccforwaterandwildlifeprotection.org