HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-025Bt)ARD QF SUPEI~VIOS
COUNTY OF BUTTE, STATE OF CA~I~ORNIA
Resolution No. o3-azs
A RESOI.U'TION OF TIIF, BU'I'TI~; COUN'T'Y BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS OPPOSING THE GOVERNOR'S 2003-04
S'T'ATE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO PERYIANEN'TLY
ELIMINATE THE OPEN SPACE SUBVENTION PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, popularly known as the
Williamson Act, is a voluntary program which provides lower property taxes to agricultural
landowners in exchange for their contractual commitments with participating cities or counties
to keep their land in agricultural or open space uses for at least 10 years; and
WHEREAS, the Williamson Act currently protects over 16.3 trillion acres of
agricultural land, much of it having scenic open space and wildlife value, and over half of the
state's rp ime farmland in 52 counties is protected by the Act; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, the Act was amended to provide for the establishment of the
Farmland Security7.ones, commonly referred to as the Super Williamson Act, which allows
landoti~-ners to receive an additional tax reduction if they keep the property in the conservation
program For at least 20 years; and
WHEREAS, the 1971 Open Space Subvention Act provides a formula for allocating
payments to local governments based on acreage enrolled in the program, to help replace the
foregone property tax revenue to participating local government; and
WHEREAS, this financial support from the state has provided a tangible incentive for
local governments to stay in the program and initiate more contracts; and
WHEREAS, Butte County annually receives in excess of 5650,000 in discretionary
funding from the Williamson Act program; and
WHEREAS, in 1993, the Legislature and then-Governor Wilson augmented the open
space subventions as a means to help rural counties deal with the creation of the Educational
Revenue Augmentation Fund; and
WHEREAS, eliminating the open space subvention payments will remove the incentive
for counties to participate in the program, potentially leading some counties to non-renew
Williamson Act contracts due to the lack of financial resources to support the continuation of
property tax incentives for landowners; and
WHEREAS, without the financial incentive for farmers to participate in this important
land conservation program, other more lucrative land uses may he considered, thus threatening
the overall viability of Califonlia's agricultural economy; and
WHEREAS, the integrity of the Williamson Act as a planning tool used to support
general plan and zoning objectives, prevent leapfrog development and to promote orderly
growth will be threatened.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Butte County joins the California State
Association of Counties (CSAC) in opposing the proposed elimination of the Open Space Act
Subventions Program and urges the Governor and Members of the State Legislature to restore
subvention funding to the 2003-04 State Budget, thus preventing the potential decimation of the
state's premier farmland protection program.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this 11`x' day of
February 2003 by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Dolan, Houx, Josiassen, Yamaguchi and Chair Beeler
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
NOT VOTING: None
R.J. BEELER, Chair
Board of Supervisors
ATTEST:
PAUL E. MCINTOSH, Chief Administrative Officer
And Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
f
By: ~ ~ -f, ~~~~~
Deputy
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