Property owners have until Aug. 25 to return votes by mail to
officials
Property owners in the 20 San Benito County service areas have
until Aug. 25 to return their ballot for an election to decide on
fee increases. The ballots were mailed to the homes of property
owners within the CSAs.
Property owners have until Aug. 25 to return votes by mail to officials
Property owners in the 20 San Benito County service areas have until Aug. 25 to return their ballot for an election to decide on fee increases. The ballots were mailed to the homes of property owners within the CSAs.
The fees provide revenue to pay for specific services that are provided to the CSAs by the county. The fees cover utilities such as street lights or treatment facilities, storm drainage maintenance, road maintenance, water/wastewater treatment and landscape maintenance, among other services, depending on the specific CSA.
The budget for the CSAs is supposed to be reviewed annually, and adjusted based on what the county staff believe is necessary to maintain service. There is a cap on how much the fees can be increased, based on Proposition 218. If the fees are not approved, the county will provide the services to CSAs that have reserve funds. When reserves are depleted, the services will be eliminated.
The increases have been discussed at multiple County Board of Supervisors meetings, and property owners were allowed to submit oral or written comments at a public hearing.
According to a letter sent to property owners, the majority of property owners in the CSAs did not submit written protests. The second step of approval for the fee increase is the mailed ballots that must be returned. The fee is approved is the number of ballots in favor of the increases exceeds the number opposed. Only one ballot can be submitted per parcel.
More information on the fee increase can be found online at www.nbsgov.com/sanbenito, or by calling Pablo Perez, of NBS, at 800-676-7516.
Ballots went out to the following CSAs:
Santa Ana/Holiday Estates
Springwood
Long Acres
Rancho San Joaquin
Santa Ana Acres
Vineyard Estates
Heatherwood/Fox Hill
McCloskey Acres
Stonegate
Torrano Estates
Ausaymas Estates
Union Heights
Lemmon Acres
Quail Hollow
Oak Creek
Dry Creek
Hollister Ranch Estates
Comstock Estates
Riverview Estates
Pacheco Creek Estates
