Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Prop 218 Case Study

“Clash of the Titans”

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Overview

• Chronology of Chaos

• Timeline and process

• Clash of the Titans

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Public AgencyMandate

• Water Code sec. 31007 (emphasis added):

“rates and charges to be collected by the district shall be so fixed as to yield an amount sufficient to do each of the following: (a) Pay the operating expenses of the district. (b) Provide for repairs and depreciation of works owned or operated by the district.” 9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

Chronology of Chaos

6-Jan-06

17-Mar-

06

26-May

-06

4-Aug-0

6

13-Oct-

06

22-Dec-

06

2-Mar-

07

11-May

-07

20-Jul-0

7

28-Sep-07

7-Dec-

07

15-Feb-08

25-Apr-0

8

4-Jul-0

8

12-Sep-08

21-Nov-0

8

30-Jan-09

10-Apr-0

9

19-Jun-09

28-Aug-0

9

6-Nov-0

9

15-Jan-10

26-Mar-

10

4-Jun-10

13-Aug-1

0

22-Oct-

10

31-Dec-

10

11-Mar-

11

20-May

-11

29-Jul-1

1

7-Oct-

11

16-Dec-

11

24-Feb-12

4-May

-120.00

2,000.00

4,000.00

6,000.00

8,000.00

10,000.00

12,000.00

14,000.00

16,000.00

DJIA

DJIA

Local

Government

The “New Normal”

The Rizzo Effect

• Confirmation of distrust for public officials

• Heightened scrutiny of local government

• Devaluation of public employees

• Broad-brush negative stereotyping of local government

2010 Inner-city Gangster 1983 Inter-galactic Gangster

We should have known!

Separated at

Birth?

Timeline and Process

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12) Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District 6

Rate adjustment process began

Multiple invitations to proponents to

meet with District—turned down

Petition certified by Registrar

HJTA joins proponents,

files demurrer and SLAPP

Court rules for district, no to

Demr & SLAPP

Proponents refuse meetings

with District

Ten open/ community meetings

Public Hearing(28 protest letters out

of 12,000)

District informed that petitions were

being circulated

Board declines to place initiative on ballot—files action

2010 20122011 Present

HJTA & Proponents

appeal SLAPP

NOT QUITE YET!

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Clash of the Titans!Prop 218 –vs– CA Initiative

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Clash of the TitansProp 218 –vs– CA Initiative

Prop 218 Protest Hearing• Dealing with

Owner/stakeholders• Factual information

about proposal only• Fueled by mandate to

cover costs of operating public entity

• Process of discussions and debate

Initiative Process• Dealing with general

voting public• Information framed by

petitioners and signature gatherers

• Fueled by anti-government sentiment

• Potential for “tyranny of the masses”

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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Conclusion

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)

In its current form, the CA Initiative process can takethe Water code,all the work of the local agency and the 218 process, and …

TURN IT

ON ITS

HEAD!

Prop 218 Case Study—Mission Springs Water District

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THANK YOU.

Arden WallumMission Springs Water District

9/10/2012 (JMS 9/5/12)