Ballots Mailed for Vote on Assessment Districts

The city has mailed out ballots to property owners asking them to approve existing assessment districts--a move required in the wake of the passage of Proposition 218.

City officials in Yorba Linda said that if the assessments are eliminated by voters, some property owners will have smaller tax bills. They warned, however, that the tax breaks could come at the expense of basic municipal services.

Proposition 218 demands cities get approval from residents for assessments.

Elimination of the assessments would eliminate funding for some of the city’s most beloved features: its parks, greenbelts and medians. The $4 million the assessment raises every year pays to water flowers, clip bushes and trees and water miles of manicured lawns that create the city’s garden-like environment.

If the voters reject the levies, the city will somehow have to do without the revenue, which represents about 25% of its general fund budget.

Councilwoman Barbara Kiley said the city would face some difficult decisions if the money is lost. The only way to make up for the lost revenue would be to cut from other services, such as law enforcement or parks and recreation.

Residents must mark their ballots and return them to the city by July 1. The results of the election will be tabulated and announced on that day.