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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07081986 - X.15 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Supervisor Tom Torlakson Contra Cost DATE: July 8, 1986 County SUBJECT: ASSISTANCE FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDED ACTION: Refer to the appropriate departments and advisory body, as outlined below, the further exploration of new mechanisms to assist the agricultural community through the current crisis in agriculture. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Board of Supervisors is aware of the plight of farmers across this nation. We are the midst of a terrible crisis in agriculture. This crisis--which is both a financing crises and a market crisis--is also effecting our county significally. The Board of Supervisors received testimony from one segment of 'our county' s agricultural community, recently, the cattlemen. The problems, however, run across the board to almost every sector of agriculture in Contra Costa County. I believe we need to initiate and pursue new mechanisms that may assist farmers through this crises and enable them to continue in agriculture. I would like to suggest at this time three concepts for further exploration: 1. In my opinion, the Williamson Act is not proving to, be an 'adequate vehicle for assisting farmers in tax relief at this time. The Assessor, the County Administrator, the County Counsel and the Agricultural Advisory Committee should be asked to investigate ways where we might be able to develop a property' tax .reduction or waiver program for farmers or ranchers who are actively farming and raising cattle or other livestock in our county. We have a homeowners exemption for homeowners to give this group a break in property tax. The question of what degree of exemption should be considered requires information from the .Assessor as to the approximate total value of lands in agricultural production and the property tax they are currently responsible for. The County Administrator' s Office should be asked to analyze the potential fiscal impacts of a reduction in property tax to county government as well as other jurisdictions. The CAO' s review could include a consideration of a phasing in of a "farmer' s property tax exemption" over several years. The "exemption loss" could be phased in gradually as a reduction of anticipated new property tax projected for .upcoming fiscal years. In this manner there would be less direct impact on current budgets and service levels. Finally, in the County Counsel' s review, a central question should be what- options the county has to unilaterally implement such a program for Contra Costa County. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE , APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) ACTION OF BOARD ON July 8, 1986 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER X REFERRED to Community Development Director for review and report on possible mechanisms to assist the agricultural community through the current financial/marketing crisis. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT IV ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARC) OF SUPERVISO SON THEE DATE SHOWN. CC: Community Development Director ATTESTED County Administrator %QBWheldr, Clerk Supervisor Torlakson SupavbmWC u*Adlllg115t a* M382/7-83 BY � DEPUTY July 8, 1986 Page TWO Hopefully, this idea could be implemented without changes in the state law. If, however, such legislative authority needs to be developed, County Counsel can recommend the appropriate form of any necessary legislation. I believe it is warranted to pursue the idea of a farmers "property tax exemption" for landowners that can demonstrate their pursuit of agriculture production for a defined period of time--perhaps a two-year period of activity. 2. I have previously referred for review and Board support to the Agricultural Advisory Committee and the County Administrator' s Office proposed state legislation which would put before the voters of California a bond issue measure to set up a fund to assist farmers and ranchers in active agriculture through the acquisition of lands that may be considered for parks or other public purposes (e.g. , reservoir watershed lands) . I have also referred for such consideration legislation proposed by Assemblyman Willie Brown to assist farmers financially. I would like to further suggest, in addition to supporting such legislation and such action on a statewide level, that the county consider a similar bond measure to put before the voters. Other counties and government jurisdictions in the United States and Canada have established special funds for (a) the purchase of agricultural lands ( in conjunction with lease back arrangements so agriculturalists can continue their livelihood) as planning buffer zones and for other purposes as referred to above, and (b) the purchase of development rights in pursuit of the goals referred to above. The issue of such a county-wide bond measure needs to be referred to Community Development Department and the new Countywide General Plan Review Committee as well as the Agriculture Advisory Committee. The reason for the referral to the Community Development Department and the General Plan Review Committee is that the issue of compensation for any new land use policies suggested by either the department or the General Plan Review Committee is one that the Board is concerned about. The Community Development Department should report back to the Board as to which new subcommittee of the General Plan Review Committee would be most appropriate for reviewing this matter or whether the matter should be referred to the Southeast General Plan Review Committee which has dealt with some of these issues in its deliberations. 3 . Of great concern to all those interested in the future of agriculture in East Contra Costa County is the increasingly high cost of water. This situation has been greatly exacerbated by land use policies of both the City of Brentwood and the county which are converting agricultural lands to other urban uses. This diminishes the base of operations for the East County Irrigation District and has driven the cost of va er,up to the point where our farmers in this area must pay th times the cost for their water as is required for their competitors buying water in the San Joaquin Valley for similar types of crops. Relief is needed in this area! I suggest that this issue be referred to the Agriculture Advisory Committee as well as the proposed Water Supply/Reservoir Committee that Supervisor Nancy Fanden and I will be discussing with the Board of Supervisor today also. This issue should be referred to the Community . Development Department and the Water Committee as well. In a review of the of the EIR for the proposed Las Vagueros Reservoir by the Contra Costa Water District the issue of assistance to East County farmers should be addressed.: Perhaps there is some way that the Contra Costa Water District, in impacting east county lands for a reservoir to serve its urban population, can assist in some direct way the east county agriculture water users. I note that the Contra Costa Water District originally was formed primarily to supply agricultural needs in Contra Costa County. TT:gro