News from: CV Strategies

The Valley Sanitary District Board of Directors unanimously voted on April 26 to oppose Initiative 21-0042A1, a developer-sponsored proposition planned for the November 2022 statewide ballot. The proposed measure would undermine voter rights and jeopardize local agencies’ ability to provide essential services and infrastructure for residents.

The measure is backed by significant financial contributions from developers and the California Business Roundtable, an association representing developers and oil and pharmaceutical companies.

“This far-reaching proposition would give wealthy corporations a new constitutional loophole to avoid paying their fair share for their impacts on our communities, including our environment, infrastructure, and local services,” said Scott Sear, VSD Board President. “It contains undemocratic provisions that would make it more difficult for local voters to pass the types of measures needed to fund critical services. The proposition would limit voter input by prohibiting local advisory measures where voters provide direction on how they want their tax dollars spent.”

The measure threatens billions of dollars currently dedicated to state and local services unless defeated. The measure could force cuts to public schools, fire and emergency response, law enforcement, public health, parks, libraries, affordable housing, mental health, and homeless support services, and more.

Initiative 21-0042A1 would also:

Limit voter rights, transparency, and accountability; the proposed measure includes a provision that would retroactively cancel measures passed by local voters — effectively undermining the rights of voters to decide for themselves what their communities need.

Open the door for frivolous lawsuits, bureaucracy, and red tape that will cost taxpayers and hurt our communities; the measure would significantly delay and stop investments in infrastructure and vital services.

Valley Sanitary District joins a fast-growing coalition, including the California Special Districts Association, League of California Cities, California Professional Firefighters, California Alliance for Jobs, SEIU California, and AFSCME California, opposing the initiative also known as the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act.

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Valley Sanitary District, founded in 1925 to collect and treat wastewater, is a special district that believes in the environmental stewardship of providing a vital public service to roughly 82,000 people within its 19.5-square-mile territory in Indio. Learn more at valley-sanitary.org.