EXHIBIT 20-A
Ordinance
152 Citizens Oversight Panel
2018
Annual Report
2018 Recommendations
The
following areas of discussion represent three key topics the Panel has
identified of particular interest or concern during the recent calendar year.
- Measure
J Costs: The panel
believes that the Water Supply Charge was intended for projects to solve
the region’s longstanding water supply problem and should not be used to
fund any of the costs related to Measure J. That includes the cost of the
feasibility study, costs related to a “right to take” bench trial, the
costs related to a subsequent jury trial to establish fair compensation,
and/or the costs of acquisition.
- Dual
Collection of the Water Supply Charge and District User Fee: The
User Fee began collection in April 2017. The Panel recognizes the plan adopted by
the District Board in April 2016 to collect both fees for a 3-year period because:
(i) the User Fee would primarily fund programs already in Cal-Am
surcharges (District conservation and river mitigation), so there is
little “new” revenue; (ii) there are still large near-term expenditures
required on water supply projects; and (iii) Cal-Am has a recent history
of significant revenue under collection, so it makes sense to have a
period of collection until the predictability of the User Fee revenue is
better known.
Therefore, the Panel
reminds the Board that the next fiscal year will be the third year of dual
collection, therefore it is time to begin a plan for their use, including
reductions or possible sunsets of either or both.
- Rabobank
Loan and Other District Obligations: The Panel urges the District to develop a plan to retire the Rabobank
loan that was initiated to pay for the Aquifer Storage and Recovery water
supply project in a timely fashion after the District’s User Fee was
suspended by the CPUC.
Respectfully submitted by the Ordinance 152 Citizens
Oversight Panel, April 15, 2019.
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