Submittal to 'the Flood Control an Water Conservation District Board County of Riverside, State of California

The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District does not receive a 1% tax. Rather the District receives only a small fraction of the 1% ad valorem property tax revenue - varying from about 2% of the 1% in some Zones, to as much as 4% of the 1% in others. With regard to drainage infrastructure, in the long term the District will slowly evolve into a maintenance organization. And although headed in that direction, the District is still decades away from reaching that designation. While many communities enjoy increased protection against flooding, the overall drainage improvement needs of this County are still many. In fact, in the District's current 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan alone, more than $200 million in needed drainage infrastructure has been identified. It is estimated that in total, the drainage needs of this County amount to nearly $2 billion. However, even with all of these needs still outstanding, it is important to be cognizant of the long range target and steer a course that provides not only for the short term but for the distant future as well. The District's recently adopted budget shows a sharp increase in facility maintenance appropriations. This increase is attributable not only to increased maintenance responsibilities, but also to changed conditions in a rapidly changing world. Relatively inexpensive to maintain concrete channels and "scorched earth" dirt channels are becoming the anomaly. Kinder, gentler, vegetated and/or multi-use facilities requiring more hand maintenance and specialized equipment are becoming more the norm. This trend will continue to grow for two major reasons. First, the environmental/regulatory arena demands it and second, land in California, especially Southern California, is far too valuable to lay idle and unused the majon'ty of the time. Environmental and recreational uses are much in demand and are usually very compatible with flood control needs. In. the future, the District will continue to explore other uses for surface flood control facilities. Parks, wetlands and habitat are but a few secondary uses for which basins and open channels may be utilized. Also, the District's major cost of doing business is tied directly to the price of materials, land, labor and inflation. And while increasing tax revenues are linked to population growth, these increases are not necessarily sufficient to offset the spiraling escalation of such business costs. For these reasons the flood control function ofthe District will continue to require its present share of the 7 % ad valorem property tax for many years to come. - Further, as pointed out in the Background portion of the Grand Jury's report Urbanization of the county is increasing demands on water conservation. Optimization of existing water resources through new conservation and reuse will be necessary to sustain the county's growing population. The second part of the District's name makes it clear that the County's effort in this arena will be spear-headed by the Riverside County Flood Control and WATER CONSERVAT lON District. Reducing the District's share of the property fix revenues will severely hamper this much needed effort. Number 2: The Riverside County Board of Supervisors consider changing its policy whereby the seven (7) zones can loan monies from one zone to another for more than the current year, i. e. up to five (5) years, to make available funds more flexible. Response: a. The

The Riverside County Flood Control and Water Consen/ation District does not receive a 7% tax. Rather the District receives only a small fraction of the 7% ad valorem property tax revenue - varying from about 2% of the 7% in some Zones, to as much as 4% of the 7% in bthers. With regard to drainage infrastructure, in the long term the District will slowly evolve into a maintenance organization. And although headed in that direction, the District is still decades away from reaching that designation. While many communities enjoy increased protection against flooding, the overall drainage improvement needs of this County are still many. In fact, in the District's current 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan alone, more than $200 million in needed drainage infrastructure has been identified. It is estimated that in total, the drainage needs of this County amount to nearly $2 billion. However, even with all of these needs still outstanding, it is important to be cognizant of the long range target and steer a course that provides not only for the short term but for the distant future as well. The District's recently adopted budget shows a sharp increase in facility maintenance appropriations. This increase is attn'butable not only to increased maintenance responsibilities, but also to changed conditions in a rapidly changing world. Relatively inexpensive to maintain concrete channels and "scorched earth" dirt channels are becoming the anomaly. Kinder, gentler, vegetated and/or multi-use facilities requiring more hand maintenance and specialized equipment are becoming more the norm. This trend will continue to grow for two major reasons. First, the environmental/regulatory arena demands it and second, land in California, especially Southern California, is far too valuable to lay idle and unused the majorify of the time. Environmental and recreational uses are much in demand and are usually very compatible with flood control needs. In the future, the District will continue to explore other uses for surface flood control facilities. Parks, wetlands and habitat are but a few secondary uses for which basins and open channels may be utilized. Also, the District's major cost of doing business is tied directly to the price of materials, land, labor and inflation. And while increasing tax revenues are linked to population growth, these increases are not necessarily sufficient to offset the spiraling escalation of such business costs. For these reasons'the flood control function of the District will continue to require its present share of the 7% ad valorem property tax for many years to come. Further, as pointed out in the Background portion of the Grand Jury's report - Urbanization of the county is increasing demands on water conservation. Optimization of existing water resources through new conservation and reuse will be necessary to sustain the county's growing population. The second part of the District's name makes it clear that the County's effort in this arena will be spear-headed by the Riverside County Flood Control and WATER CONSERVATION District. Reducing the District's share of the property tax revenues will severely hamper this much needed effort. Number 2: The Riverside County Board of Supervisors consider changing its policy whereby the seven (7) zones can loan monies from one zone to another for more than the current year, i.e. up to five (5) years, to make available funds more flexible. Response: a. The