Marin County Grand Jury
• 2026-2027
Measure A and Voter Choice: Rethinking Parks and Agriculture Funding in Marin
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 8 findings
F1
Marin County Parks has successfully administered Measure A funding and has evolved its focus from land acquisition toward stewardship, maintenance, wildfire resilience, and long- term sustainability.
F2
Fixed allocation formulas within Measure A limit Marin County Parks' ability to adjust to changing priorities and long-term planning.
F3
The fixed allocation of Measure A funds to cities, towns, and special districts limits Marin County Parks' ability to direct funding toward larger regional projects and countywide priorities.
F4
The Measure A Oversight Committee provides meaningful oversight of Measure A expenditures, but other bodies, including the Parks and Open Space Commission, provide similar oversight and opportunities for public participation.
F5
Information regarding conservation easement payments and recipients is not easily accessible to the public, in contrast to information regarding other Measure A-funded programs.
F6
Measure A combines parks and open space funding with sustainable agriculture funding in a way that is unusual among California county funding measures.
F7
Agricultural conservation easements now protect more than half of West Marin County's agricultural land, and provide an additional layer of protection beyond A-60 zoning restrictions.
F8
Marin County voters have repeatedly demonstrated strong support for parks and open space funding, but have not had an opportunity to separately evaluate sustainable agriculture funding.
Recommendations 6
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R1Prior to placing a Measure A renewal proposal before voters, expected to occur before the current measure expires in 2031, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should consider developing separate ballot measures for (a) parks and open space funding and (b) sustainable agriculture funding, to allow voters to separately evaluate each measure.
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R2Prior to any vote on renewing sustainable agriculture funding, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should direct Marin County Parks to conduct a public outreach process focused on sustainable agriculture priorities, similar to the public engagement process used to identify parks and open space priorities.
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R3In future Measure A renewals, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should consider reducing or eliminating fixed allocation formulas, and provide Marin County Parks with greater discretion over spending.
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R4In future Measure A renewals, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should consider eliminating the fixed allocation of Measure A funds to cities, towns, and special districts and instead allow Marin County Parks to direct funds based on regional priorities and public benefit.
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R5By July 1, 2027, Marin County Parks should maintain a centralized and publicly accessible reporting system identifying Measure A grant recipients, conservation easement recipients, and payment amounts.
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R6In future Measure A renewals, the Marin County Board of Supervisors should consolidate existing Marin County Parks oversight structures, including the Measure A Community Oversight Committee and the Parks and Open Space Commission.