To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
SUBJECT:
title
Amending Legislative Platform to Include Supporting Incentives for Water Storage
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt a modification to the federal and state legislative platforms to include an item titled “Incentives for Water Storage.”
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Federal and state funds
DISCUSSION:
On Dec. 18, 2018 your Board discussed the potential to incentivize water storage, including using rain water capture systems. Home and business water storage systems have become critically important as California, especially its heavily forested land, is experiencing more natural disasters such as wildfire and drought. It is important to incentivize more construction of these systems so that property owners may have more opportunity to survive these events. One current incentive is Proposition 72, which was passed by California voters in June 2018. Prop 72 allows property owners to exclude the value of “newly constructed” rain water capture systems from their property taxes. This is a valuable incentive for new construction. However, it does not address those who already have these systems in place. In addition, the federal government offers the Solar Tax Credit which allows individuals to deduct 30 percent of the cost of solar construction from their income taxes, and the state offers a variety of rebates solar projects. Similar incentives should be considered for water storage. Therefore, the platform has been amended to include an item that supports efforts to further incentivize water storage:
INCENTIVES FOR WATER STORAGE
Home and business water storage systems have become critically important as California, especially heavily forested land, is experiencing more natural disasters such as wildfire and drought. It is important to incentivize more construction of these systems so that property owners may have more opportunity to survive these events. The federal and state governments have successful incentive programs for solar construction with income tax incentives and rebates, and similar incentives could spur important water storage construction.
The county supports legislation that incentivizes water storage systems.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is minimal cost involved in modifying the legislative platform. However, Prop 72 reduces property tax revenue for property with new rain water capture systems. Further tax reductions could have minimal effect on county revenue growth. Most likely, legislative remedies would affect state and federal revenues.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could choose to modify the language in the legislative platform or decline the amendment completely.
ATTACHMENTS:
N/A
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: H-2
Meeting of: Dec. 12, 2018