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Email Megan Email Shayla Browse & Buy: Announcements Apartments & Rentals Automotive Employment Farmer's Market Financial Legals Merchandise for Sale Real Estate for Sale Recreational Call A Pro Page 1 Call A Pro Page 2 MARKETPLACE Volcano Theatre Company SUBSCRIBER CENTER Contact the Ledger Dispatch Subscribe Today COMMUNITY LINKS California Highway Patrol Traffic Info Page City of Jackson Jackson Police Department City of Amador Amador County Chamber of Commerce Amador Superior Court City of Plymouth Amador County Caltrans Road Conditions HomeTown Radio City of Ione Amador County Sheriff City of Sutter Creek CLICK GALLERIES April Click Submissions Click - March 25, 2008 Click - March 18, 2008 Click - March 11, 2008 Click — February 19, 2008 Photos Courtesy of John Shepherd More Click Galleries E-mail this article to a friend | Printer friendly format Amador Water Agency braces for state property tax grab Monday, June 01, 2009 - Jim Abercrombie, General Manager — Amador Water Agency (Sutter Creek) California water and wastewater agencies are facing the prospect of losing millions of property tax dollars and absorbing increases in fees paid to state regulatory and enforcement programs, both proposed solutions to the state budget crisis. California's non-partisan Legislative Analyst has suggested that the state could borrow $500 million from water and wastewater agencies - possibly as much as 100% of the agencies' property tax revenues. How and when the borrowed property taxes would be repaid is unclear. The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) argues that these special districts typically depend on property taxes for less than 7% of their operating revenues and have greater authority than cities and counties to increase fees or reduce programs. The Amador Water Agency currently receives about $250,000 per year in property tax revenue. The LAO also suggests the State Water Resources Control Board increase fees charged to water agencies and eliminate state general fund support for monitoring and regulating water pollution. Amador Water Agency Directors decided at their May 28th meeting to send a letter to legislators and the governor urging them to resist balancing California's budget at the expense of utility ratepayers. At the meeting, the Board also received a presentation on the Agency's new Graphical Information System (GIS) software for mapping AWA's system and facilities. The new Munsys software was approved during the 2007/2008 budget and allows any Agency staff computer use to view maps without the need to use complicated drafting software. "This greatly enhances the efficiency of virtually every Agency employee as we rely on information contained in maps which are constantly undergoing updates," said AWA Manager of Planning and Engineering Gene Mancebo. In other matters, the AWA Board of Directors commented on a draft of the California Water Plan, updated by the State of California every five years. The Board's comments included language respecting the Integrated Regional Conjunctive Use Project and its review of environmental enhancements, the need for additional monitoring of reservoirs in Amador County, and the possible need to consider flood hazards in Amador County. The Board also discussed the status of nine state and federal grant and loan applications for funding a range of Agency projects totaling over $20,000,000. COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE Question Um, why is the agency's GM writing news articles? - Elliott Dobler (6/2/2009 5:39:37 PM) SEND US YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE * - Required fields Subject: * Message: * Contact Name: * Contact URL: Contact Email: * Write the text from image below to this textbox HOME | NEWS | SPORTS | LIFE | OPINION SPECIAL SECTION | SUBSCRIBER CENTER | BULLETIN | PHOTOS OUR PRIVACY POLICY Powered By: