Reducing wildfire threat

We’ll soon have another tool to help reduce the ongoing threat of wildfires. My bill, AB 1819, passed both houses of the Legislature without opposition, and was signed into law by the Governor September 22nd.

Since 1990, local jurisdictions have been able to create Infra­structure Financing Districts (IFDs) to pay for regional public works projects. IFDs can divert a small portion of the yearly in­cremental increase in property tax revenues for up to 30 years to finance highways, transit, water and sewer systems, and other projects. Until now, IFDs have not been available to fund local firefighting capital equip­ment.

AB 1819 allows the creation of Enhanced Infrastructure Fi­nance Districts (EIFDs) for lo­cal fire prevention efforts. The EIFD must be at least partly located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone. That includes a big part of the 75th Assembly District. Most of us remember the Cedar, Witch, Co­cos, Guejito, Rice and Lilac fires that devastated much of the re­gion over the past 20 years. As a result, AB 1819 had a lot of sup­port from local firefighters, in­cluding the Alpine Fire Protec­tion District, the Deer Springs Fire Protection District, the North County Fire Protection District, and the Valley Center Fire Protection District.

EIFDs are not a state man­date – they are simply a tool that will now be available at the local level. A new EIFD must be approved by local jurisdictions such as cities or counties. Fi­nancing will come from the in­cremental increase in property taxes over time, which are set aside in a separate fund. Other revenue sources could include public-private partnerships, and loans or grants. Projects fi­nanced by EIFDs must provide a significant long term benefit, such as building new fire sta­tions, weather tech centers, un­dergrounding electrical wires or heavy equipment, such as trac­tors, for brush clearance along back country roads.

EIFDs will help prevent wild­fires, increase public safety, and save lives throughout Califor­nia by enabling a new funding source without impacting the state budget and without rais­ing taxes.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, R- Valley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the Cali­fornia Legislature,