BILL ANALYSIS
AB 466
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Date of Hearing: May 6, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 466 (Coto) - As Amended: April 15, 2009
Policy Committee: Local
GovernmentVote:7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill changes the composition and representation of the
Santa Clara Valley Water District (District) Board effective
January 3, 2011, expands a district exemption from special fees,
and makes other governance changes. Specifically, the bill:
1)Retains the present board structure, consisting of five
elected members and two appointed members, in place until noon
on January 3, 2011.
2)Revises the composition of the board to consist of seven
directors who are elected from equal sized electoral districts
based on the most recent available census. Election of the
newly formed first, fourth, sixth, and seventh electoral
districts would take place November 2, 2010, and election of
the newly formed second, third, and fifth electoral districts
would take place November 6, 2012.
3)Requires the board to review its financial reserves and
reserve management policy at its annual meetings.
4)Authorizes the District to provide an exemption from special
taxes levied by the District to residents that qualify as
totally disabled under the Social Security Act, if the total
household income is less than an amount approved by the voters
in the district.
5)Includes numerous other provisions related to residency
requirements and conflict-of-interest restrictions for board
members, limitations on severance pay that the board may
authorize for district employees, and disclosures related to
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travel reimbursements.
FISCAL EFFECT
No state mandate-related costs. Any local costs associated with
establishing new districts and conducting an election are not
reimbursable because the legislative authority was requested by
the water district.
COMMENTS.
1)Background. Currently the Santa Clara Valley Water District
governing board consists of five board members elected by
supervisorial district and two at-large members appointed by
the County Board of Supervisors. The present structure has
been in place since the District was first formed in 1967. The
two appointed member seats are scheduled to expire on December
31, 2009.
AB 88 (Alquist), Chapter 63, Statutes of 2001, authorized the
district to provide an exemption from special taxes for
residential parcels owned by low-income seniors.
2)Rationale . The provisions related to the District's board
composition reflect the consensus reached by the board and
public following a series of meetings relating to the board's
structure. The decision to have seven district representatives
- instead of the current five - reflects the dramatic
population growth that has taken place in the district since
the district was first formed in 1967. The author believes
that creating smaller districts will provide greater
opportunity for competitive elections by making it less
expensive to run for pubic office. The bill is also intended
to expand the district's ability to provide exemptions from
special taxes to low-income disabled taxpayers.
The governance provisions are intended to address findings and
recommendations of various audits and studies of the District.
The author asserts that the incorporation of these governance
recommendations into law will make the District more
transparent and accountable to the public.
3)Previous legislation . Provisions similar to this bill relating
to the composition the board and the expanded exemption from
special taxes were included in AB 2212 (Ruskin). That measure
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passed out of this committee but died on the Assembly inactive
file.
Analysis Prepared by : Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081