BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The title 'Prop 218' has been said quite a bit regarding the proposed sewer rate increase, but what is it? In short, it gives voters a chance to voice concerns about tax increases.
- However, given that the law was put forth and passed by voters in 1996, electronic communication was not what it is today. The law itself requires concerned voters to file their formal opposition to a tax increase via mail.
- According to political science professor Ian Anderson, there are two ways that the law could be amended. One way is at the request of a state legislator, where the amendment would pass through the State Assembly and Senate before heading to a ballot election, where it would need a majority vote to pass. The other is through a signature collection by citizens before heading to a ballot election.
- Bakersfield City Manager said the only way to file a formal opposition letter is to follow the letter of the law of Prop 218, but the city listened to various other forms of communication regarding public concern regarding the proposed sewer rate increase.
- To learn how to file a Prop 218 opposition letter, the City of Bakersfield has directions in a documentregarding the proposed sewer rate increase.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
At the center of the proposed rate increase for Bakersfield sewer customers has been Proposition 218. You've probably heard about it quite a bit, but might not fully understand it. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter, and don't worry, I'll be your guide through the law that voters passed in 1996.
In short, the law was put in place to give voters an opportunity to voice their concerns about proposed tax increases like this one. However, since the law was passed more than 25 years ago, the use of email forms, social media, and various other electronic methods of communication were not what they are today, so in order to oppose a proposed tax increase, residents must either mail a protest letter or drop it off at the city office.
Before members of the media got a chance to take a tour through the wastewater treatment facility in the southwest, we asked about the process residents had to go through. Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg said they listen to all forms of communication, but the official way that residents were required to oppose the proposed increase is the result of Prop 218.
"According to state law to formally submit your protest. There is a very specific format that is required, and that is not something that the city has determined on our own. It's not that we're trying to be inaccessible to feedback," said Clegg.
But given that it's almost 3 decades later and that there's plenty of technology at hand to assist with something like this, residents were frustrated by having to travel back in time.
"The requirement to send in signatures, parcel numbers, and mail letters creates barriers, especially for our elderly and non-English speaking residents. It's not public engagement, it's public confusion," said JC Llamas, a Bakersfield resident at Wednesday's City Council Meeting.
So what would it take to bring Prop 218 into the 21st century? According to Political Science professor Ian Anderson, it could either be brought forward by a state legislator and then go to a public majority vote on the ballot, or a member of the public could make the push.
"A citizen goes, Hey, this, you know, this needs to change. Don't agree with it. And then there's a process of getting that on the actual ballot, which needs there's, there's a process of gathering signatures," said Anderson. "And then it goes straight to eventually it gets on the ballot, then is voted directly by the voters."
While ultimately, a formal protest can only be submitted via the official form, Clegg says the city is always willing to listen. "However, we always listen to other forms of feedback. We listen to the social media, we listen to phone calls, we listen to emails. We really do care about our community."
Again, this proposed increase is slated to come back and will require another Prop 218 notice. To learn how to submit an official form, we'll include a link to that in this story on our website.
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