- a weekly column published in the Pioneer Press

Williamson Act: The Williamson Act allows a landowner a reduction in property taxes in exchange for a ten year contract agreeing to keep the land in agricultural or open-space use. The Act was passed because so many California farms and ranches were being converted to sub-divisions, in part, because landowners were being assessed on the value of their land at the same level as adjacent residential land and not on their value as ag land.

The contract is entered into by the County and the landowner. In Siskiyou County, this reduces the amount of tax revenue owed on these properties to the County under proposition 13 by about half. Up until now, the State has “subvented” (backfilled) the County for lost revenue in the amount of about $700,000. Last week, the Governor “blue-penciled” (took out) all but $1,000 of the funding for all counties to pay for the Williamson Act. This leaves Siskiyou County with an additional budget deficit of about $700,000 for this fiscal year.

[This adds to monies lost to the State from Prop. 1A; what looks like a shift to the County of responsibility for several hundreds of thousands of dollars of costs in a 30 year old murder case; and a requirement to pay back several hundred thousand dollars to the federal government for an overpayment on the Southwest Borders program. This will all amount to millions of dollars more that must be cut from this year’s budget.] 

The ten year Williamson Act contracts are generally renewed each year. New and amended contracts are also considered. If the County decides not to renew the Williamson Act contract, an increase in property taxes is triggered over the remainder of the contract. Contract-holders may protest non-renewal, deferring that increase for about three years. The County may reverse a decision not to renew at any time.    

On Tuesday August 11 at 10:30, on the second floor of the courthouse, the Board will have a discussion and possibly take action on what to do next. You can send a comment letter to the Board via the clerk: wwinningham@co.siskiyou.ca.us The following are most likely the Board's options:

Option 1 - The County does nothing and absorbs the current and future losses.

Option 2 - The County continues those currently in the program and absorbs losses, but declines any additional applicants for amendments or additions

Option 3 - The County accepts no new contracts and issues a non-renewal notice on existing contracts.

Option 4 - The County accepts no new contracts and works on ways to get out of the contracts as soon as possible.

Siskiyou Crest National Monument: An environmental group is proposing that President Obama declare a new National Monument in southern Oregon and the area north of the Klamath River in Siskiyou County from around Somes Bar to just west of Interstate 5. http://www.kswild.org/programs/WildlandProtection/siskiyoucrest This would be done under the Antiquities Act, which would remove the monument from Congressional approval under FLPMA. (Federal Land Policy and Management Act) and would not require environmental review under NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act.)

Initially, National Monument designations apply to the federally managed land within the monument. Commercial timber, mining, grazing, hunting, off-road vehicle use, energy and recreational development would face prohibitions or severe restrictions. As we have learned from the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, typically, a policy of federal acquisition and prohibition on the sale of private lands within the monument to any party but the federal government is implemented. Subject to valid exiting water use rights, water rights necessary to protect monument objectives are generally reserved. Monuments are generally managed by either the National Park Service or Bureau of Land Management.

Last week, on a vote of 4-1, (Valenzuela-no,) the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution opposing the Siskiyou Crest National Monument proposal. The resolution set forth County policy that any National Monument “must actively coordinate and seek approval of the Board of Supervisors on behalf of the citizens of Siskiyou County prior to any formal consideration for National Monument status.”