San Benito County residents question 1977 water tax for project paid off in 2017
Residents in San Benito County have been paying a water tax since 1977 for imported water, but a civil grand jury report claims the tax is outdated and should have ended in 2017, prompting calls for the issue to be put back on the ballot. Justin Harnois, a taxpayer, expressed frustration, saying, “It makes me feel pretty frustrated. You know, nobody wants to throw their money into things that they don’t understand or aren’t aware of.” The tax was initially approved to pay off a $19.9 million federal loan for imported water to address local shortages and support a growing community. Harnois added, “It’s a bigger issue of tax reform. If they’re spending their money on other things that us taxpayers are paying for, then we should not only know that, but it should be put back on the ballot for us to be able to vote on.”Dana Jacobson, general manager of the San Benito County Water District, disagrees with the grand jury’s findings. “The grand jury report is not necessarily accurate. And it’s not a clear representation of what we do here at the district. Our records are incredibly clear,” Jacobson said. The district maintains that the tax has no expiration date and funds ongoing maintenance and operations of the system. Jacobson explained, “Without that water that comes in from the Central Valley project from San Luis Reservoir, there wouldn’t be a high enough quality of water to deliver to the municipal customers and the agricultural customers as well.” Jacobson warned, “If the tax goes away, it would be a really bad thing because all those costs would need to be recovered through water rates, and the water rates would become uneconomical for most people.”For families struggling with rising costs, the issue is personal. Harnois noted, “Groceries, gas. I mean, the way inflation has hit, right? We have a family and a lot of more important things to be, you know, utilizing those funds for sure.” The grand jury is now recommending an independent audit and that the water tax be put back on the ballot.
Residents in San Benito County have been paying a water tax since 1977 for imported water, but a civil grand jury report claims the tax is outdated and should have ended in 2017, prompting calls for the issue to be put back on the ballot.
Justin Harnois, a taxpayer, expressed frustration, saying, “It makes me feel pretty frustrated. You know, nobody wants to throw their money into things that they don’t understand or aren’t aware of.”
The tax was initially approved to pay off a $19.9 million federal loan for imported water to address local shortages and support a growing community.
Harnois added, “It’s a bigger issue of tax reform. If they’re spending their money on other things that us taxpayers are paying for, then we should not only know that, but it should be put back on the ballot for us to be able to vote on.”
Dana Jacobson, general manager of the San Benito County Water District, disagrees with the grand jury’s findings.
“The grand jury report is not necessarily accurate. And it’s not a clear representation of what we do here at the district. Our records are incredibly clear,” Jacobson said. The district maintains that the tax has no expiration date and funds ongoing maintenance and operations of the system.
Jacobson explained, “Without that water that comes in from the Central Valley project from San Luis Reservoir, there wouldn’t be a high enough quality of water to deliver to the municipal customers and the agricultural customers as well.”
Jacobson warned, “If the tax goes away, it would be a really bad thing because all those costs would need to be recovered through water rates, and the water rates would become uneconomical for most people.”
For families struggling with rising costs, the issue is personal.
Harnois noted, “Groceries, gas. I mean, the way inflation has hit, right? We have a family and a lot of more important things to be, you know, utilizing those funds for sure.”
The grand jury is now recommending an independent audit and that the water tax be put back on the ballot.