ORANGE : Assessment District Plan Gains Steam

The Orange Unified School District has voted to move ahead with a proposal to raise $1.5 million annually with a tax on property owners.

A resolution passed Thursday formalizes the district’s intention to create a maintenance assessment district to finance the maintenance, improvement and construction of school recreational facilities that are used by the public.

Property owners in the assessment district would pay about $30 annually in additional property taxes for the upkeep and improvement of school tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pools, baseball fields and other recreation facilities, said Richard Donoghue, associate superintendent for business services.

Churches, government agencies and hospitals would be exempt. The district also may consider exemptions for residents on fixed incomes.

Board members are expected to vote on the matter after a public hearing June 27. If approved, the proposal will go into effect for the 1991-92 school year.

A preliminary engineer’s report identifies up to 55,000 properties that would fall into the assessment district. Fees also will be levied against commercial and industrial lots and possibly against parking lots and storage facilities within the assessment district.

The Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 allows public agencies to form an assessment district without a vote by residents or property owners.