HUNTINGTON BEACH : Districts May Create New Taxing Agency

The Huntington Beach Union High School District board this week agreed to form a joint-powers authority with three other school districts, which will decide whether to charge property owners to help offset some schools’ maintenance and capital costs.

The proposal calls for a Maintenance Assessment District to be formed among the Huntington Beach Union High School, Huntington Beach City, Ocean View and Westminster school districts. The four districts would collect a yet-undetermined fee from all commercial and residential property owners if the proposal is approved.

The money would help offset districts’ costs for building and maintaining baseball diamonds, tennis courts and other facilities used for community recreation activities not related to school. The fees would cover only the non-schools portion of those costs.

Board members from the four districts will conduct a hearing on the proposal on July 25 at 7 p.m. in the Huntington Beach High School gymnasium.

Two trustees from the high school district and one board member each from the three elementary districts will serve on the panel that will vote on the plan. The high school district is given greater representation because it is larger than the other districts, said Dave Hagan, the Huntington Beach Union High School District’s assistant superintendent for business services.