Backers Split on Paying for Land Set-Aside Plan
A survey of county residents found 75% support for creation of a land-conservation district but a nearly even split on how to pay for it.
The September survey of 620 residents was commissioned by the county Board of Supervisors to gauge support for a taxing district that would buy undeveloped land for permanent preservation.
Fifty-two percent of those surveyed supported a sales tax increase to buy the land, and 50% supported an assessment charged to property owners within the district’s boundaries.
Voters may be asked to approve the district in a ballot measure, possibly as soon as next year.
A consultant who analyzed the survey results concluded that a tax hike probably would not garner the two-thirds vote needed for approval. Supervisors should instead focus on the property assessment, which requires a simple majority, consultant Esther Feldman said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
