RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SENATE BILL 279 (HANCOCK),

LOCAL GOVERNMENT: COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982 allows counties, cities, special districts, and school districts to levy special taxes (parcel taxes) to finance a wide variety of public works, including parks, recreation centers, schools, libraries, child care facilities, and utility infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, existing law specifies the requirements for the establishment of a Community Facilities District (CFD), including among other things, a petition, a hearing, establishment of the boundaries of the community facilities district, and an election on the question of establishment; and

WHEREAS, buildings account for more than 70 percent of the electricity use and almost 40 percent of green house gas emissions in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Californians have shown strong interest to use alternative and renewable energy to “green” their homes; and

WHEREAS, many barriers exist to reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy—the high up-front cost and the possibility that those costs will not be recovered if the property is sold; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 279 would add acquisition, installation, and improvement of energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to the types of facilities that a CFD may finance, or refinance, regardless of whether the buildings or property privately or publicly owned; and require that energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements financed by a CFD must be affixed to or on real property; and

WHEREAS, this measure would also authorize an alternative procedures for forming a CFD such that territory proposed for annexation to the CFD in the future are subject to the special tax only with the unanimous approval of the parcel owner or owners at the time of annexation; and

WHEREAS, using Mello-Roos taxes, counties and cities can help to finance these improvements at low interest rates; and

WHEREAS, by lowering energy costs, reducing energy demand, and expanding generation from renewable energy sources, the voluntary Mello-Roos taxes authorized by this bill will benefit residents throughout California.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by the adoption of this resolution hereby supports Senate Bill 279 (Hancock) regarding local government, community facilities district.

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