SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE YUCCA VALLEY SEWER ASSESSMENT VOTE

The state has mandated that the Town of Yucca Valley stop using septic tanks by next year, and the Hi-Desert Water District has chosen to build a wastewater treatment plant to treat its sewage. The water district will pay for the proposed $145 million sewer project by assessing a portion of the cost on each property owner’s tax bill. But first, property owners have to approve the assessment vote. Many people are confused about what the assessment vote actually means. Managing editor Tami Roleff clears up some misinformation about the assessment vote …
The upcoming vote on the Yucca Valley wastewater assessment district is NOT a vote on whether to approve the sewer project. Residents are being asked to approve the assessment vote so that Hi-Desert Water District can secure a low-interest loan from the state to finance the $145 million project. Whether or not the assessment vote passes, a portion of the sewer project’s cost will be placed on the owners’ property tax bills, to be paid over the next 30 years. If residents vote “no” and the assessment district vote does not pass, the sewer project will become even more expensive for property owners, because then the water district will not be eligible for the state’s low-interest loan. If a property is sold, the assessment for the wastewater treatment project will be transferred to the new owners through the property taxes. Residents will not have to pay for their costs up front. Property owners will be able to apply for low-interest loans over 20 to 30 years to pay for their assessment and for the cost of connecting their homes and businesses to the sewer lines. For more information about the assessment vote, visit protectgroundwater.org, or call 760-228-6267.