OFFICIAL TOP FUNDERS: Water Rate Repeal (June 2026)
OFFICIAL TOP FUNDERS: Legacy Police Tax Repeal (June 2026)
Water Rate Repeal:
INITIATIVE MEASURE TO BE SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS.
REPEAL OF WATER RATE INCREASES ENACTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 26-29 OF THE BEAR VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON MARCH 26, 2026.
The people of the Bear Valley Community Services District do ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. Resolution No. 26-29 of the Bear Valley Community Services District Board of Directors entitled, “A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BEAR VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT ESTABLISHING NEW RATES FOR WATER SERVICE BEGINNING ON APRIL 1, 2026, THROUGH MARCH 31, 2031”, and adopted March 26, 2026 is hereby REPEALED in accordance with Section 3 of Article XIII C of the Constitution of the State of California.
SECTION 2. This measure may not be amended, except upon voter approval.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO CIRCULATE INITIATIVE PETITION.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the intention of the persons whose names appear hereon of their intention to circulate the petition within the Bear Valley Community Services District for the purpose of REPEAL OF ONEROUS WATER RATES which took effect on April 1, 2026 and increasing annually to nearly DOUBLE the former rates by 2030, thereby reestablishing the lawful water rates in effect immediately prior.
A statement of the reasons of the proposed action as contemplated in the petition is as follows:
The Bear Valley Community Services District Board of Directors voted to nearly DOUBLE WATER RATES within four years, which began April 2026 and includes annual increases through 2030. These outrageously high and destructive increases threaten home values and the ability of families, seniors and fixed income residents to continue to live in Bear Valley. The Board of Directors is instructed herein to respect the finances of residents and accord great deference to affordability when enacting rate, fee and tax increases.
/S/ Kevin Rice 26800 Sutter Ct Tehachapi CA 93561
/S/ David Licher 23040 Lakeview Dr Tehachapi CA 93561
Supporting Documents:
BVCSD Resolution 26-29 Establishing New Water Rates
Legacy Police Tax Repeal:
INITIATIVE MEASURE TO BE SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS. REPEAL OF LEGACY MEASURE A (1997) ANNUAL SPECIAL TAX FOR POLICE AND DISPATCH SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN ORDER TO PAVE A PATH FOR AN UPDATED AND MODERNIZED SPECIAL TAX MEASURE.
The people of the Bear Valley Community Services District do ordain as follows:
SECTION 1. In order to pave a path for a future modernized and unified police tax measure, the 1997 legacy special tax measure with its lack of financial oversight and audits and spending limitations must first be repealed.
SECTION 2. The special tax measure adopted as Measure A by voters on May 6, 1997 is hereby REPEALED in accordance with Section 3 of Article XIII C of the Constitution of the State of California. The full-text of Measure A to be repealed is as follows: “Shall the present $80.00 per-parcel police assessment be replaced by an annual special tax in the maximum amount not to exceed $80.00 on each parcel in the Bear Valley Community Services District? The revenues from the special tax shall be used only for the limited purpose of paying salaries and benefits to police and dispatch personnel. In no event shall the revenue be used for capital improvements, including but not limited to the construction of any buildings or facilities.”
SECTION 3. This measure may not be amended, except upon voter approval.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO CIRCULATE INITIATIVE PETITION.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN of the intention of the persons whose names appear hereon of their intention to circulate the petition within the Bear Valley Community Services District for the purpose of MODERNIZATION OF BEAR VALLEY POLICE TAX by way of repeal of the outdated legacy MEASURE A (1997) ANNUAL SPECIAL TAX, paving the way for a modern and unified replacement police tax measure to be submitted to voters thereafter.
A statement of the reasons of the proposed action as contemplated in the petition is as follows:
Bear Valley’s legacy and outdated police tax must be modernized and updated. The legacy tax measure includes no citizen oversight or fiscal audits or reports. Legacy tax revenues are limited to salaries and benefits and may not be used for operational costs, facilities and other necessary police expenses.
A modernized tax measure planned to be submitted to voters in early 2027 will fix these shortcomings. The modernized tax will require citizen oversight, audits, reporting and will authorize broad use of revenue for police needs including rural crime prevention, welfare checks and wildlife safety.
For modernization to occur, it is necessary to first repeal the existing, outdated legacy tax measure so that voters can consider a single modernized tax measure in 2027 not subject to the limits and shortcomings of the legacy special tax. Modernization will ensure a police tax that is unified under a single transparent umbrella instead of piece-meal.
/S/ Kevin Rice 26800 Sutter Ct Tehachapi CA 93561
/S/ David Licher 23040 Lakeview Dr Tehachapi CA 93561
Supporting Documents:
1996 BVCSD Ordinance 96-125 Calling Special Election (Measure A)
1997 BVCSD Ordinance 97-130 Adopting $65 Police Tax