75480-75481.5
WATER CODE
SECTION 75480-75481.5
75480. (a) The North San Joaquin Water Conservation District, in addition to its other powers, may levy assessments as provided in this chapter. (b) "District," for the purposes of this chapter, means the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District. (c) "Collected water" and "water that is collected," for the purposes of this chapter, means the net acre-feet of water caused to be deposited onto land by the district. In determining the amount of collected water, both the amount of water entering the water system and the amount of water leaving the water system, having not been applied, shall be measured. The amount of water that leaves the system, having not been applied, shall be subtracted from the amount of water that enters the system. The difference shall be reduced by the amount of water lost due to evaporation and further reduced for water subject to export from the district. The sum difference is the amount of collected water. (d) "Applied," for the purposes of this chapter, means that the water has been used for irrigation, recharge, in lieu of flooding, deposited into an area for storage, or held in an area for percolation purposes. (e) "System," for the purposes of this chapter, means all of the physical apparatus owned, operated, or maintained by the district for the purpose of moving or holding water. 75480.5. (a) The North San Joaquin Water Conservation District may fix and collect assessments upon taxable land within the district on which surface water or groundwater is applied or delivered. Assessments may not be imposed on dry pastureland or other agricultural land on which neither groundwater nor surface water is applied or delivered. (b) The maximum amount of the assessments levied by the district shall be determined on a year-by-year basis, dependent on the amount of water that is collected by the district during the previous year, consistent with this section. The district shall determine the amount of collected water. (c) The revenue obtained from the assessments shall be used for the purposes of groundwater recharge, the delivery of surface water, and any related expenses incurred by the district. The district may, by resolution of the board, fix and collect assessments sufficient to meet and pay the estimated expenses and obligations authorized by this subdivision, including a reasonable reserve for contingencies. No assessment may be imposed on any parcel that exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel. (d) The assessments shall be fixed by the district on or before the 31st day of July in accordance with subdivisions (e) and (f). (e) (1) During the years 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, the district may assess no more than one dollar ($1) per acre or portion of an acre, unless the district has collected 5,000 acre-feet or more of water, during the previous year. (2) If the district has collected at least 5,000 acre-feet, but less than 8,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, then the district may assess up to two dollars ($2) per acre or portion of an acre. (3) If the district has collected at least 8,000 acre-feet, but less than 10,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, then the district may assess up to three dollars ($3) per acre or portion of an acre. (4) If the district has collected at least 10,000 acre-feet, but less than 12,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, the district may assess up to four dollars ($4) per acre or portion of an acre. (5) If the district has collected 12,000 acre-feet or more of water during the previous year, the district may assess up to five dollars ($5) per acre or portion of an acre. The district may not assess more than five dollars ($5) per acre, or portion of an acre, of taxable land within the district on which surface water or groundwater is applied or delivered. (f) (1) For the year 2007, and each subsequent year, if the district has collected at least 3,000 acre-feet, but less than 5,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, then the district may assess up to one dollar ($1) per acre or portion of an acre. (2) If the district has collected at least 5,000 acre-feet, but less than 8,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, then the district may assess up to two dollars ($2) per acre or portion of an acre. (3) If the district has collected at least 8,000 acre-feet, but less than 10,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, then the district may assess up to three dollars ($3) per acre or portion of an acre. (4) If the district has collected at least 10,000 acre-feet, but less than 12,000 acre-feet, of water during the previous year, the district may assess up to four dollars ($4) per acre or portion of an acre. (5) If the district has collected 12,000 acre-feet or more of water during the previous year, the district may assess up to five dollars ($5) per acre or portion of an acre. The district may not assess more than five dollars ($5) per acre, or portion of an acre, of taxable land within the district on which surface water or groundwater is applied or delivered. (g) The board, in levying the charges, may establish the dates of delinquency and may impose penalties for delinquency not exceeding 10 percent of the amount of the assessment and may, in addition, collect interest at the rate of 8 percent per annum from the date of delinquency on all delinquent assessments. The district may sue for the recovery of unpaid assessments. (h) Any assessment levied pursuant to this chapter shall be imposed consistent with Article XIII C and Article XIII D of the California Constitution and the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act (Chapter 38 of the Statutes of 1997), and any amendments thereto. 75481. (a) The district may, by resolution of the board, provide a procedure for and collect the assessments by way of the tax bills of the county in which the district is located. The assessments shall appear as a separate item on the tax bill, shall be collected at the same time and in the same manner as county ad valorem property taxes are collected, and shall be subject to the same procedures, including sale in case of default, as are provided for those taxes. (b) The district shall, on or before August l of each year, certify to the county auditor the assessments to be collected. The county may deduct from the revenue so collected for the district, an appropriate amount for the billing and collection services provided to the district. 75481.5. Any assessments erroneously made by reason of inadvertence or clerical mistake may be refunded upon order of the board at any time after payment.