New tool to prevent wildfires

We’ll soon have another tool to help reduce the ongoing threat of wildfires. My bill, AB 1819, passed both houses of the Legislature without opposition, and was signed into law by the Governor Sept. 22.

Since 1990, local jurisdictions have been able to create Infrastructure Financing Districts (IFDs) to pay for regional public works projects. IFDs can divert a small portion of the yearly incremental increase in property tax revenues for up to 30 years to finance highways, transit, water and sewer systems, and other projects. Until now, IFDs have not been available to fund local firefighting capital equipment.

AB 1819 allows the creation of Enhanced Infrastructure Finance Districts (EIFDs) for local fire prevention efforts. The EIFD must be at least partly located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone. That includes a big part of the 75th Assembly District.

Most of us remember the Cedar, Witch, Cocos, Guejito, Rice and Lilac fires that devastated much of the region over the past 20 years. As a result, AB 1819 had a lot of support from local firefighters, including the Alpine Fire Protection District, the Deer Springs Fire Protection District, the North County Fire Protection District, and the Valley Center Fire Protection District.

EIFDs are not a state mandate – they are simply a tool that will now be available at the local level. A new EIFD must be approved by local jurisdictions such as cities or counties. Financing will come from the incremental increase in property taxes over time, which are set aside in a separate fund.

Other revenue sources could include public-private partnerships, and loans or grants. Projects financed by EIFDs must provide a significant long term benefit, such as building new fire stations, weather tech centers, undergrounding electrical wires or heavy equipment, such as tractors, for brush clearance along back country roads.

EIFDs will help prevent wildfires, increase public safety, and save lives throughout California by enabling a new funding source without impacting the state budget and without raising taxes.