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Page 3 of 11 <br />adding Articles XIII(C) and XIII(D) to do the following: <br />• Limit the authority of local governments (including cities, counties, special districts and <br />school districts) to impose taxes and property-related assessments, fees, and charges <br />• Establish procedures for the initial implementation of special assessments and for an <br />increase of a previously approved annual maximum assessment. These procedures <br />apply to maintenance assessments for landscaping and lighting maintenance districts. <br />The procedures include a requirement that the City develop an Engineer's Report which <br />identifies the special benefits that will accrue to each property as a result of the <br />assessment. Subject to certain exceptions, the procedures also require that a weighted <br />majority of property owners in the district vote in favor of any new assessment and any <br />increase in a maximum assessment, beyond the amount approved when the district <br />was formed. <br /> <br />To date, Proposition 218 procedures have not been necessary in Pleasanton as assessments <br />have not been increased since district formation and, in fact, were lowered in 2000. However, <br />the City cannot continue to manage the districts to the standard of care associated with the <br />development approval, and rate increases will be required to adjust the assessments to a <br />sustainable level. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION <br />The City currently operates five LMDs that are assessed annually. The assessments include <br />an added 1.7 percent to the base assessment as an administration fee imposed by the county <br />for collecting the assessment through property tax bills. The assessments on the City-owned <br />parcels located within the Ponderosa-Del Prado, Bonde Ranch, Oak Tree Farm, and Moller <br />Ranch districts do not include the 1.7 percent county administration fee as the Finance <br />Department transfers the money from the General Fund into the specific district fund without <br />involving the county. <br /> <br />Table 1 below lists the assessments to be collected within each district this fiscal year as well <br />as the total expected special revenue and the total available reserves: <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Page 215 of 864