FALLBROOK & RAINBOW GROWERS Encouraged to Voice Opposition at San Diego County Board Meeting

The San Diego County Board of Supervisor’s meeting agenda for Tuesday, August 29, 2023 (linked here) has agenda item #23 “SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE ALL RATEPAYERS A VOTE ON WATER DISTRICT DETACHMENTS AND IMPACTS TO THEIR WATER RATES”. As the Commission has previously reported, Fallbrook and Rainbow water agencies applied over three years ago to San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to detach from San Diego County Water Authority (CWA). After hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by the agencies for necessary studies, on July 10, 2023 LAFCO approved the Rainbow and Fallbrook Detachment with an exit fee of approximately $24mm. Under current law, the last step for Detachment is a vote of the Fallbrook and Rainbow voters.

In an effort to invalidate the LAFCO decision, the CWA and City of San Diego launched an eleventh hour effort to change the rules (law) for Detachment by introducing legislation (AB 399), which will require an additional vote of ALL San Diego County voters to approve the Detachment of Rainbow and Fallbrook. If AB 399 is successful, it will allow the urban majority to undermine the will of the rural minority. 

It is important that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors hear from California avocado growers on this attempt to undermine the legal authority for Rainbow and Fallbrook to self-determine their water future. If possible, please attend the August 29, 2023 Board of Supervisors meeting to show YOUR OPPOSITION. 

Meeting details: 
Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Start Time: 9 am  
Location: COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER, ROOM 310 
1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

https://bosagenda.sandiegocounty.gov/cobservice/cosd/cob/content?id=0901127e8100be54