July 15, 2011 Update
We are successful in stopping the tax!!!
As of today, we have received all the votes needed to officially approve the removal of the Annexation Fee. A warm and heart felt thank you goes out to all those of you who voted in favor of ending this tax and for sending your letters to EMWD and MET requesting the fee be stopped. Our voices were heard.
After all the research, meetings and negotiations, we now know that Metropolitan Water District has passed a Resolution to end charging Annexation Fees to the entire 7,200 Acre 21st Fringe District and they have confirmed their receipt of a majority positive votes from we tax payers (Oakridge Ranches, Stoneridge and Lake Skinner Estates and lands adjacent are part of the 21st Fringe) to end. It’s really great news!!
Synopsis of what appeared on this website earlier this year follows:
The single largest financial issue affecting Oakridge Ranches has been the tax levy being charged on property owners for the past 40 years without benefit to the taxpayers. The following is an overview of the situation and the successful resolution to stop the Annexation Fee. For more information about MET click Metropolitan Water District .
(Note there is NO change to the Water Standby Fee. Individual property owners must make their own decision on this topic and owners should deal directly with Eastern Municipal Water District.)
Following is some of the background on this subject. Today, July 14th, 2011, is a new day with probablities the tax will end as a result of the ballots received.
This ever escalating tax had been added to all property owners’ tax bills in our community which is called the "21 Fringe District"of Metropolitan Water District (MET) for the past 40 long years. That's right - it's not a typo - it is indeed forty years! Some people with newly built or newly purchased homes are paying literally thousands of dollars per year in this 'Special Assessment' for no benefit other than Annexation into the MET Water District.
Anyone who has attended our Homeowners' Association meetings know that Kimberly Hodge and Sharon Bolton sincerely tried to work with the Homeowners' Association in order to be a unified voice of opposition to taxes being levied. However, in this process only Eileen Keswick and Carol Rogers of the 2010 Board of Directors of the Oakridge HOA and two property owners were willing and able to comprehend the gravity of the situation and become a positive support. Collectively, these volunteers have actually saved $17.2 Million dollars to taxpayers by stopping Annexation Fees in all 11 Fringe Districts spread throughout Southern California. So while this is absolutely fantastic news for our community - there's so much more to the story. But it begins with the dedication of these people who have researched, investigated, met with regulatory bodies and fought the onerous MET 'General Obligation Debt Bond' for several years.
Kimberly and Sharon spent literally thousands of dollars for legal advice, legal discovery, documentation, research and legal advice on this issue. There was never any financial support from the Homeowner Association. And several member of the HOA Board actively fought against this resolution. Regardless, after several meetings with senior staff, MET agreed to allow these women to make their case before the MET panel of 27 Directors sitting on the MET Board of Directors asking them to consider resolutions to our plight. Their summit MET Board Meeting was held Monday, May 9th and Tuesday, May 10th at the Metropolitan Water District Headquarters in Los Angeles.
To read the article by Jeff Horseman which explains the issue accurately, click on this link: Press Enterprise News
If you wish to see the full video coverage of the Metropolitan Water District Board Meeting, click here Video Link to see our final presentations.
This Video Link opens the entire video for the Board Meeting (sorry, I'm working on editing but for now it cannot be edited). Scan to item #4 for public comments section. Our comments are presented starting at minute 7 and ending at minute 10.
To watch the vote and presentation to the Board of Directors - file down to Item 8.4 of the agenda. Director Randy Record states our case and the formal vote of the Board is taken.
There is so much more to this story that Sharon would like to share with every property owner in and around Riverside County and the affected "Fringe Districts" in bordering counties as well.
If you would like to see the financial records or ask any questions about this history you can reach Sharon Bolton here:
(Oakridge Ranches property owner since 1979)
Century21 Preferred – (951) 767-0903
sharon.bolton@hughes.net
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