Funding Plan For Cabazon EIFD Approved By Riverside County Board Of Supervisors

RIVERSIDE, CA — The Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved the funding plan for a new tax district intended to support infrastructure improvement projects in Cabazon and its immediate surroundings.

The Cabazon Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District was first authorized by the board in May, and during the supervisors' meeting Tuesday, the new district's "Infrastructure Financing Plan" received a 4-0 affirmative vote, with Supervisor Chuck Washington absent.

Only one meeting attendee, Rancho Mirage resident Brad Anderson, questioned the validity of the district, saying it would be "unaccountable to the citizens it will collect monies from."

"I think the people of Cabazon should know what they are receiving from the county," he said. "I have issues with these EIFDs because there's no accountability by public officials."

The board has established other EIFDs over the last decade, mainly in the eastern half of the county. The districts have Public Financing Authority governing bodies whose members are selected by the Board of Supervisors.

The new district was formed following community meetings that involved not only residents of the unincorporated community of Cabazon, but also the nearby community of Twin Pines, according to the county Transportation & Land Management Agency.

The district encompasses about 10,000 acres, on which there are roughly 4,000 residential and commercial parcels, officials said.

"Cabazon is currently classified as a disadvantaged community," according to the TLMA. "Historically, both the Cabazon and Twin Pines communities have expressed concerns regarding infrastructure issues, including reducing flood hazards, increasing area accessibility and circulation, increasing drinking water supply and sustainability and enhanced capabilities to address wildfire suppression."

EIFDs were authorized under Senate Bill 628 in 2014 and permit bond sales to finance construction of private and public projects. Districts rely on "tax increment" to pay off the bonds issued in support of them. Tax increment is generated by projects within specified locations that increase property values. No separate property taxes are actually created by EIFDs.

The financing plan authorized by the board Tuesday specifies that 25% of all property tax growth in the new district over the next 45 years will be reserved to fund infrastructure projects throughout Cabazon. The remaining 75% will continue to flow into the county General Fund and related accounts for a broad range of expenditures.

The district still awaits formal approval by the California State Board of Equalization, which must sign off on the county's proposed "jurisdictional boundary change" defining the district. That's expected to take place by early December.

The Cabazon Public Financing Authority Board is next slated to meet on Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. at the County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside.

Additional information is available at https://rivco.org/cabazon-eifd.