The El Macero CSA levies an annual street assessment to provide a source of funding for a higher level of public streets services in El Macero that the CSA would not otherwise be able to fund.

The current El Macero street assessment of $180 per year per single family residential parcel was set in 1994 (El Macero Country Club's current assessment/charge is $3,600 per year). At this time, the current $180 assessment is only adequate to provide landscaping and street sweeping services. The current $180 annual assessment will not be sufficient to continue maintaining the higher level of pavement condition that El Macero CSA desires and requests treatment no less than every 5 to 10 years. Proposition 218, which was approved by the voters in 1996, implemented substantive and procedural requirements for new and increased assessments. The current assessment was grandfathered by Proposition 218, but any increase must comply with Proposition 218's requirements, including the need for an Engineer's Report documenting the basis for the increased assessment.

On January 12, 2021, the Board of Supervisors held a Proposition 218 public hearing to adopt resolutions approving changes to the street charges for the El Macero CSA if no majority protest existed. After the ballots were tabulated, the measure did not pass as there were 121 ballots in opposition, 111 in support, and 2 invalid ballots.

The El Macero CSA Advisory Committee requested in 2025 to again explore increasing the road maintenance charge. On September 29, 2025, the County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for engineering and professional consulting services for a Proposition 218 road assessment for the El Macero CSA. SCI Consulting Group was the only respondent to the RFP, and on March 3, 2026, the County, on behalf of the El Macero CSA, contracted with SCI Consulting Group to develop an Engineer's Report and related Proposition 218 balloting services.

County Staff and the CSA Advisory Committee have worked together to finalize the 2026 Engineer's Report for El Macero Road Maintenance and Landscaping Assessment (Attachment C). Based on the Engineer's Report, the proposed new annual assessment for FY 2026-27 would be $467.62 per Single-Family Equivalent and $8,414.35 for the El Macero Country Club. If approved, the proposed assessments would replace the existing $180 annual streets charge. The proposed assessment would also authorize annual inflationary adjustments up to 3.0% per year based on the identified CPI index.

A letter will be sent to all property owners notifying them of this recommended action and next steps. Additionally, discussion of the new assessment will be on the agenda for the next El Macero CSA Advisory Committee meeting, scheduled for May 14, 2026.

With the initiation of Prop 218 proceedings, by May 18, 2026, a mailing will go to all property owners outlining the new assessment and providing the process and timeline for property owners to submit ballots to support or oppose the new assessment. The mailing will also include a ballot and notice of the public hearing on the matter, which is currently scheduled to be held at the Board of Supervisors meeting on July 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. The assessment ballots and notices but be mailed at least 45 days prior to the public hearing.  If the Prop 218 proceedings are successful, meaning there is no majority protest, the increased assessment will be collected on the property tax bill beginning in the 2026-2027 tax year. A majority protest exists if, upon the conclusion of the hearing, ballots submitted in opposition to the assessment exceed the ballots submitted in favor of the assessment (i.e., more “no” than “yes” ballots per parcel). In tabulating the ballots, the ballots are weighted according to the proportional financial obligation of the affected property.