Important Issues Affecting
California Agriculture
Capitol Weekly Report
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September 28, 2007
Legislative Update:
Depending the actual date on which a bill is received by the Governor’s Office, there’s a 30 day time limit for the legislation to either be signed or vetoed. The last day for the Governor to act on any bill is October 14th. Two of the most controversial bills SB 180 and SB 650 which would authorize a farm worker card check election process for union representation, are still pending. Because the bills were delivered to the Governor on different dates, the deadlines are October 12 for SB 180 and October 14 for SB 650. So, there’s still plenty of time to get your veto letters delivered to the Governor. The following bills were acted upon this week:
Freeze Damage - AB 297 ( Maze)
Extends existing special property tax exemptions to any grapevine and fruit-bearing or nut-trees that were damaged during the January 2007 freeze. The provisions will apply to fruit and nut trees until 4 years after the season in which they were planted in orchard form and grapevines until 3 years after the season in which they were planted in vineyard form. Any fruit- or nut-bearing tree severely damaged during the exemption period, so as to require pruning to the trunk or bud union to establish a new shoot as a replacement for the damaged tree or grapevine, is to be considered a new planting in orchard or vineyard form.
Tax Reassessments - SB 114 (Florez)
This bill adds the January 2007 freeze to the list of disasters eligible for special tax treatment. Specifically the bill requires the state to reimburse local governments for property tax losses resulting from downward assessments of property damaged by the freeze; ensures that owners of homes that became uninhabitable because of the freeze are eligible to receive the homeowners' property tax exemption while the damage is being repaired; and, permits individuals and businesses affected by the freeze to carry back unused casualty losses and deduct them against 2006 earnings, then carry forward any remaining losses for up to 15 years into the future. These provisions apply to uninsured losses in excess of 10% of the taxpayers' income. These provisions would apply to the counties that were specifically impacted by the freeze.
Water Development
While there’s a considerable media attention on the Legislature’s Special Session on water, it’s difficult to get a handle on whether or not anything will actually get accomplished. At this stage in the process there are four proposals currently pending: *
- The Governor’s $9 billion comprehensive water infrastructure plan is being carried by Senator Dave Cogdill and is contained in two bills SBXX 3 and SBXX 4.
- The Senate Democrats have a $6.4 billion water development proposal in SBXX 1 and SBXX 2 authored by Senate Leader Don Perata.
- In the Assembly the Democrats have a $4 billion water conservation, recycling and groundwater storage proposal being carried by John Laird in ABXX 1, ABXX 2 and ABXX 3.
- Assembly Republicans have a $552 million proposal in ABXX 4 carried by Republican Leader Mike Villines.
The stated goal of all parties is to have a legislative proposal on the February 5 ballot. However, in order to accomplish this, a deal has to be “signed, sealed and delivered” by October 16, a daunting task to say the least. If legislators fail to reach the February ballot, the Special Session continues, which means the 2008 June or November election ballots will be the next opportunities to get something before the electorate.
Welcome Stanislaus Farm Supply
Stanislaus Farm Supply, a cooperative organized in 1949, has joined the Council’s membership. The 2,500 member supply cooperative is headquartered in Modesto with branches in Merced and Yerington, Nevada. Stanislaus Farm Supply sells fertilizer, crop protection, seed, feed, and animal supplies with annual sales exceeding $60 million. It’s great to have them in the Council’s membership!
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