At a time when many localities and states are agitating to lower their property taxes, homeowners in Anaheim Hills, California, approved a property tax hike that is designed to preserve their community.
According to Realtor.com, the community located 20 minutes from Disneyland has a median listing price of more than $1 million. But the community is also at risk of landslides due to its hilly terrain. Following the 1993 Santiago landslide that wrecked a dozen homes, the community agreed to stabilize the topography by installing 37 dewatering wells that remove more than 10 million gallons of groundwater each year.
However, the wells cost $340,000 a year to operate and budgeted operational funds will expire early next year. Adding to that concern was the recent reclassification of the area by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as being part of a “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.”
To keep the groundwater pump system working, homeowners approved a property tax hike that ranges between $395 and $2,500 annually.
“It’s like paying for insurance,” said James Guziak, chairman of the Santiago Geological Hazard Abatement District. “This is our insurance premium to keep the landslide from occurring.”
Guziak added, “It was very gratifying because there was more community input from people in getting it passed. They realized the seriousness of the situation and started talking with their neighbors. And that made a big difference.”
