January 7, 2016
Sacramento, CA – Senator Mike McGuire and Assemblymember Bill Dodd announced that the Governor’s budget, released this morning, includes millions of dollars to assist Lake County in the long recovery from the devastating Valley Fire.
Since the start of the Valley Fire – the third most destructive in state history – Dodd and McGuire have been active on the ground in Lake County working to ensure residents have the resources they need to recover and rebuild.
Specifically, the budget includes $1.3 million to cover lost property, sales and bed tax revenue for Lake County. The Valley Fire damaged or destroyed more than 1,900 structures including homes, apartment buildings and multiple businesses, resulting in over $1 billion in damage and significant lost tax revenue for the county as well as other special districts.
The budget also includes $2.2 million for the South Lake County Fire Protection District, which is located in the heart of the Valley Fire burn zone. The Fire District needed these funds to ensure the residents of the region continue to receive robust fire and emergency services throughout the year.
The State has also committed additional CALFIRE personnel in the Valley Fire zone. These enhanced staffing levels – which have already been embedded in the District – will ensure residents have the emergency resources needed to respond to any El Niño related storm impacts.
“Assemblymember Dodd and I have been working overtime with the Governor’s Office to ensure Lake County has the resources needed to recover, rebuild and thrive,” Senator McGuire said. “These funds will be immediately put to work to ensure the county and emergency services don’t miss a beat serving local communities. We’re grateful for the partnership with Governor Brown and appreciate his continued dedication to Lake County.”
Senator McGuire and Assemblymember Dodd worked with the Governor’s office and Lake County officials – for the last several months – to secure this budget allocation.
“When natural disasters strike, it’s critical the state of California helps impacted communities, and receiving these funds in Governor Brown’s budget is a critical step towards recovery from the Valley Fire,” Assemblymember Dodd said. “These funds will help residents receive critical services, especially fire protection and emergency services. Senator McGuire has been a great partner in advocating for our communities, and we will continue fighting to get the residents of Lake County the help they need to recover and thrive.”
In addition to the $3.5 million allocated in the Governor’s budget for Lake County property tax relief due to the Valley Fire, schools in Lake County will receive property tax backfill funding from Proposition 98, which is the previously guaranteed source of funding to cover lost property tax revenues for school districts.
