Sunshine Review:Requests for expansion
From Sunshine Review
[edit] List articles below you'd like to see expanded
I'd like to see the Transparency project and "My Government Website" expanded to include California Special Districts.
California has 3,361 "Special Districts", about two-thirds of which have their own separate boards of directors elected by the districts' own voters. In some unincorporated towns, their community services district is analogous to a city government. Special districts often escape wide public attention because their functions are narrow and technical. Special districts, however, must conform to democratic safeguards such as the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, and the Political Reform Act. Special districts are primarily accountable to the voters who elect their boards of directors and the customers who use their services.
Special districts generate revenue from several sources. Some collect fees to fund their activities, while others rely more heavily on property tax revenues. All districts can issue bonds to pay for capital improvements. Special districts' total long-term bonded debt is approximately $13 billion. Special districts' general obligation bonds are backed by property taxes and require 2/3-voter approval. Special districts' revenue bonds are paid from user fees and don't necessarily need voter approval.
Larger independent districts have a professional manager, similar to a city manager or county administrator, to assist the governing officials. The governing boards adopt policies that the general managers carry out.
However, although they are not functions of the state, the state also provides critical oversight to special district operations. Special districts must submit annual financial reports to the State Controller and must also follow state laws pertaining to public meetings, bonded debt, record keeping and elections.
California State Controller's summary of the revenue, spending, and debt for FY 2006-2007:
• Total revenues were $37.56 billion. Non-Enterprise General Purpose transactions, mainly property taxes and the proceeds of long-term debt, was $11.44 billion. • Total expenditures were $35.62 billion. Non-Enterprise General Purpose transactions, mainly salaries, wages and benefits, and fixed assets, accounted for the largest portion of reported expenditures, with $10.47 billion. • Total outstanding long-term debt was $67.98 billion. Revenue Bonds accounted for the largest portion of the debt, with $43.29 billion.
