Financial report shows county has robust economy, healthy budget

With housing sale prices increasing so much why should our property tax rate remain the same as related to this higher value? Yes, this gives our County more dollars to spend but should not the tax rate be reduced especially when the property taxes far exceed the dollars needed to support our County services?

Here's a novel idea. Instead of reducing tax rates because of a robust economy, how about we take the surplus and set it aside for the next recession. One will come. Then we won't have to scrimp, cut services, etc when that happens. I know the idea of saving money in today's society is anathema, but it's worth discussing.

" how about we take the surplus and set it aside for the next recession."

This is exatly what the Fire District does - it has a Reserve for future CalPERS assessments (the budgeted employer rate is set at a higher rate than the actual current rate and the difference is allocated to this reserve fund) and a Reserve for future revenue short falls -the Budgetary Deficit Reserve.

Peter:

to bad the county and the rest of the cities served by the fire district don't follow the district's sound financial planning. Hopefully Calpers won't repeat its mistake of cutting retirement funding requirements from the municipalities it serves.

A rainy day fund is a great idea, but it also makes sense to use some of the the new proceeds to make housing more affordable for civic workers that aren't riding the housing appreciation elevator. The same appreciation of properties, taxes and rents that giveth, taketh away from these employees. And I, for one, believe that a city is better served by workers who live in the same city.