November 11, 2016 – At the most recent Newman Lake Property Owners Association Board Meeting the board members unanimously endorsed the “Fair and Equitable Assessment” Petition. Below is a brief summary of the petition.
You may have had a volunteer ask for your signature on a “Fair and Equitable” assessment petition recently. This is the first step in reviewing and possibly changing how much property owners pay to the Newman Lake Flood Control Zone District (NLFCZD).
The existing system requires owners of 770 property parcels, which make up about 1300 acres of Newman Lake’s 26,000 acre watershed, fund the entire budget for the flood control district which controls the level of the lake. The NLFCZD also manages dam maintenance, water quality and invasive species control efforts in our lake.
Your NLFCZD assessment is based on the valuation of your home and property. Some parcels pay much less than others with similar homes and acreage. Also, people who use the public boat launch pay nothing toward the lake’s maintenance, Spokane County pays nothing, and the State of Washington (which legally owns the lake) pays nothing.
The petition starts the process to revise the way assessments are calculated, which will make it more “fair and equal” in the future, so please consider signing the petition.
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