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CSDA has joined a coalition of local government leaders in adopting an Oppose position on Initiative 21-0042A1 and encourages all special districts, partners, and community leaders to join the coalition by passing a board resolution. Once approved, please email your resolution to advocacy@csda.net and consider issuing a press release to local media. Individuals may also register their opposition with the growing coalition by emailing their name, title, and organization.

Special districts can download a sample board resolution and find a full suite of tools and resources at csda.net/take-action.


If Initiative 21-0042A1 qualifies for the November 2022 ballot and is enacted, CSDA anticipates severe consequences for special districts and the communities they serve. Estimated impacts include: 

• Could prevent virtually any new fees or assessments to fund water, sewer, trash, fire protection, parks and recreation, and other essential services and infrastructure.
  • Places over $20 billion of local government fee and charge revenues over 10 years at heightened legal peril.
• Jeopardizes the public health and safety of communities by cutting off new revenue intended to pay for essential local services and infrastructure.
  • Substantially increases the legal and administrative cost of public infrastructure financing.
• With billions of dollars in deferred maintenance and unmet needs for California’s infrastructure, exacerbates the neglect and deterioration of our roads, dams, waterways, and other facilities.
• By limiting revenues to the “minimum amount necessary”, imposes a “race-to-the-bottom” in California that will halt investment in technological advancements that future generations will depend upon.
• Prevents critical investments in climate adaptation and community resilience to address drought, flooding, and wildfire as well as reduce emissions and harmful pollutants.
• Exposes taxpayers to a new wave of costly litigation, limits the discretion and flexibility of locally elected boards to respond to the needs of their communities, and injects uncertainty into the financing and sustainability of critical infrastructure.
• Restricting local services and infrastructure to the lowest and minimum amount possible will disproportionately impact the most underserved communities the hardest.

The initiative includes provisions that would retroactively void all state and local taxes or fees adopted after January 1, 2022 if they did not align with the provisions of this initiative. This may also affect indexed fees that adjust over time for inflation or other factors. Effectively, it would allow voters throughout California to invalidate the prior actions of local voters, undermining local control and voter-approved decisions about investments needed in their communities.

Visit csda.net/take-action to learn more and join our growing coalition.