Property Tax Increase Aims To Improve Sacramento's Flood Control

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Ballots are going out asking Sacramento-area residents to consider approving a new property tax for flood control.

Without that tax, some warn new building moratoriums could go into effect beyond the one that was recently lifted in Natomas.

Longtime residents remember the region's past flooding problems. Experts warn there could be $40 billion to $50 billion in damage if certain levees fail.

MORE: Estimate What Your Property Tax Might Be Under This Proposal

The proposed tax would improve levees on the Sacramento and American rivers, as well as local creeks and Folsom Dam.

Tuesday was the first of 13 neighborhood meetings pitching the idea to homeowners.

But some aren't sure. Sacramento Taxpayers Association president Katy Grimes is concerned the money may not be well spent.

"We know we have a problem with wasting government in general; our question is is this an agency that's just seeking to grow or is there really a problem that needs to be addressed," she said.

The goal is to get Sacramento up to a 200-year flood standard now required by the state. The proposal would affect 160,000 properties in Sacramento and would raise an additional $240 million for flood control projects if passed. The average cost to homeowners would be about $42 a year, depending on the neighborhood and size of the home.

If the tax fails, flood control officials warn flood insurance rates will rise and a new building band will likely go into effect in Natomas and other parts of the city.

Ballots must be mailed in by June 13. The tax would start appearing in 2017 if it passes.