LACSD: Payers/Voters

The Community Services District which controls the water and sewer service in Lake Arrowhead and some surrounding areas, was orignally organized under the Government Code to provide & be governed for the benefit of its users (rate payers).

Unfortunately it was organized so that only registered voters in the "District" (the service area that receives service from the water/sewer company) vote to elect its board members and/or serve on its board.

This has resulted in a small local minority controlling the Services District and made it prey to Special Interests.

This also means that the majority of persons who are rate payers have no say in the running of this public entity.

And in some instances registered voters who are not on LACSD's service rolls and who pay no rates and receive no services are entitled to participate not only in the voting process but also may serve on its board.

60% of the ratepayers who are paying for LACSD's past mismanagement and future plans are now not able to vote or serve on its board.

Some household who have service have more than one vote due to the fact that more than one resident is a registered voter.

By the time you limit the voting to only registered voters (with double and sometimes triple voting for some service households who have more than one registered voter living there, the voting by non rate payers) only 30% of the rate payers who pay for LACSD's management decisions--actually have any say in the government of LACSD.

If this public utiilty is going to be run fairly for the benefit of the ratepayers, those who pay the bills, then LACSD must sponsor an initiative to change the law to provide that all rate payers vote and that there shall be only one vote per rate payer. For connections in which two or more rate payers are listed then each should get one vote; but only if they are listed as the rate payers on the billing. That is what this petition is all about.