SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Measures B, E and G will be on the ballot this June in El Dorado County, which generally extend or renew previous measures to continue funding for parks, bike paths, playing fields, the library, as well as ambulance and fire protection. The measures will align with the primary ballots, which will distribute sometime in early May.
Measure B – Library funding
“Shall the measure to renew an existing special tax funding South Lake Tahoe Library services, hours, and operations to avoid reduced hours or closure by levying $25.50 per year per parcel of real property within CSA No. 10 South Lake Tahoe Library Zone of Benefit (Zone F), raising $580,000 annually, subject to annual inflation adjustment not to exceed 3%, for a period of twenty years beginning July 1, 2027 and continuing until June 30, 2048, be adopted?”
This measure renews a special parcel tax that passed with voters in 1995, 2005 and 2014 and does not implement a new tax. The measure start at $25.50 per year per parcel, and only impacts those that are served by the South Lake Tahoe Library, not the entirety of El Dorado County. The tax ends after 20 years, in which case it could be extended or reconsidered. The tax would also increase based on inflation, and at its maximum would represent a $1 increase per year.
Without renewing this tax, county operations would only fund two days of operation for the library. According to Jen Dulyanai, co-chair of the Yes on Measure B committee, the special parcel tax supplies about 75% of the library’s annual budget.
“The South Lake Tahoe Library is not a ‘mandated’ service in El Dorado County, so it is pretty far down the funding priority of the Board of Supervisors,” said Dulyanai. “Now that little money is provided by the state, most California libraries are funded locally by special taxes like Measure B.”
Librarian supervisor Katharine Miller said, “Measure B partially funds our hours of operation, highly qualified library staff and essential resources for our community. This generates the funding that gives you access to thousands of books throughout the state of California, the opportunity to gather together with community members at free library programming and a collaborative workspace with high speed internet.”
Voting yes would generate approximately $580,000 per year to fund the library services. Voting no would not extend the existing parcel tax.
Measure E – Fallen Leaf Lake Fire District
“To fund ambulance and fire protection, shall the measure renewing the Fire Special Tax, originally voter-approved on July 27, 2014, and set annually by the CSD Board, subject to a maximum inflation adjustment of the lesser of 1.5% per year or the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s Consumer Price Index on June 30th of the previous fiscal year, established as: Unimproved 0.5 unit ($330.00); improved 1.0 unit ($660); SSA Sierra Programs LLC (40 units), annual revenue raised of $212,800, be adopted and extended until repealed or replaced?”
This measure would fund advanced life support (written as “ambulance in the measure” and fire protection provided through the Fallen Leaf Lake Fire Department. A version of this measure existed since 2004 as a special assessment, and was changed to a fire special tax in 2014. Two years ago, the cap for the special tax was exceeded and the original measure had a sunset clause that required a revote every four years. This measure would instead extend in perpetuity unless the community put it back on the ballot to review, cancel, change or reduce the rate. In addition, the maximum inflation adjustment would be a rate of 1.5%, and would be considered by the Community Services District board.
Fire Chief Chris Sauer said that the measure only affects Fallen Leaf Lake’s parcels, and the residents already pay the existing annual parcel tax. This also includes the Stanford Sierra Camp, which pays a portion of the tax to fund the emergency services there.
The fire department there has a full-time paramedic who would be funded through this. While Fallen Leaf receives mutual aid from other departments, Sauer said, “It takes extra time to get into Fallen Leaf, and we understand the difference that 20 to 30 minutes can make in an emergency.” Fallen Leaf’s fire department response times are generally within five to eight minutes since they are located within the community.
While the extension in perpetuity would be a concern for other communities, Sauer said that because the community is so small (a little less than 300 residents), it would not be nearly as challenging to get two-thirds support to put the measure back on the ballot.
The funds generated by the special tax could be used for anything relating to fire protection and emergency services through the fire department. This measure has received support historically. Sauer said, “The community at Fallen Leaf has always supported the fire department because they want a department out there.”
Voting yes would continue the existing Fire Special Tax and remove the sunset clause that required it to be voted on every four years. Voting no would lead to significant cuts to the department and the community services they provide to Fallen Leaf Lake.
Measure G – Parks, bike paths, and playing fields
“Shall Community Facilities District No. 2000-1 of the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority be authorized to continue financing maintenance, improvements, and services to bicycle trails, community athletic fields, and Tahoe Paradise Park, with the Bicycle Advisory Committee guiding bicycle trail spending, by continuing to levy special taxes for 30 additional years, beginning July 1, 2030, such special tax rate calculated by property use, generating approximately $645,000 per year, increased by 2% annually, all as provided in South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities Joint Powers Authority Resolution No. 2025-01?”
Measure G extends previous funding from Measure S, which was passed by voters in 2000. Measure S previously lasted until 2030 and purported to raise $600,000 per year for the South Lake Tahoe Ice Arena’s construction, construction and maintenance of athletic fields on or adjacent to Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), to the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District (now the Tahoe Paradise Recreation and Park District) and the maintenance of the park, as well as the maintenance of bike trails. These provisions were amended again by voters through Measure R.
Now, Measure G as proposed by the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Facilities JPA would extend this kind of funding, which is now approximately $645,000 per year. As the JPA proposed, it would also:
- Increase maintenance contributions for LTCC community playfields from $50,000 to $90,000
- Increase maintenance contributions for Tahoe Paradise Park from $50,000 to $135,000
- Provide $90,000 to Lake Tahoe Unified School District for maintenance of their fields
- Increase eligibility for bike trails that receive maintenance funds
- Increase bike trail maintenance funds from $5,000/mile to $10,000/mile
The JPA would also be advised by the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) on the spending of those funds.
Nick Speal, who serves on the BAC and supports Measure G, spoke to the BAC’s role. “A lot of us are people who ride in our community every day and have on-the-ground experience. We write a recommendation on the prioritization of trails to the JPA twice a year.”
Measure S funds went in large part to the construction of the Ice Arena. Now that the Ice Arena is complete, more of these funds can go to the park, bike trails and playing fields—including filling potholes on the trails and maintaining Paradise Park as an amenity that is open to the public.
These funds have acted as a match for other grant-seeking opportunities, helping to leverage more funding for the parks, bike trails and playing fields.
Speal said there was support for the measure from the Tahoe Chamber and Meyers Community Foundation. “The biggest challenge is reminding people that there is an election—we need a two-thirds majority to pass the measure.”
Measures B, E and G will be on the ballot for the June 2 primary election.
