Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 1773 (Patterson) - Williamson Act: Subvention Payments

RCRC has expressed support for Assembly Bill 1773, authored by Assembly Member Jim Patterson (R-Fresno), which appropriates $40 million dollars in the 2022-23 budget for subvention payments to counties for tax revenues forgone due to participation in the California Land Conservation Act (Williamson Act). 

As a state-established program that preserves agricultural and open space lands, The Williamson Act has been very effective in protecting over 16.5 million acres or nearly one-third of all privately-owned land in California. 

The Williamson Act was intended to be a partnership among the state, counties, and landowners. However, State subventions have not been paid to counties since 2009. 

Without these payments counties have struggled to fully fund public priorities, such as public safety staffing. The continued lack of state support threatens to reverse the decades of agricultural preservation and conservation gains under the Act. 

Read RCRC’s letter of support here. For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Mary-Ann Warmerdam.