Lake County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Lake County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Special District Election for Fire Protection Tax
A special district election is proposed for March 2, 2027, asking voters to approve a special property tax for fire protection and emergency medical response. The Board was scheduled to order the election and approve the ballot measure language.
Public Works hiring freeze waiver
The county picked its next Public Works Director — the job that runs roads, engineering, and county construction projects. Lars Ewing starts immediately.
Mental health and substance use funding expansion
The Board was scheduled to add roughly $4.9 million to the mental health budget and about $10 million to substance use disorder services, mostly Medi-Cal revenue, plus a $5.4 million contract for psychiatric services including telepsychiatry.
Four-Year Capital Improvement Plans
The county and LACOSAN laid out their project wish lists for the next four fiscal years — the roadmap for infrastructure spending on everything from facilities to sewer systems.
Informal hiring freeze for general fund positions
The county is freezing hiring in all general-fund positions starting July 1 to shore up the budget. The CAO can still approve waivers for critical roles, but expect slower filling of county jobs.
Mobilehome Park Rent Stabilization Update
The Board took a first look at updating the county's mobilehome rent stabilization code — the rules that cap rent increases for mobilehome park residents, many of whom are seniors on fixed incomes. It comes back June 23 for a final vote.
County liability insurance program (PRISM)
The county was scheduled to hear how rising casualty costs are driving up its liability insurance, and whether to give notice on its primary liability coverage with PRISM and amend the joint powers agreement. This affects what the county pays to protect itself from lawsuits.
Mid-Year FY 2025-26 Budget Adjustments
The county tweaked its current-year budget and staffing plan mid-stream, passing both changes after a brief reconsider-and-rescind detour. These adjustments affect which services and positions get funded through June.
Deficit in Tax-Defaulted Land Sales
The Auditor-Controller presented a letter and memo on deficit tax-default land sales and how the Teeter Plan works — but the item was pulled and continued, so no action was taken yet.