[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5975108,"mediaKeyId","5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea","parentId",5844274,"title","Canyon Lake council introduces ordinance to repeal water and sewer utility taxes after court rulings","audioSeconds",322,"startMs",4000000,"endMs",4322000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea&start=4000&end=4322","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea/thumbnail_4000000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5975108/Canyon-Lake-City/Riverside-County/California/Canyon-Lake-council-introduces-ordinance-to-repeal-water-and-sewer-utility-taxes-after-court-rulings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975108-58f507fb85b20afc2927a7fc2e117452/orig.mp4?Expires=1773334789&Signature=Ejr-iqgEAsp2y0FrvhfcDl2wWR4He2hJq7fSL6EsOELDSzDYg1pMoQD9n8k~Z6zWuAEtQdbmWevCVKy5yk-yZxXnBpJOUkKAqQPkVWcN92YA4Qxm3FvSrZvol-oU9PIEb4ENBhzDiVNeQiBPEDLHHHEzzc72lNANvuTpKUeMYyEBZw6eY2RoSTOIXrp0M0Ile8YqL5syVtupdtl-7P91Myq794Vy3T2UDvjvfVdi3dPXXwqPyHCBRTcPR189qMdJ--C9mkXhg4OIsJjuHkp5MvT81ZHaE7ahy-OqUFNdzwAyOT5xGMTw4TxD6Y~4eW4jOyezNDln0flt0ySLL6ir4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Canyon Lake CA","date","2025-09-24T15:10:25Z","article","Canyon Lake — The Canyon Lake City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to introduce by title Ordinance 263 to repeal the municipal code sections that established the city’s water and sewer utility user taxes, a step city staff said is required after state court rulings.

Why it matters: City Attorney Stephen Graham told the council the sections in question had been challenged under Proposition 218 and that the trial court and an appellate court found the code language did not comply because the tax was not sufficiently designated for a specific purpose. He said the council must repeal the code sections to comply with the court order.

Graham explained the legal difference: “A special tax is designated for a specific purpose, whereas a general tax can be spent for any purpose. A general tax must be approved by at least two‑thirds of the voters, whereas a general tax can be approved by a simple majority, 50% plus 1.” He said the city’s utility user tax had been approved by more than two‑thirds of voters but nonetheless was invalidated because it was not limited to a specific purpose.

After the city attorney’s remarks, Mayor Pro Tem Castillo stressed the impact of revenue uncertainty on municipal budgeting and operations. “Our income streams are being assaulted every year,” Castillo said, urging creative budgeting and the use of reserves. The council approved introduction by title with a roll-call vote of 5‑0.

The vote to introduce Ordinance 263 starts the formal process of repealing the code sections (identified in the staff report as sections 3.260.09 — water users tax — and 3.260.100 — sewer users tax). City staff said they will inform the superior court that the city is taking steps to comply with the court order and will return with necessary implementing language.

Council members discussed general budget pressures and cited previous decisions to localize fire and public‑safety services as ways to gain cost control. The city attorney and council did not present specific replacement revenue proposals at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 23, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City Attorney Stephen Graham told the council that appellate rulings required repeal of the city’s water- and sewer-utility-user-tax code sections; the council voted to introduce Ordinance 263 by title to comply with the court order.","taxTitle","Canyon Lake City, Riverside County, California","taxId",72184,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5975112,"Water district says county cemetery proposal needs more environmental work; residents urged to keep opposing plan",378,1660000,2038000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea&start=1660&end=2038","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea/thumbnail_1660000.jpg","/articles/5975112/Canyon-Lake-City/Riverside-County/California/Water-district-says-county-cemetery-proposal-needs-more-environmental-work-residents-urged-to-keep-opposing-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975112-21bb8e0095e10ceb1babf32e11b17c85/orig.mp4?Expires=1773334789&Signature=fGm-pyocGKyKH55qjEps9qJs7dRL5GTjMW5y~hjuwB7qXgf4PCygAkh0dlJ3U7Yw6r0yaTwrglGLl60lJo2t72JV0tuxWm9GqO1PNwa0LjwHSvYnpjl5pgEPWHg~x77umNb2rJDOc3oJTK7s4e4qZonTLHV5Y7bd741nFzdU0-gB2bG3LN9napLKInC6ipq6rxmHkBfaetbfRSdzMcerqckvtg-dvuMxOfva6hBKcIA05lo2eeMyPF9A0L1y89nxwWaiTgelQLYqwkUz3JqVlnDrxqUq7XZ9zwNTPSwykNUirw5uGypY3jna7ZkpuObf~abDuwPmolMzkJao7nPKng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Canyon Lake — Darcy Burke, director of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, told the Canyon Lake City Council on Tuesday that the county’s environmental study of a proposed cemetery project near the reservoir had “deficiencies” and would need to be redone before it moves to the county planning commission.

Why it matters: Burke said the proposed project raises potential drinking-water concerns and falls under protections in the Safe Drinking Water Act and California’s Title 22 standards. Revisions to the environmental review and further input from state and federal regulators would be required before the project advances.

Burke told the council the district had reviewed the county’s report with outside experts and that an academic water expert told the district there was “no known mitigation for what they are proposing.” She said staffers had asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 9 and the Regional Water Quality Control Board to review the project; neither agency, she said, had yet weighed in. “The individual that did the study for the county is a traffic engineer, not a water quality engineer,” Burke said.

Burke and council members described active community organizing on both sides. Burke said resident opposition had generated “over 3,400” signatures, while she estimated supporters’ petitions numbered “6 or 8.” She told residents the Safe Drinking Water Act allows communities to oppose projects that may contaminate drinking-water sources and encouraged continued public engagement.

Burke also warned of potential wholesale rate increases elsewhere in the district: referencing another Metropolitan Water District project under consideration, she said a wholesale rate could increase “six times. So instead of $1,700 you’re looking at $6,800 an acre foot.” Burke said her agency had hired additional technical consultants, including an algae and limnology expert, to review operations and treatment options.

City officials and the water district said the process is ongoing and likely to extend into next year before any planning-commission hearing. The council and Dawn residents were invited to public information sessions; Burke said she would post a plain-language fact sheet and a more technical second page on her “Burke for Water” page and welcomed direct calls from residents with technical questions.

The council balance of comments urged continued public involvement: Council member Jeremy Smith and Mayor Pro Tem Castillo thanked Burke for her outreach and said the city would host community coffees and information sessions in October. Burke said the district’s front-page materials would explain maximum contaminant levels in parts per billion and parts per million, with technical contact information for residents who want further details.","Darcy Burke, director of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, told the Canyon Lake City Council the county's environmental study of a proposed cemetery project had deficiencies, that state and federal water agencies had not yet weighed in, and that residents' grassroots opposition remains active.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5975117,"Canyon Lake names Riverside County captain its first police chief",1368,210000,1578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea&start=210&end=1578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844274-9e5c4da1a1e155fc239a88bbd01abaea/thumbnail_210000.jpg","/articles/5975117/Canyon-Lake-City/Riverside-County/California/Canyon-Lake-names-Riverside-County-captain-its-first-police-chief","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975117-4dca77fe9d39911b7b5b7a5d3e8a8170/orig.mp4?Expires=1773334789&Signature=IQKJSOfNpoLDmNhZOSXGpa5PSFHp6PbER8WpfJbBHzq-3AV8l70lQ4krFG7Lx7c9vCGEySdXL0BwHtimamd7hzk2ttt~FqdV7Rd7k0TLth~jsByEJxahsM~n-dO2~3dILYyAeP~9eScVb~27cbMb3MSwruPlg8jRexVXS3kVQOGzICB2Ap1GOF7dx50eOV9ouWdyx8QMdomuciHD~bMsuwF~9vpAIza1RpSkNBLKf2P4QHdsjJsKwmDOXd2MW7KsT-L~4pwgHdDmR2s7eBYAHbxzIB9OkcTMxynhr1usqtv0kMRofeQgXShhD7WojUwZSkjkcJ0QyzXnbcizAfJ18w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Canyon Lake — City Manager Aaron Brown on Tuesday introduced James “Jim” Rails as the city’s first police chief after Rails’ nearly 30-year career with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. “The choice of police chief will probably be one of the most important decisions of my career,” Brown said, adding that he sought a leader who could “build a police department but also build a legacy.”

Why it matters: The announcement formalizes a step in Canyon Lake’s long-running move toward local control of policing. The council and city manager said a locally controlled department will allow the city to set recruiting priorities, expand volunteer and reserve programs and shape day-to-day policing to the community’s expectations.

Brown told the council he had discussed retirement timelines with Rails and that Rails’ retirement from the sheriff’s office aligned with the city’s hiring schedule. “I joke that I knew before Jim knew because there was no doubt in my mind he was the right chief for this city,” Brown said. Rails spoke to the council about his experience in corrections, patrol, special enforcement, lake patrol and investigations and said he had spent more than 13 years stationed at the local station; for the past five and a half years he had served as the city’s chief law enforcement officer under the sheriff’s office. “I know exactly what you’re looking for,” Rails said. “You want officers out there in the community, a robust volunteer program, a reserve program, and you want your officers out there in the community, talking to all your constituents.”

Council members praised Rails’ community engagement and experience. Council member Jeremy Smith said Rails “answered every single question” and “offered a relationship with our residents.” Council member Welty and others said Rails was already well known in neighboring jurisdictions and that his local relationships would smooth the transition. One council member noted the new chief had signed a five‑year contract, a detail Rails referenced during his remarks.

No formal council vote to appoint Rails was recorded in the meeting transcript; the city manager presented him publicly and the council offered congratulatory remarks. Brown and Rails described recruitment and staffing goals, including bringing experienced investigators and sergeants to the new department under a different retirement system that the city manager said would help recruit candidates.

The city did not present a written appointment document during the meeting. Council members and community organizations offered informal endorsements from the dais; the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association and other speakers welcomed the announcement and said they expect continued collaboration between police and other public safety agencies.

The city manager and Rails said implementation steps — staffing, reserve and volunteer recruitment, and station operations — are next. Officials repeatedly emphasized that Rails already has relationships with local public safety leaders and a working familiarity with Canyon Lake’s community expectations.

For more: The city manager said he and Rails will continue transition discussions; residents with questions were invited to city events the manager and council announced later in the meeting.","City Manager Aaron Brown introduced James “Jim” Rails as Canyon Lake’s first police chief, saying Rails will build the new department and help recruit experienced officers; council members offered public praise but no formal council vote was recorded at the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Canyon Lake council introduces ordinance to repeal water and sewer utility taxes after court rulings

Water district says county cemetery proposal needs more environmental work; residents urged to keep opposing plan

Canyon Lake names Riverside County captain its first police chief