Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tulare County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
20 issues in taxes budget
FEMA reimbursement for 2023 floods and 2020 fire secured
Three and a half years after the 2023 floods, the county is still owed about $42 million for 37 road and bridge projects, and nothing has been obligated since September 2025. The board approved a blunt letter demanding federal intervention, warning bridges in places like Three Rivers still need repair.
Forcum-Mackey construction contract increases
Two big county building projects cost more than planned: the Goshen Fire Station grew by about $536,000 and the Assessor relocation by about $40,000 due to unforeseen conditions.
State legislative developments affecting the county
Three state water bills remain alive this session — AB 2180, SB 1125, and SB 1417 — while several others died or were suspended. The subcommittee took no position on any of them.
SJV Biodiesel assessment appeal settlement
Twelve Dollar Tree store assessment appeals were denied because no company representative appeared. The property assessments now stand as issued.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Response
Supervisor Micari reported the county's pointed letter to FEMA finally got a response after a year and a half of silence on disaster recovery questions.
IHSS Caregiver Wages
SEIU 2015 home care providers told the board they earn $17.50 an hour while the county's living wage is over $24, and that the county's bargaining offer was a nickel, later a dime. They urged the board to invest in caregivers who keep seniors and people with disabilities out of institutions.
Employee health plan premium increases
The top 10 claimants account for $11.6 million in costs, led by two newborns with catastrophic congenital conditions and four cancer patients. Anthem described case management programs to manage these cases, and the board asked for a written summary going forward.
2027 Assessment Appeals Calendar
The board set the hearing schedule for property assessment appeals next year, with minor changes. These are the dates residents and businesses can contest their property valuations.
FY 2026/27 County Budget Adoption
The preliminary budget projects $187.1 million in revenue and an $8.089 million fiscal year deficit, with claims spend raised dramatically from the prior consultant's estimates. A 50% stop loss premium increase is budgeted conservatively, and the plan will test the market against the captive arrangement.
RMA permitting technology and customer-service upgrades
The county is rolling out tech to make dealing with the permit center less painful: a lobby wait-time kiosk starting September 21, a searchable internal Q&A database, an upgraded interactive zoning map, and a mobile app ('Tulare County Connects') for reporting potholes and code issues with photos.
Board meeting video streaming
The board decided to keep audio-only meeting broadcasts rather than turn on the video equipment installed five years ago, on a 3-2 vote. Supporters of video said constituents — including homebound and rural residents — deserve to see their government; the majority cited existing audio access and meeting locations.
2026-27 Assessment Roll Grows 4% to $55 Billion
Tulare County's property tax roll is up about $2 billion to $55.08 billion, with residential values leading growth at nearly 7%. At roughly 1% under Prop 13, that's about $550 million in countywide tax revenue — and it affects what every property owner's assessment looks like.
Flood Control District budget squeeze from liability insurance
The district takes in about $1 million a year in property tax but will pay roughly $790,000 a year in self-insured liability costs through 2031 after past flood-related claims. That leaves about five years of essentially no net revenue, with projects funded from one-time reserves.
Remote meeting attendance to fix quorum problems
The subcommittee discussed adopting a resolution to stream Water Commission meetings online, similar to the flood control commission, though elected members would still be required to attend in person.
Fiscal Year 2027 audit plan selections
The county's internal audit office is fully staffed again and will spend about 3,330 hours on audits this year. The committee picked the District Attorney's payroll and Solid Waste cash receipts for in-depth audits based on the annual risk assessment. Cash handling at solid waste sites has had shortages and overages, which drove that pick.
Updated Internal Audit Charter under new global standards
The audit office rewrote its charter to match the Institute of Internal Audits' new global standards, spelling out the department's independence, authority, and duty to report to the audit committee. A peer review of the department is also scheduled this year.
Measure R renewal on the horizon
Supervisors Micari and Vander Poel warned the 30-year Measure R half-cent sales tax — which has delivered billions for county roads — is past halfway and will need voter renewal, in a tough tax climate.
State budget cuts to health and human services
Legislators and the Governor are negotiating a budget that could delay anticipated cuts to CalFresh and Medi-Cal by at least a year. County staff also flagged HR 1 Medi-Cal changes coming January 2027, though Tulare County expects relatively few coverage losses.
Statutory filing deadlines leave no room for hardship appeals
A business owner hit by a yearlong road closure and Southern California fires asked the board to accept her late appeals for 2022-2024. Board members explained that state law strictly limits filing deadlines and disaster-relief windows, leaving the board no discretion — a frustration for taxpayers who miss the window.
Shrinking funding and rising recidivism
People placed into housing through earlier ERF rounds are timing out and falling back into homelessness — recidivism is over 30 percent in Continuum of Care programs. With federal HUD dollars shifting away from permanent housing and Emergency Housing Vouchers ending in December, members urged helping tenants boost income and coordinating scarce vouchers across agencies.