WSP08827 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

In comparison with the Paonia Project definite plan report estimate of $2.96 per acre-foot, this is an increase of $1.04 per acre-foot or about a 35 percent increase. Total payment capacity for the 20,100 acre-feet of project water would increase from $59,500 to $80,400 annually. By law, conservancy districts are permitted to aSSeSS and collect ad valorem taxes to assist in the payment for irrigation projects that they sponsor within their boundaries. The North Fork Water Conservancy District in 1970 had an assessed valuation of $8,519,000. At a l-mill levy, the'District could have realized $8,500 from ad valorem taxes. An additional $2,000 annual income is also available to the district from water rentals to the Ragged Mountain Water Users. Thus the. Con- servancy District could collect a total of $10,500 per year to assist in the repayment of the district's obligation to the United States and assist the project water users in paying O&M costs. A comparison of the annual payment capacities presented in the May 1957 Paonia Project Definite PIan .report and present estimated capacity is shown below. Project water users Non- project water users North Fork Water Conservancy. District Annual Water . A.F. 20,100 36,500 Capacity DPR Per AF 2.96 .63 Total 1/ 59,500 2/ 23,000 -/ 6,000 2 88,500 Present Based on Grand Mesa Per AF Total 4.00 /0,400 .85 !t. 31,000 10,500 'iJ 121,900 1/ Includes $22,000 O&M pIus $37,500 estimated repayment capacity from DPR May 1957 l/ DPR May 1957, Estimated O&M cost without project based on 1954-56 prices, this does not reflect payment capacity 3/ Ad valorem tax at I-mill available to conservancy district ft./ $.63 indexed to $.85 using Bureau O&M index - 1955 to 1970, this does not reflect payment capacity i/ Available ad valorem tax at 1 mill pIus $2,000 per year from rental of water to Ragged Mountain Water Users . A requirement of the Colorado R.ive~ Storage Project authorizing . legislation of 1956 provided tbs t the contrac"ting agency should be one with taxing powers so that itcould assist in paying some of the pro- ject costs through ad valorem taxes. Based on this requirement, the Bureau adopted the policy that contracting districts for participating projects should collect one mill ad valorem tax to assist in meeting project costs including both O&M and repayment. One mil1 ad valorem tax would have made $6,000 available for assistance at the time of the DPR in 1957, $8,500 avallable in 1970 and by the end of the 68 year repayment period an estimated $31,000. .1 ! I , . . l ~