The board held a lengthy discussion on funding alternatives, with significant discussion around exploring a per-well (wellhead) fee rather than re-running the weighted-ballot Prop 218 assessment that failed previously. Under this concept, only well owners would be charged; counsel reviewed that SGMA fee authorities can implicate different constitutional pathways—including that 10730 may be pursued under Prop 26 (no vote), while 10730.2 extraction fees require a Prop 218 majority protest—but the pathway was not decided and counsel flagged the need for further research (including whether "fixed fees" could fit within 10730.2). Several directors emphasized equity concerns from the last cycle—particularly about assessing landowners without wells (including hill-ground ranchers). The board asked counsel to look into whether wellhead fees can be placed on the county tax roll for reliable collection, and counsel noted the need to evaluate how incorporated cities with municipal wells would be handled.
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