Special districts in California, and anywhere else, are defined by state law as agencies of the state for the local performance of proprietary or governmental functions within limited boundaries. In simple language, they are some kind of separate local government delivering a limited number of public services to an area that’s geographically limited. Now that you understand what they are, this article takes a look at what they aren’t so you can understand how they function very well.

They aren’t state governments

They are local agencies that deliver particular services to particular communities. Functioning under state regulations, they are autonomous government entities which are also accountable to the landowners and voters that they serve. State officials, nevertheless, oversee them. For instance, they have to send their yearly financial reports to the office of the state’s controller. They must also adhere to the state’s laws for bonded debt, public records, special taxes, public hearings, and elections.

They aren’t cities or county governments

Cities and counties are general purpose governments. Both cities and counties undertake a truly wide array of services for the protection of the safety, health, as well as welfare of all of their citizens. Districts, on the other hand, are limited-purpose governments. They can offer only services that are allowed by state regulations and supported by their community’s residents. Sometimes, city councils or county supervisors are the governing boards of these districts, but legally, the districts are separate local entities. This point seems to be the most confusing for people that keep asking the ‘what is a special district’ question.

They aren’t school districts

School districts are in existence for the provision of one key service – public education. These districts are able to deliver a wide variety of different public services, but education is excluded. The money that the districts use for their functions is mostly gotten from the state government. They depend mostly on locally-generated revenues.

They are not benefit assessment or ‘Mello-Roos’ districts

School districts, cities, counties, and several other districts could produce benefit assessment districts and Mello-Roos Act community facilities districts for the financing of public services and public works. Benefit assessment districts and Mello-Roos districts are only mechanisms for financing and they don’t deliver any services. These districts utilize these financing mechanisms to offer public services.

They aren’t re-developmental agencies

Counties and cities set up community re-developmental agencies to get rid of afflictions by footing the bills for private as well as economic development and public enhancement efforts. These districts aren’t in existence to get rid of afflictions. They are in existence to offer infrastructure and public services that help their various communities, but they aren’t in any way in any business that concerns direct economic development.

This is all that that you need to know about these districts. It is hoped that the information that has been offered by this article will provide you with a much better understanding of special districts in California and the functions that they perform. By clearly explaining what they aren’t, you should now have a clear understanding of what they actually are. And, that should help in understanding how you can enjoy the benefits that they offer.