C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
– E S T. 18 51
– Weekend Edition – mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2025
VOLUME 174 • ISSUE 30 | $1.00
Supes slash spending ■ Tough budget decisions made as revenues decline Jo Carrerow
impact funding altogether for fiscal year 2025-26. “This call reimbursement for these TOT (Transient Occupant Tax) calls, tourism related How to reduce millions of dollars in expenses calls, absent of the TOT dollars that are generated from El Dorado County’s General Fund was the to offset our responses on those, that shifts right to topic at the April 8 county Board of Supervisors our residents,” EDCFPD Chief Tim Cordero said. meeting, with more than a “We use their property tax dozen county services up for dollars to run these calls … reductions or removal from could be used for other “This has not been a fun process, that the budget. programs, other aspects of but departments are really This is a result of 12 public our district besides these meetings, said Assistant tourism-related calls.” stepping up.” Chief Administrative Looking at the fiscal year — Sue Hennike Officer Sue Hennike, who 2026-27 budget, Schwartz Assistant Chief Administrative Officer along with Deputy Chief said it’s not getting any Administrative Officer better, explaining, “In the Laura Schwartz, gave the last couple of fiscal years, budget presentation. With parks, senior programs, you know, year before last, our property tax the juvenile detention center and Placerville growth was 6.37%. It’s declined to 4.69% this year Aquatic Center funding on the chopping block, the and we are projecting 3.5%. presentation was attended by almost a full house “We want to direct departments to work on of people who spoke in earnest about their various scenarios for a 5% and a 10% budget reduction,” groups’ needs. she told the board, adding they also want to be While working with the budget ad hoc informed about service impacts related to these committee that included Supervisors George reductions. “The reason we want departments to Turnboo and Brian Veerkamp, staff discussed ways work on that now, obviously, is so that we have to close the gap and spread the burden across time to plan and make some good decisions.” departments, Hennike said. Departments had This information would be brought back to the been asked to reduce their collective net county board in the fall. cost by $15.25 million. “This has not been a fun process, but Forebay Park departments are really stepping up,” she added. On the Forebay project, $400,000 from Prop. At the Feb. 11 board meeting, supervisors cut 68 is allocated to go toward a restroom facility and $868,567 in discretionary funding to outside an environmental analysis, which was done for agencies for tourism and economic development, $200,000. along with reducing funding to Planning and “So that’s the part that’s already been spent,” Building and the Department of Transportation Hennike said, adding if the county doesn’t build for tourism-related programs — a $1.3 million the restroom, the grant funding already spent reduction. In addition, they chose to include would have to be paid back. funding for fire districts for tourism impacts Complicating the project is the ADA accessibility at the fiscal year 2024-25 level, $836,595, needed to get to the restrooms, including parking and directed staff to ask fire districts about lot upgrades, which balloons that portion of the their tourism impacts, according to Schwartz. project’s cost to $1 million. Requests from the fire districts and the adjusted “If we took the entire $3 million (needed for) the amounts are as follows: El Dorado County Fire, project, if we took that whole thing away, nothing $92,112 vs. $60,353; North Tahoe, $488,746 vs. would get done out there?” District 5 Supervisor $320,231; Lake Valley, $677,131 vs. $443,662; Brooke Laine asked. and Georgetown Fire, $18,848 vs. $12,349. The “Right. We just don’t have any other funding. adjusted amount comes to $838,595. ■ See BUDGET, page A5 It was recommended April 8 to cut fire tourism Mountain Democrat correspondent
File photo by Laura-Ann M. Charlot
Boats of many sizes will once again race on Folsom Lake waters during the Camellia Cup Regatta this weekend.
Regatta to set sail this weekend News release
T
he Folsom Lake Yacht Club presents the 58th Camellia Cup Regatta at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, Brown’s Ravine, April 12 & 13. Sailboats representing a variety of classes will be competing in the regatta. Camellia Cup marks the official start of the boating season and is one of the region’s premiere sailboat races and a colorful spectacle on Folsom Lake. Boat classes competing will vary in length from 13 to 25 feet, including such boat classes as: Banshees, Buccaneers, Lasers, Lido 14s, VX Ones, Thistles, Day Sailers, Vanguards, Santana 20s, Catalina 22s, Capri 22s and 25s, Cal 22s and 250s, Wavelength 24s, Hunter 270s and various types of multihull boats. For more information visit flyc.org.
Young anglers snag great catches at fishing derby Mountain Democrat staff
P
lacerville’s 38th annual Spring Fishing Derby was a huge success thanks to sponsors from the city of Placerville Recreation and Parks Department, El Dorado County Fish and Game Commission, Placerville Kiwanis Club and Placerville Lions Club. Kids cast their lines at Lumsden Park on Saturday, April 5. All hoped to catch the big one and have a fish tale to share.
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Courtesy photo
The biggest fish of the day at Saturday’s Spring Fishing Derby was caught by Alex A., left, at 24.75 inches long. Olivia Mathieu, right, had a very successful day at the fishing derby and enjoyed every minute. The 6-year-old’s favorite part, she said, was reeling in her fish. Lic # 559305
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