Yakima County passed an ordinance in late 2017/ early 2018 that is in the view of the Yakima County Farm Bureau and many other organizations and affected citizens a tax on drinking water. It is VERY unpopular and a coalition consisting of the Yakima Association of Realtors, Central Washington Home Builders and the Yakima County Farm Bureau was formed to push back on this intrusive and over reaching action.
The video linked here is a Public Water Forum sponsored by our Coalition plus the Washington State Ground Water Association and the Yakima County Cattlemen Association.
By any estimate prior to the gathering we hoped for 50 to 60 people. One hundred seventy (170) attended!
Some very disturbing and instructive accounts are portrayed in this video!
Yakima County’s answer to the existing District and their taxation of drinking water was to DOUBLE DOWN and make matters worse by EXPANDING the reach of this draconian law.
Our Coalition stood firm and rejected any moves to expand the scope of the District. An example was the inclusion of Stock Water. Other agricultural uses were set to be added to the restrictions. It is undeniable that had our Coalition not been formed and mantained, Yakima County would have included agricultural exempt ground water uses to it’s taxing scheme, stock water being a prime example.
Currently, Yakima County seems to have little interest in moving forward. But our Coalition is not satisfied with the status quo of maintaining what still exists.
It was a DRACONION LAW the moment it was passed and is just as draconion today!
The Yakima County Farm Bureau has no intention of letting go of this issue!