Proposed amendments to a bill that could loosen restrictions on Indian uses of public land are being opposed by the Board of Supervisors. The proposed amendments could provide Native American tribes or tribal groups with the authority to seek immediate cancellation of the Williamson Act contract by qualifying a myriad of new uses on public land in public interest. In other words, it would loosen the regulations on activities that could be viewed as publicly beneficial on lands in which Tribes have an interest. “This indicates one more time that some powerful sovereign people realize that by using our legislation they can gain more power,” said activist Debbie Dunn during public comment at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisor Louis Boitano focused on the long term perspective when referring to what could be more lax regulations against tribal development. “Smaller, financially strapped counties wouldn’t have the resources to go into the cost of litigation- like us,” he said. In addition, members of the California State Association of Counties wrote a letter to State Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, who introduced the amendments.

The letter states: “These proposed amendments are in conflict with this policy and make a mockery of the County’s most successful voluntary farmland conservatory program.” The California Land Conservation Act of 1965--commonly referred to as the Williamson Act--enables local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use. In return, landowners receive property tax assessments which are much lower than normal because they are based upon farming and open space uses as opposed to full market value. The Board unanimously voted against the amendments.