An Independent Special District, what does that mean?  
Rim of the World Recreation and Park District is an independent special district created under California law to provide local government services. Special districts come in all sizes, and ours is on the smaller side—operating on a $1.131 million budget this year. About two-thirds of that comes from a fixed $22 annual per-parcel property tax approved by voters in 2010—unchanged for 16 years—and the rest comes from use fees. With that modest funding, we serve an expansive 110-square-mile community—stretching every dollar to maximize programs, parks, and services for local families. What makes us special? Focused services. Special districts like ours exist to deliver specific public services right where communities want them, with local control and accountability.

Responsibility to Provide a Wide Variety of Services
Since the Rim of the World Recreation and Park District is located in a resort area, our services are not limited to just locals and/or permanent residents or part-time residents, but to all who visit the mountain communities. Even those residents not located within our boundaries, but who own property in our mountain community can benefit from the use of our services. Unlike other Special Districts, our mandate and the services provided have resulted in a great range of opportunities for public recreation.

Benefits of Special Districts
According to the State Legislative Analyst, independent special districts have consistently shown the slowest rate of spending growth for local governments. We believe this is due to the high degree of accountability to the public and to the specific nature of the services provided by special districts. In the case of the Rim of the World Recreation and Park District, it’s due also to our fixed-rate tax source that does not adjust for inflation but must be supplemented by increasing efficiency and other measures. The Rim of the World Recreation and Park District is considered an independent special district because we are directly accountable to our constituents, not another layer of local government and have an elected board that sets policy.
 

Districts Make the Difference
California special districts are much more than local service providers. These local agencies enable their constituents to have local control and are passionate about providing high-quality services and resources in the most efficient and effective manner. Find out more about the impact special districts are having and how they benefit the millions of Californians who use their services.

For more information, please visit Districts Make the Difference.