Claremont officials urge property owners who have not submitted a protest form for the Clean Water, Clean Beaches measure to do so by emailing WQFI.Info@dpw.lacounty.gov. The city of Claremont submitted its protest along with the Los Angeles Business Federation and educators across the Los Angeles County in November to fight that countywide tax initiative. Local administrators believe the measure could cost the city up to $102,702.58 a year.

Proposed by the Los Angeles Flood Control District (LAFCD), Clean Water, Clean Beaches proposes charging property owners countywide with a new annual tax to help pay for water quality projects. The Clean Water fee is expected to cost the average single-family homeowner in Claremont $54 a year for a total of $1,539,658 annually.

Only 40 percent of the funds collected will even be returned to the city for use in its water treatment, city officials have added. To be counted, protests must be received by the end of the public hearing period on March 12 and include the parcel’s site address, Assessor’s Parcel Number, the name of the parcel owner, as well as the signature of the parcel owner or an authorized representative. Only scanned or photographed email protests with a handwritten signature will be accepted. For more information, please visit www.lacountycleanwater.org.