Whitehawk Ranch 37% Tax Increase Passes With One-Vote Margin

WHITEHAWK — The Mountain Messenger has obtained official final results for the Whitehawk Ranch Community Services District special election on April 14. Measure A passed with 48 yes votes and 22 no votes out of 70 total ballots cast – just one vote beyond the required two-thirds threshold of 47 votes. Voter turnout reached 63.06%, as 70 of 111 registered voters in the district participated.

Measure A increases the existing parcel assessment by 37%. Residential owners will pay an additional $231 per year, bringing the total to $848.50. Commercial parcels increase by $462 annually, reaching $1,079.50. The new rates take effect with the 2026-2027 tax year, followed by 2.5% annual increases thereafter.

Revenue from the tax supports ongoing maintenance, repairs, operations, and upgrades across district properties and services. Eligible uses include the swimming pool, spa, tennis and pickleball courts, gazebo, community center, exercise building, bocce ball court, horseshoe area, pond, equestrian center, RV storage, burn pile, and roughly 100 acres of hiking trails plus open space. Defensible space work along the trails also qualifies for funding. The tax applies to every property owner inside district boundaries and appears on Plumas County property tax bills.

Plumas County officials placed Measure A on the ballot at the district board’s request in October 2025. The special election proceeded entirely by mail. Ballots needed to arrive by 8 PM on election day or carry a postmark dated April 14. An impartial analysis prepared by Plumas County Counsel stated that the district may spend the funds only on the purposes listed in the measure.

The increase will first appear on the December 2026 county tax bills. District leaders have stated that the additional revenue will help cover rising costs, rebuild reserves, and keep recreational amenities safe and functional for residents.