The EMID Is Born

Created in 1960, the Estero Municipal Improvement District became a self-governing entity with a Board of Directors. The three original members of this Board were elected on the basis of "one vote per one dollar of assessed valuation" of land in the District. In other words, the more land owned, the larger the voting power, which consequently gave Foster complete sway in running the district (such an arrangement was necessary because the "City" had no residents at the time). The District provided the developers the "unlimited ability" to sell bonds to finance the infrastructure development of Foster City. The bonds were to be paid back through the levying of assessments on property based upon future development; a method of raising revenue otherwise known as the "Zones of Benefit" method of taxation. In Article 10.5 of the Estero Municipal Improvement Act, the Zones of Benefit method is explained as "....the District may be divided into zone or zones according to such benefits" received, allowing revenues to thus "be levied and collected upon the taxable property within each zone in accordance with the percentage of the sum to be raised each year in such zone by the levy and collection of said tax."