Proposition 50 Threatens Nevada County’s Voice

On November 4th, Nevada County voters will decide on Proposition 50, a measure that would let Sacramento politicians throw out the independent, voter-approved redistricting maps and draw new congressional boundaries of their own. It might sound like a technical issue, but the impact on rural counties like ours would be anything but minor. 

When California voters created the Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2008 and further expanded its power to congressional districts in 2010, the goal was to take politics out of the mapmaking process. The commission, made up of citizens from all parties, held open meetings across the state and designed districts that reflected shared interests rather than party lines.

For Nevada County, that meant finally being grouped with other foothill and mountain communities that face the same issues we do: wildfire danger, limited broadband, and cost-of-living challenges. Our current congressional district gives us a voice that understands our region’s geography, economy, and way of life. Proposition 50 would erase that progress. 

If passed, Prop 50 would allow the Legislature to replace those citizen-drawn maps with new ones crafted behind closed doors. Nevada County would likely be absorbed into a Sacramento-centered district—combining our small towns and forested hillsides with urban neighborhoods that have very different priorities.

That change would have serious consequences for our community.

Protect Rural Communities from Wildfire Risk and Rising Insurance Costs

No issue is more pressing here than wildfire. Fire insurance costs have spiraled out of control. Local governments, neighborhood Firewise councils, and volunteers have invested years of effort in prevention and preparedness. State and federal funding for these programs depends on lawmakers who understand rural topography and insurance challenges. Once our district becomes urban-centered, those concerns will compete with housing density and transportation projects that dominate city agendas.

Preserve Funding for Rural Education and Workforce Programs

Nevada County’s small schools depend on programs tailored to rural realities—teacher recruitment incentives, bus-route subsidies, and broadband expansion. Our Sierra College campus also relies on state and federal grants for workforce training. These needs could easily be drowned out in a district dominated by Sacramento’s large urban districts.

Support Infrastructure and Balanced Policies

Our economy runs on small business, local manufacturing, and outdoor recreation. We need infrastructure that supports that—reliable internet, safe roads, and balanced environmental regulations. Representatives from urban districts will naturally focus on high-density housing and commuter transit, not the challenges of running a business in a rural county.

Protect Local Control Over Water and Land Use

Nevada County’s watersheds support both local recreation and downstream agriculture. The California Farm Bureau warns that Prop 50 would “split rural communities and concentrate political power in urban centers.” That means decisions about forest management, water rights, and land use could be made by people with little connection to our mountains or our way of life. 

The financial side is just as troubling. The special election alone will cost taxpayers as much as $300 million—money that could be better spent supporting fire districts, funding Proposition 36, or improving rural broadband. And beyond the cost, Proposition 50 overturns what voters already decided—twice—when we put redistricting in the hands of independent citizens instead of politicians.

Nevada County’s identity is built on local control and civic engagement. Our residents take pride in doing things transparently, fairly, and close to home. Proposition 50 moves power in the opposite direction, away from the people and into Sacramento’s backrooms.

This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s a question of whether small, rural counties like ours continue to have a meaningful say in state and national decision-making. Once our foothill voice is lost in a Sacramento-dominated district, it may never return.

When your ballot arrives, remember what makes Nevada County unique: independence, fairness, and community spirit. Let’s keep our representation rooted in the Sierras, not in Sacramento.

Join me in voting NO on Proposition 50 to protect Nevada County’s voice and ensure our rural communities continue to be heard.