INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Schedule of income tax expense (benefit)

Income tax expense (benefit) consisted of the following:



	Federal			State			Total
2016
Current	$	130		$	2		$	132
Deferred	26,603			81			26,684
Total	$	26,733		$	83		$	26,816
2015
Current	$	9,591		$	1,706		$	11,297
Deferred	15,374			(1,382		)	13,992
Total	$	24,965		$	324		$	25,289
2014
Current	$	(16,509	)	$	(1,852	)	$	(18,361	)
Deferred	44,730			1,603			46,333
Total income tax	$	28,221		$	(249	)	$	27,972

Schedule of difference between the total income tax expense and computed tax expense

The difference between the recorded and the statutory income tax expense was reconciled in the table below:



	2016			2015			2014
Statutory income tax	$	26,422		$	24,607		$	29,649
Increase (reduction) in taxes due to:
State income taxes net of federal tax benefit	4,341			4,043			4,871
Effect of regulatory treatment of fixed asset differences	(4,298		)	(3,450		)	(5,541		)
Investment tax credits	(74		)	(74		)	(74		)
Other	425			163			(933		)
Total income tax	$	26,816		$	25,289		$	27,972

Schedule of tax effects of differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities

The tax effects of differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2016 and 2015 are presented in the following table:



	2016		2015
Deferred tax assets:
Developer deposits for extension agreements and contributions in aid of construction	$	46,318	$	45,670
Net operating loss carryforward and tax credits	12,348		15,042
Pension	9,865		7,922
Other	5,651		3,341
Total deferred tax assets	74,182		71,975
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property related basis and depreciation differences	347,071		309,088
WRAM/MCBA and interim rates balancing accounts	20,714		23,894
Other	5,321		3,890
Total deferred tax liabilities	373,106		336,872
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	298,924	$	264,897

Schedule of reconciliation of changes in unrecognized tax benefits

The following table reconciles the changes in unrecognized tax benefits:



	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015		December 31, 2014
Balance at beginning of year	$	10,298	$	7,916	$	612
Additions for tax positions taken during prior year	—		—		7,304
Additions for tax positions taken during current year	201		2,382
Reductions for tax positions taken during a prior year	—		—		—
Lapse of statute of limitations	—		—		—
Balance at end of year	$	10,499	$	10,298	$	7,916