Water initiative proposing use of 2% of general fund expected to be withdrawn says news report
-January 28,2022–
Drought or no drought, a ballot measure to use 2% of the state’s general fund to pay to improve water infrastructure in California is likely to be withdrawn, says a report published in the San Jose Mercury News.
The news report says the ballot initiative, popular in the Central Valley, has drawn little financial support beyond $165,000, mostly from Valley farmers. It has been dubbed ‘More Water Now’ by supporters.
The news story says “The initiative would require that 2% of California’s general fund, or about $4 billion, be set aside every year to expand water supplies. Those could include new dams and reservoirs, desalination plants, recycled water plants and other projects such as upgrading canals and pipes. The measure also would streamline permitting for those projects.
But the campaign has failed to gain momentum and is far short of the nearly 1 million signatures needed by the end of April to qualify for the ballot.”
Need $10 million suggests report
The story concludes “Organizers say to have any chance, they must raise $10 million by Feb. 1 to hire paid signature gatherers and ramp up efforts.”
Last November, the California ballot initiative, proposed to appear on the ballot in November 2022, promised to increase the annual supply of water in California by 5 million acre-feet.
If passed by voters, the initiative would permit as much as half of those funds to be used to finance large water-supply projects immediately.
Assembly member Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, was gathering endorsements for the measure from a bipartisan list of state legislators, a Farm Bureau report said at the time. Twenty-six lawmakers joined Mathis in signing a letter of endorsement.
“We support this initiative to improve our aging water infrastructure and to construct new means to capture and deliver water to all parts of the state,” read the letter circulated by Mathis. “The funding allocated within this proposal will ensure the state achieves water resilience and adequately provide clean, safe and affordable drinking water to all Californians.”
In Tulare County, Exeter’s city council has recently signed on, joining the Tulare County Farm Bureau and the County in support of the measure.