Schwarzenegger, Legislators Seek Delay on Water Bond

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his intent yesterday to postpone the $11.14 billion water bond until the November 2012 ballot, citing a need to focus on budget issues this year.

Schwarzenegger and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said they would seek to introduce a bill this week to move a public vote on the bond measure from November of this year to November 2012. A bill to delay the bond would require a two-thirds vote in the Legislature.

“After reviewing the agenda for this year, I believe our focus should be on the budget — solving the deficit, reforming out-of-control pension costs and fixing our broken budget system," the governor said in a statement. “It's critical that the water bond pass.... I will work with the Legislature to postpone the bond to 2012 and avoid jeopardizing its passage."

Sen. Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) also issued a statement saying a delay would give the economy time to rebound and lessen fiscal concerns about the measure. Cogdill played a key role in securing legislative approval of the bond as part of the comprehensive package.

“While I believe we must immediately invest in our water future, timing is everything and I’m willing to wait to bolster voter understanding of this critical measure,” Cogdill said.

The bond measure, recently designated as Proposition 18 on the ballot, is part of a comprehensive water package approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor in 2009. It would provide much-needed public funding for water supply reliability, Delta sustainability, water recycling, conservation, surface and groundwater storage, groundwater protection and cleanup, and drought relief.

ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn called the decision to seek a delay a difficult one, and stressed that it would not affect the momentum surrounding implementation of the legislative package.

“The successful implementation of the 2009 comprehensive legislative water package, including a bond to provide appropriate public financing, is of paramount importance to the future of California. We continue to support the package and its implementation moving forward,” Quinn said in a statement.

“We recognize that this decision was very difficult to make. However, given the current economic climate and the need to focus on the state’s dire budget shortfall, ACWA recognizes that the decision is intended to maximize chances of success for the water package over the next decade.

“This decision does not affect the forward movement of implementing the package. Funding is available through previous bond measures for important projects over the next two years. ACWA will continue to focus on implementation and work toward securing a long-term financing plan through the water bond when it goes to voters in 2012,” Quinn said.

ACWA will provide updates on the bond as events unfold.