Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Northern California leaders frame their position on water bond
Cynical observers of California politicssometimes assume the real reason for a new statewide water bond is to pay for projects that take water from the north and ship it south. But on Monday, a number of Northern Californialeaders made it clear they are prepared to support a water bond for the November ballot – under certain conditions.
About three dozen politicians and water managers representing the North State Water Alliance convened on the Capitol steps Monday to outline for lawmakers five general principles they believe must guide a water bond. They were joined by several collaborators from environmental and business groups.
The five principles: Existing water rights’ priorities and laws must be maintained; a bond should contribute to sustainable groundwater management; it should strongly emphasize water conservation and recycling; it should include projects to restore critical migratory corridors for salmon and waterfowl; and any money dedicated to new reservoirs should pay for dedicated environmental benefits and enhanced flexibility of the California water system as a whole.
“We have issues related to water that can only be fixed with a water bond, and we need to fix it with this Legislature,” said Bryce Lundberg, chairman of the alliance and owner of Lundberg Family Farms, a major rice-growing enterprise in Butte County. “We’re asking you for your strong leadership and rapid resolve that will move these criteria forward.”
There are currently seven different bond measures proposed in the Legislature that propose varying amounts of public spending on new dams, water conservation and habitat restoration projects. All are intended to replace an $11 billion bond measure approved for the ballot in 2009, but which was twice delayed because lawmakers feared it was too large and too packed with pork-barrel spending.
The Legislature faces a June 26 deadline to place a bond on the November ballot, although it could tweak the rules to delay into late August. A two-thirds vote by lawmakers is required, which means the bond will need bipartisan support.
Given the severe drought gripping California, it would seem an ideal time to offer voters a major water infrastructure bond. But the subject is always controversial because it involves big public debt for divisive projects like new dams.
“What brings us together today is a recognition that negotiations over a state water bond are coming to a head,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, also a member of the alliance. “We want to show our strength in Northern California on this very important issue. This coalition stands ready to be a part of a solution.”
Partners in the North State Water Alliance include the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Regional Water Authority, Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Mountain Counties Water Resources Association and the Northern California Water Association.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
San Bernardino Mayoral Candidate Debate Event
San
Bernardino
Mayoral
Candidate Debate
Brought to you by San Bernardino Generation Now,
The Sun Newspaper, and the Cal State San Bernardino
chapter of the Pi Sigma
Alpha Honor Society
When: Wednesday January 22nd at 6:00 P.M.
Where:
Santos Manuel Student Union Theater
(located on the Cal State San Bernardino Campus inside the
Santos Manuel Student Union)
There will be a $5.00 fee for parking
Seating will be limited so come early.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Support for labor unions plummets in California
With heated controversy in recent years surrounding public pensions, municipal bankruptcies and political campaigns, public support for labor unions has plunged in California. For the first time, more voters say these organizations do more harm than good.
A new Field Poll reveals a dramatic 16 percentage point swing in public opinion from two years ago. Forty-five percent of registered voters now believe that unions do more harm than good, compared to 40 percent who say they do more good.
This summer's Bay Area Rapid Transit system drama has also raised the question of whether public transit workers should be allowed to strike. In September, Senate Republican leader Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, introduced a bill to strip them of that right.
Though a slight plurality of Californians - 47 percent - still believe public transit workers should be able to strike, a majority of the usually liberal San Francisco Bay Area - 52 percent - is now opposed.
Reporter David Siders has more in his story. Here are the statistical tabulations prepared exclusively for Capitol Alert.
The next Field Poll covers Californians' views on the U.S. Congress. Our story will be available early, tonight at 8 p.m., on the Capitol Alert Insider Edition app.
via: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2013/12/am-alert-support-for-labor-unions-plummets-in-california.html#storylink=cpy
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
California Democrats seize super majorities in both houses of Legislature
SACRAMENTO -- Democrats appear to have seized a super majority in both legislative chambers, which would give them the ability to approve taxes without Republican support.
Under the radar, with all the attention focused on Proposition 30, California voters ushered in a new era in state politics not seen in nearly eight decades: Now, for the first time since 1933, the ruling party would have two-thirds majorities in both chambers and free rein in a startling transformation that neuters Republicans in Sacramento to a new level of irrelevancy.
Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, announced early Wednesday morning that he is confident Democrats have captured the two extra seats they needed to secure 54 seats, a two-thirds majority.
And Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg has also said he is confident Democrats will hold a two-thirds majority, though with two Democrats leaving for Congress, they will have to hold special elections early next year to maintain it.
"A working two-thirds majority will allow the Senate to move forward with balanced solutions to spur economic growth and improve our system of governance," said Steinberg, D-Sacramento. "At the same time, this newfound capability means the Democratic majority will be held accountable for those decisions. We intend to exercise leadership with humility."
In a news conference Wednesday, Brown reiterated his pledge to not sign taxes without a vote of the people,setting up a potential clash with legislative Democrats who may be eager to fill more funding holes.
But he said "we're not into the threat game here," and that he wasn't "drawing lines in the sand" with veto threats.
Brown, who was governor for two terms in the late 1970s and early '80s, called his relationship with the Legislature "better than it ever has been in my 10 years" as governor.
With almost 54 percent of the vote, Brown refused to call the victory of Proposition 30 a mandate, but it "vindicated my confidence that the people of California can make very sound judgments." Still, he said, he didn't want to "overread" the message of voters.
"But given the massive opposition and skepticism about whether or not state government can handle any more money, I see this as a vote of confidence, with some reservations," he said. "The real lesson is voters have trusted their elected representatives, and maybe me to some extent, and we've got to meet that trust. We've got to make sure over the next several years that we pay our bills, invest in the right programs but we don't go out on any spending binges."
Brown spoke of a busy agenda for next year that included regulatory reform, water reform, getting the high-speed rail project off the ground, education reform and the budget.
Before the election, most observers expected Democrats to take a two-thirds majority in the Senate but considered an Assembly super majority to be a long shot at best.
Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway, R-Visalia, conceded the loss, though she warned Democrats against overreaching.
"The voters have spoken, and I respect the voice of the people," Conway said. "By no means should the majority party interpret these results as a mandate. Millions of Californians opposed the governor's tax hikes and shared our view that job creation is the best revenue generator for the state.
"Republicans will hold the majority party accountable for delivering their promise to voters that these tax hikes will go to our classrooms and not big government."
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