Sunday’s top of the scroll: Governor Jerry Brown once again seeks to sell Californians on big projects
Posted by: Maven on January 22, 2012 at 8:06 amFrom the Sacramento Bee:
“”My father built the water plan. I want to complete it. So, whether it’s high-speed rail or water or education or public safety, I’m going to invest and build for the future, not steal from it.” GOV. JERRY BROWN, son of former Gov. Edmund G. “Pat” Brown
Before leaving Southern California last week, after urging greater infrastructure spending in a “land of dreams,” Gov. Jerry Brown recalled how long he has made that case and how wary of his ideas people can be.
“I actually wanted to have a state satellite,” Brown, governor before from 1975 to 1983, told the City Club of San Diego on Thursday. “Couldn’t pull it off.” … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Dan Walters: Jerry Brown knows California water debate is tricky business
Posted by: Maven on January 15, 2012 at 6:55 amFrom Dan Walters at the Sacramento Bee:
“Jerry Brown spent months and much political capital three decades ago to persuade the Legislature to authorize construction of a “peripheral canal” that would complete the immense statewide water project that his father had begun.
Brown and state Sen. Ruben Ayala – who died this month – cajoled, twisted arms and bought (with local pork barrel projects, such as new office buildings) enough votes to finally win legislative approval. But then a strange-bedfellows alliance of big San Joaquin Valley farmers and environmental groups sponsored a referendum on the project and persuaded voters to block it in 1982, just before Brown ended his first gubernatorial stint. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Water divides Central Valley lawmakers: Bill splits Sacramento, San Joaquin valleys
Posted by: Maven on September 6, 2011 at 8:39 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“The year’s boldest California water bill picked one fight but found another.
Naturally, legislation stopping San Joaquin River restoration pits farmers against environmentalists. The more surprising conflict, and the one that so far has stymied lawmakers, pits the Sacramento Valley against the San Joaquin Valley, farmer against farmer and Republican against Republican.
“What’s happening,” said Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, “is the early stages of a new water war.” … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Dan Walters: Jerry Brown involved in big rail, water issues
Posted by: Maven on September 6, 2011 at 8:16 amFrom Dan Walters at the Fresno Bee:
“Gov. Jerry Brown, moving beyond the ever-vexing state budget that occupied his first months in office, is engaging in two other issues that are just as complicated.
They are California’s never-ending water war and the much-troubled project – or pipe dream – to build a bullet train system connecting the northern and southern halves of the state.
Both involve almost countless billions of dollars, stakeholders too numerous to count, big-think construction concepts and intricate political and financing deals with federal and local governments and private interests. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Jerry Brown’s decision to remove Water Commission appointees sparks partisan dispute
Posted by: Maven on August 29, 2011 at 7:55 amFrom the Sacramento Bee’s The Buzz:
“Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to remove two GOP appointees to the California Water Commission sparked a partisan dispute under the dome last week as Senate Republicans sought to approve the appointees anyway.
Brown said earlier this month that he plans to replace former Republican Sen. Dave Cogdill and former Sonoma County Water Agency Director Paul Kelley on the nine-member panel, but he didn’t formally withdraw their names.
Instead, Brown asked Democratic leaders to let the Arnold Schwarzenegger appointments lapse at year’s end. … “
Continue reading from the Sacramento Bee’s The Buzz by clicking here.
Attempt to keep Cogdill, Kelley on water panel blocked in Senate; Modesto Bee urges Governor Brown to reconsider
Posted by: Maven on August 26, 2011 at 8:48 amFrom the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert:
“Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to remove two GOP appointees to the California Water Commission sparked a partisan dispute under the dome this morning as Senate Republicans sought to approve the appointees despite Brown’s plans to replace them.
… Brown asked Democratic leaders to let the appointments lapse at year’s end by not approving them by their confirmation deadline.
Senate GOP leader Bob Dutton today introduced a motion to bypass the Senate Rules Committee, which has not yet considered the nominations, and immediately hold a floor vote on confirming both members.
“I think it sends a bad signal with regards to wanting to come up with true bipartisanship solutions to some of California’s most critical problems,” Dutton said of Brown’s decision to replace the GOP appointees.
The Republicans framed their move around keeping Cogdill, a former GOP Senate leader, on the board. … “
Continue reading at the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert by clicking here.
The Modesto Bee published an editorial citing Cogdill’s extensive experience in dealing with water issues:
” … We urge Brown to reconsider his move — and there’s time to do that. Cogdill can serve on the commission for a year, until mid-December, without confirmation.
We also think Senate Majority Leader Darrell Steinberg can and should do more to convince the governor to change his mind, rather than simply being sympathetic to Cogdill’s situation and saying nice things about him. As reported by The Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert on Thursday, Steinberg acknowledged that Cogdill “put his heart and soul into the water deal that we passed in 2009 and that he would be an outstanding member of the water commission.”
And, as recently as last month, Cogdill tells us, he was assured by Steinberg that his confirmation to the commission was not going to be a problem. … “
Read the full text of the Modesto Bee editorial by clicking here.
Sen. Pavley raises issue of state water bond
Posted by: Susan Lauer on August 5, 2011 at 8:35 amFrom the Acorn
A politically charged $11-billion water bond proposal that was deferred last year is likely to come back on the ballot, but state legislators don’t know when because they’re busy dealing with other pressing issues, state Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Santa Monica) said last week during a visit to the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District board of directors.
Continue reading from the Acorn by clicking here.
Western Water Council: Reject Nunes “Water Uncertainty Act”
Posted by: Susan Lauer on August 4, 2011 at 7:48 amFrom YubaNet.com
The nonpartisan council appointed by eighteen Western governors to advise on Western water issues today told the Natural Resources Committee that it opposes legislation that would threaten the delicate balance achieved in one of California’s most important water systems and preempt state’s rights and federal law. The Western States Water Council, in a letter sent to members of the Natural Resources Committee, joined a growing list of stakeholders who oppose the legislation proposed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.).
Continue reading from YubaNet.com by clicking here.
Gov. Brown again signs Williamson Act into law
Posted by: Susan Lauer on August 3, 2011 at 7:34 amFrom the Anderson Valley Post
A watered-down version of a long-standing state program that preserved land for agriculture was signed into law Friday, July 22, by California Gov. Jerry Brown.
Assemblyman Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, authored the new bill resurrecting the Williamson Act. The bill was co-authored in the California State Senate by Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, among others.
The California Farm Bureau also worked hard to get the legislation passed and signed into law.
Continue reading from the Anderson Valley Post by clicking here.
Rep. McNerney positions himself on water
Posted by: Susan Lauer on July 29, 2011 at 7:58 amFrom Alex Breitler’s Environment Blog
Rep. Jerry McNerney’s brief denouncement of the peripheral canal Wednesday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives wasn’t really news.
McNerney was on record opposing the canal as early as 2007, when he told The Record that “we cannot let (then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger) turn (the Delta) into a saltwater estuary.”
But his most recent comments are among his strongest to date.
Continue reading from Alex Breitler’s Environment Blog by clicking here.
In Western Water Wars, Fighters and, Yes, Peacemakers
Posted by: Susan Lauer on July 28, 2011 at 7:54 amFrom the New York Times
Writing about water in a region where water is scarce can be a daunting business. In a graduate program, the prerequisites would be geology, hydrology, chemistry, law and engineering — especially law and engineering. The people involved in the issue (who call themselves “water buffaloes,” not without pride) tend to be defined by their fights as much as their accomplishments.
Continue reading from the New York Times by clicking here.
Water a key to Feinstein’s re-election chances
Posted by: Maven on July 4, 2011 at 9:11 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“Renewed haggling over California water complicates Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s 2012 re-election bid.
Feinstein’s softening support in the Central Valley, pinpointed in a recent poll, also could shape how the state’s senior senator handles disputes over the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the San Joaquin River and more.
Some environmentalists fear Feinstein might tilt toward farmers to shore up Valley support. Farmers perennially fret over losing water supplies. Caught in the middle is the incumbent, who once again has her Valley work cut out for her. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
Monday’s top of the scroll: Palin decries water restrictions at Central Valley community college
Posted by: Maven on May 2, 2011 at 7:59 amWell, this is the best I’ve got for you this morning for the top of the scroll, although there was plenty of things posted over the weekend, so be sure to scroll through. From the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“Sarah Palin returned to Central California’s agricultural region Sunday and lambasted the federal government for limiting the amount of water the state’s farmers can get for their crops.
The former Alaska governor told more than 1,400 people at West Hills College in Lemoore that endangered species regulations protecting the Delta smelt and limiting pumping are “destroying” the lives of those in the Central Valley.
“A faceless government is taking away their lifeline, water, all because of a 3-inch fish,” Palin said. “Where I come from, a 3-inch fish, we call that bait. There is no need to destroy people’s lives over bait.” … “
Continue reading from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
MORE COVERAGE: Palin takes jabs, makes no promises, from the Sacramento Bee
California lawmakers seek statewide approach to water supply; This season will be the first time since 2008 that salmon fishermen will be able to work
Posted by: Maven on April 15, 2011 at 9:01 amFrom Environmental Protection:
“As California’s salmon fishery is reopening for the first time in years and its reservoirs and groundwater banks are rapidly refilling, Democratic members of the House Subcommittee on Water and Power attended a field hearing on water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta recently and called for a more balanced approach to future droughts, according to a release from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
“Water is a shared resource all of us Californians rely on: farmers, communities, homeowners, manufacturers and fishermen all need our water supply to be protected,” said Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (Calif.-38), ranking member on the Subcommittee on Water and Power. “Instead of promoting special interests that pit us against each other, we should be promoting a balanced approach that helps all of California. We have examined this topic at more than 15 hearings since 2003, and it is time for attention to be paid to the water needs of the entire state.” … “
Continue reading from Environmental Protection by clicking here.
Congressman Denham: Man-made drought is destroying the Central Valley
Posted by: Maven on April 13, 2011 at 8:42 amFrom the website of Congressman Jeff Denham:
“Today, Representative Jeff Denham stressed the devastating impact California’s man-made drought has had on the Central Valley and the nation at the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power field hearing in Fresno, CA. The hearing titled, “Creating Jobs by Overcoming Man-Made Drought: Time for Congress to Listen and Act,” addressed the social and economic impacts caused by a lack of water in the Valley.
At the hearing, Members heard first-hand from local individuals and groups who have been directly impacted by the deliberate diversions of over 300 billion gallons of water from San Joaquin Valley farmers in order to protect environmental interests.
“Reservoirs are in flood operations in California and still our state faces a man-made drought where fellow Valley farmers are not receiving all of the water they deserve. It was evident at the Water and Power Subcommittee hearing today that the environmental policies put in place by the Administration are destroying the Valley and new legislation is needed to rectify the situation.” – said Rep. Jeff Denham (CA-19).
NOTE: This man-made drought has cost thousands of jobs, causing 40 percent unemployment in some communities, and has fallowed more than 150,000 acres of fertile farmland. “
RELATED: Congressman Denham appeared on a local morning show to discuss the hearing. Click here for a link to the video or to read a transcript.
Fresno Bee News Blog: A few other things I heard at the congressional hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 13, 2011 at 8:39 amFrom Mark Grossi at the Fresno Bee News Blog:
“There was not nearly enough room or time to write about everything that was said in Monday’s congressional hearing on the “man-made drought.” It’s too complex.
The Fresno hearing was a call to revise the management of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to make more water available for west Valley farming.
The main target was pumping restrictions at the delta to protect endangered and threatened fish. Salmon and delta smelt populations have been dramatically dwindling, but the pumps have been wrongly held responsible for doing most of the damage, officials said. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee News Blog by clicking here.
On the Public Record blog: Commentary on the hearing in Fresno.
Posted by: Maven on April 13, 2011 at 8:26 amFrom On the Public Record:
“Oh for Pete’s sake. McClintock’s opening statement is just fact-free. Tens of thousands of families out of work from the drought? Well, yeah, maybe, if the coefficient before that is 0.0002(tens of thousands of families). But in English, we normally call that “two” thousand. He got his units wrong too. That’s jobs lost, not families unemployed. Are we back to fears of Chinese carrots? No amount of citing USDA crop statistics is going to change that, will it?
Whatever. McClintock is who he is. The more interesting statement came from Westlands manager Tom Birmingham. … “
Continue reading from On the Public Record by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Floodgates of Valley anger open at Fresno water hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 12, 2011 at 8:48 amFrom the Fresno Bee:
“The overwhelming sentiment at a Monday morning congressional hearing in Fresno was that bureaucrats and federal regulations are depriving the San Joaquin Valley of water.
Long before Rep. Tom McClintock called the meeting to order inside Fresno’s City Hall, dozens of demonstrators walked outside with signs reading, among other things, “No Water, No Jobs = Higher Food Costs.”
McClintock, an Elk Grove Republican who is chairman of the Natural Resources Committee’s Water and Power Subcommittee, then set the tone inside by saying the political “left” is pushing “politically motivated junk science” while attempting to “pit fishermen against farmers.”
There were dissenting voices, but they were in the minority. … “
Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
In a related article from the Fresno Bee, reporter Mark Grossi points out:
” … During short emotional exchanges, the debaters offered facts sometimes without filling in all the blanks. Here’s a look at some of the claims, and how they compare with the facts. … “
Read the fact check from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.
SORRY YOU MISSED IT? Brandon Middleton at the Pacific Legal Foundation tweeted live from the event – here’s the rundown of the action from the Liberty Blog (the link is correct this time!), and Alex Breitler has highlights from the meeting on his blog.
MORE COVERAGE: Water, politics converge at Congressional hearing, from the Fresno Business Journal
For more coverage from the hearing, scroll down past today’s postings for the afternoon update, which included statements from the Democratic delegation, the Sierra Club and Restore the Delta.
Congressional water hearing gets heated in Fresno
Posted by: Maven on April 12, 2011 at 8:38 amHere’s the news report from KMPH, which was outside the hearing:
Natural Resources Committee: Local residents stress need for Congressional action to address California’s man-made drought
Posted by: Maven on April 12, 2011 at 8:34 amFrom the Natural Resources Committee website, this press release:
“Today, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power held a field hearing in Fresno, CA on “Creating Jobs by Overcoming Man-Made Drought: Time for Congress to Listen and Act.” At the hearing, Members heard first-hand from local individuals and groups who have been directly impacted by the deliberate diversions of over 300 billion gallons of water from San Joaquin Valley farmers in order to protect a three-inch fish.
This man-made drought has cost thousands of jobs, causing 40 percent unemployment in some communities, and has fallowed more than 150,000 acres of fertile farmland.
“There is no time to waste on reversing the plight of the San Joaquin Valley. The deliberate diversions by the federal government of over 200 billion gallons of water away from the breadbasket of America cost tens of thousands of farm workers their jobs, inflicted up to 40 percent unemployment rates in the region, fallowed more than 150,000 acres of the most fertile farmland in our nation, and forced up the price of groceries across the country. The facts we gather from this hearing will be instrumental as we begin the process to rescind government policies at the root of the San Joaquin Valley’s misery.” – said Water and Power Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock (CA-04). … “
Continue reading this press release by clicking here.
Testimony from the Fresno hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 12, 2011 at 8:31 amYou can find all the testimony from the field hearing at the Natural Resources Committee website:
These include Congressmen McClintock’s and Hasting’s opening statements, as well as testimony from Mary Piepho, Larry Collins, Tom Birmingham, Jim Beck and Mike Connor.
Click here for the webpage at the Natural Resources Committee website.
Afternoon update: McClintock’s opening statement from the hearing in Fresno
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:32 pmHere’s the latest from the hearing in Fresno, starting with McClintock’s opening statement, received via email:
“During the last session of Congress, Republicans unsuccessfully attempted for two years to get the Water and Power Subcommittee to come to Fresno to hear first-hand from the communities that have endured the devastating financial, social and environmental damage done by the government’s decision to deny this region 200 billion gallons of water to indulge the pet causes of the environmental Left.
A little over a year ago, Republicans held an informal listening session, at which time we heard riveting testimony of the human suffering caused by this misguided policy.
• We heard the stories of food lines in communities that once prided themselves on supplying American grocery shelves.
• We heard about the frustration of seeing the same produce once grown in the Central Valley of California instead imported from China — handed out at those Central Valley food lines.
• And we saw the anger as the absent Secretary’s testimony to the Natural Resources Committee in 2009 was played back, in which he admitted that the Obama administration had the authority to restore water deliveries but that it chose not to do so because that would be – quote – like admitting failure.
Even now, with the snowpack at 165 percent of normal for the season – the wettest year in the last 16 – the San Joaquin Valley has been guaranteed only 75 percent of its contracted allotments.
Continue reading “Afternoon update: McClintock’s opening statement from the hearing in Fresno” »
Democrats call for “All-California” water approach at Fresno hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:29 pmReceived via email from the office of Congresswoman Grace Napolitano:
“At a time when California’s salmon fishery will be reopening for the first time in years and California’s reservoirs and groundwater banks are refilling at a rapid pace, Democratic members of the House Subcommittee on Water and Power attended a field hearing in Fresno on water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and called for a more balanced approach to future droughts which would help prepare all of California.
“Water is a shared resource all of us Californians rely on: farmers, communities, homeowners, manufacturers and fishermen all need our water supply to be protected,” said Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-38), ranking member on the Subcommittee on Water and Power. “Instead of promoting special interests that pit us against each other, we should be promoting a balanced approach that helps all of California. We have examined this topic at more than fifteen hearings since 2003, and it is time for attention to be paid to the water needs of the entire state.”
“This Republican hearing seeks to reignite the water wars of the past and pit Californians against each other for short-term gain,” said Congressman John Garamendi (CA-10). “There is a more constructive way forward for our community. We must focus on responsible science-based water management, with conservation, storage, and recycling playing a prominent role – balancing our water needs and creating jobs across the Golden State.”
Continue reading “Democrats call for “All-California” water approach at Fresno hearing” »
Restore the Delta reminds Central Valley Congressional delegation that Delta farms and fisheries are at the heart of California’s economy
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:21 pmFrom Restore the Delta, received via email, this statement regarding today’s hearing in Fresno:
“Restore the Delta, a local broad-based coalition including Delta farmers, environmentalists, fishermen, business leaders, and concerned citizens, reminds Central Valley Congressional Leaders that they have left Delta family farmers, who make up a $3.6 billion economy for California, out of the discussion regarding water management practices in California.
At today’s field hearing in Fresno, entitled “Creating Jobs by Overcoming Man-Made Drought: Time for Congress to Listen and Act, Committee Chair Rep. McClintock of the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power will attempt to the make the case that a man-made drought is the reason behind record unemployment in the Central Valley.
Restore the Delta advocate, Brett Baker, a sixth generation pear farmer from Courtland, will remind Committee Chair Representative McClintock that Delta farmers are “California’s oldest farming families and to take water from our family farmers, who feed Californians, so that West side growers can export crops to China, is deeply misguided .”
“Man-made drought” claims all wet: San Joaquin Valley Environmental Groups respond to House Subcommittee on Water and Power Hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:11 pmFrom Sierra Club Tehipite Chapter, Revive the San Joaquin, and the Coalition for Clean Air, this response to the hearing in Fresno:
“On Monday, April 11, 2011, the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water and Power will hold a field hearing on “Creating Jobs by Overcoming Man-Made Drought: Time for Congress to Listen and Act.”
Rep. Tom McClintock, Chair of the Committee, claims that farmers are suffering a “man-made drought” and that eliminating federal oversight of fish protections in the Delta will improve water allocations. Local environmental groups say these claims are all wet.
“The Bureau of Reclamation has just increased the allocation to West side growers to 75%,” says water expert Deirdre Des Jardins. “The San Luis Reservoir has been completely full.”
Chris Acree of Revive the San Joaquin also notes that the San Joaquin River Restoration flows have actually helped reduce the impact of Delta pumping restrictions. “The Delta pumps have been able to pump at full speed for much of the Spring because the extra river flows are helping reduce the impact of restrictions on Old and Middle River reverse flows,” said Acre. “That’s part of the reason the San Luis reservoir has been full.” … “
Continue reading this statement at IndyBay.org by clicking here.
Birmingham’s testimony for the Fresno hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:09 pmYou can read Birmingham’s testimony at scribd here.
Klamath group’s statement regarding today’s US House Subcommittee on Water and Power field hearing
Posted by: Maven on April 11, 2011 at 1:07 pmReceived via email from Prosper, a regional coalition of farmers and ranchers, tribal members, businesses and local community supporters working towards restoring stability and prosperity to the region of the Klamath River Basin:
“As legislators, farmers and other interested parties meet in Fresno today to talk about equitable water allocation and agriculture’s future in the San Joaquin Valley, there are some important lessons from the Klamath Basin that can inform these conversations. With competition for water increasing in many western communities, a new management approach such as the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) demonstrates that economic and environmental solutions can go hand-in-hand.
The KBRA is designed to protect the over $600 million that agriculture contributes to the Klamath basin economy by restoring the threatened fisheries and solving long-standing litigation.
“A broad-based coalition of Basin water users got together to create solutions to their own problems and that is the way it should be for long-term water allocation programs to work best. This bottom up approach identified areas of conflict, built trust and mutual understanding for conflicting points of view, which created a vision for a shared future that includes effective water delivery strategies to meet the needs of farms and fish,” said Steve Kandra, Merrill area farmer and board member for PROSPER – The Partnership to Restore Stability and Prosperity to the Region.
Liberty Blog: “Time For Congress to Listen And Act?” Let’s hope, for the farmers’ sake, they mean it
Posted by: Maven on April 10, 2011 at 7:59 amFrom Anne Hayes at the Pacific Legal Foundation’s Liberty Blog:
“On Tuesday, the House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water and Power will be holding a field hearing in Fresno, California titled “Creating Jobs by Overcoming Man-Made Drought: Time for Congress to Listen and Act.” The hearing will be held at the Fresno City Council Chambers from 10:00 am. until 1:00 pm. Congressmen Doc Hastings (R-WA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Jeff Denham (R-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), as well as other members of the Water and Power Subcommittee.
PLF attorney Brandon Middleton will be attending and live-blogging and tweeting (@PacificLegal) the event if you want to find out what is going on in real-time. We will, of course, follow up with a summary of our impressions. Brandon has been representing almond grower Jim Jasper of Jasper & Stewart Orchards, challenging the listing of the delta smelt, one of the fishy reasons for the federal shut-down of water flows in California’s central valley. PLF is also planning to submit comments to the Subcommittee on behalf of Mr. Jasper. … “
Continue reading from the Pacific Legal Foundation by clicking here.
Upcoming water hearing: Witness oversight starts lawmakers pointing fingers
Posted by: Maven on April 9, 2011 at 9:33 amFrom the Merced Sun-Star:
“Backstage drama has unsettled a congressional hearing on California water scheduled for Fresno. And the state’s troubled water history only underscores increasingly bitter divisions among San Joaquin Valley lawmakers.
“The Democrats only want extreme environmentalists (as witnesses),” Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, said Friday, “and the Valley Democrats have no clout in their own conference.”
One of those Democrats, Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno, retorted Friday that Nunes saw only “political opportunism” in the upcoming hearing. … “
Continue reading from the Merced Sun-Star by clicking here.
Dan Walters: Jerry Brown’s next big issue is water
Posted by: Maven on February 15, 2011 at 8:04 amFrom Dan Walters at the Sacramento Bee:
“Just for grins, let’s assume that Jerry Brown beats the long political odds and persuades the Legislature and voters to enact his tough-love plan to close the state budget gap.
What’s next for the septuagenarian retread? Walking on water?
Yes, in a manner of speaking. If Brown can put the budget crisis behind him, at least for a few years, California’s other long- festering political sore will almost certainly move to the top of his agenda. … “
Continue reading from Dan Walters at the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.
Tuesday’s top of the scroll: Jerry Brown urges putting tax extension on ballot
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2011 at 9:27 am
This is Jerry Brown’s official portrait that hangs in the Capitol building from his previous governorship. Let’s just say it is like no other portrait there. From the San Francisco Chronicle:
“Gov. Jerry Brown said Monday that lawmakers have an obligation to let California voters decide whether to extend taxes to stave off huge budget cuts, taking a forceful stance in his State of the State speech on what is likely to be the biggest debate over how to close the deficit.
Brown’s 14-minute speech to lawmakers and other state leaders in the Assembly chamber referenced uprisings in Arab nations as he argued that it would be “unconscionable” to make deeper cuts than he has proposed without asking voters to weigh in.
“When democratic ideals and calls for the right to vote are stirring the imagination of young people in Egypt and Tunisia and other parts of the world, we in California can’t say now is the time to block a vote of the people,” Brown said. … “
Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Fair ballot rulling must be allowed to stand, says editorial
Posted by: Maven on February 1, 2011 at 9:16 amFrom the Oakland Tribune:
“Too often, the official language explaining ballot measures to the voters is more partisan than descriptive. That’s because it many times is written by lawmakers seeking to get a proposition passed.
To its credit, a state appellate court in Sacramento has ordered legislators to stop the practice. If its ruling on Thursday stands, as we believe it should, it would prevent the Legislature from writing ballot descriptions for a tax-increase extension that Gov. Jerry Brown is seeking to help balance the state budget.
The ruling also could mean the wording on water bond and rainy-day fund ballot measures will have to be rewritten.
The court rightly held in a unanimous three-judge decision that it is the responsibility of the attorney general to approve ballot language, not lawmakers who often use slanted wording to promote partisan interests. … “
Continue reading this editorial from the Oakland Tribune by clicking here.
Gov. Jerry Brown is facing tricky environmental and energy issues in California; Gov. Jerry Brown’s decisions regarding environmental and energy issues will affect public and private spending and public health for the foreseeable future
Posted by: Maven on January 31, 2011 at 7:57 amFrom the Los Angeles Times:
“As Gov. Jerry Brown lays out his first-term agenda Monday, he confronts a thorny array of environmental and energy issues, many with a potential to drive billions of dollars in state and private spending and have a major effect on public health.
Will Brown push forward with the nation’s toughest curbs on toxic chemicals in consumer products — proposed by the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, then abruptly withdrawn in December?
Will he sign into law a bill vetoed by Schwarzenegger that would require California to draw a third of its electricity from solar and other renewable sources? … “
Continue reading from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Twain’s whiskey/water quote appears greatly exaggerated
Posted by: Maven on January 29, 2011 at 7:53 amFrom McClatchy News:
“California politicians invariably invoke Mark Twain when debating Western water controversies. They shouldn’t. Rhetoric, too often, runs ahead of historical fact.
The specific quote in question rolls right off the tongue. Sing along, now:
“Mark Twain once said that whiskey is for drinking but water is worth fighting over,” then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recited, illustratively, in 2009 at a Fresno event.
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a serious player in setting California water policy, has likewise long favored the Twain quote. So did Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial predecessor, Gray Davis. So have many others; ad, to be perfectly honest, nauseum. … “
Continue reading from McClatchy News by clicking here.
Court slaps lawmakers for one-sided measure titles
Posted by: Maven on January 28, 2011 at 8:58 amFrom the San Francisco Chronicle:
“California lawmakers must stop putting their own one-sided titles on ballot measures they sponsor and instead must allow the state attorney general to write impartial descriptions, an appeals court said Thursday in a case that could affect future votes on taxes and water.
Ruling on the ballot labeling of a high-speed rail bond that the voters approved in November 2008, the state’s Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento said the Legislature has violated the law since 1990 by writing summaries of its measures on the ballot and in the voter pamphlet. … “
So what will this mean for the “Safe, Clean and Reliable Water Supply Act of 2012″? Continue reading from the San Francisco Chronicle by clicking here.
Wolk to serve on committees hearing legislation on key state and local issues
Posted by: Maven on January 27, 2011 at 7:53 am
From the website of Senator Lois Wolk:
“Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) announced today that Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) will serve on committees that hear legislation on such key issues as the state budget, water, resources, health, and agriculture, in addition to chairing the Senate’s newly-formed Committee on Governance and Finance.
Wolk will serve on the Senate committees on:
• Agriculture;
• Budget & Fiscal Review;
• Elections and Constitutional Amendments;
• Health; and
• Natural Resources and Water.“These committees hear legislation that affects the water we drink, the food we eat, the health of our families, and the funding for critical services for many Californians,” Wolk said. “I look forward to continue working with Senator Steinberg and my colleagues on these policy issues, which touch the lives of my constituents and all Californians.”
Wolk will continue to chair the Senate Select Committee on Delta Stewardship and Sustainability—and to serve on the Joint Legislative Audit and Joint Legislative Budget Committees.”
Fuller announces committee assignments
Posted by: Maven on January 27, 2011 at 7:50 am
From the Bakersfield Californian:
“State Sen. Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, has been appointed to several key Senate policy committees, giving her a crucial role in matters of budget, rules, energy, natural resources and water.
Fuller was named to these committees: Energy, Utilities and Communications (vice chair); Rules; Budget and Fiscal Review; Budget Subcommittee on Resources, … “
Continue reading from the Bakersfield Californian by clicking here.
Congressman Denham named to the Subcommittee on Water and Power
Posted by: Maven on January 25, 2011 at 8:45 am
From the website of Congressman Jeff Denham:
“Rep. Jeff Denham today expands his influence over the House debate on water issues and his ability to address California’s water crisis by joining the Subcommittee on Water and Power in the House Committee on Natural Resources. With a seat on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as well, Rep. Denham now has jurisdiction over many programs including the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bureau of Reclamation.
The unemployment rates are consistently above the national average in the Central Valley. As a long time farmer in the area, Rep. Denham understands the immediacy of the water crisis and will remain committed to bringing water back to the Central Valley in order for farmers to grow crops and put people back to work.
“I understand the importance of bringing water to the Central Valley,” said Rep. Denham. “The current administration has been too passive on this issue and the previously Democratic controlled Congress had misplaced priorities. The lack of water has caused significant unemployment numbers and nearly 500,000 acres of farm land to lay fallow.”
Rep. Denham will continue to advocate for the livelihood of the people from the Central Valley as part of the Subcommittee on Water and Power which exercises jurisdiction over all measures and matters pertaining to irrigation, reclamation projects and other water resources development and recycling programs, including policies and procedure.”
Delta National Park blog: The Lockeford microcosm
Posted by: Maven on January 25, 2011 at 8:33 am
From the Delta National Park blog:
“No, it’s not the name of a Frederick Forsyth novel – it’s the name of a dispute over water and taxes that illustrates how California’s “dysfunction,” as Alex Breitler put it, plays out in a tiny farming community like Lockeford.
Lockeford is home to the Inn at Locke House, and many other water-using places.
The dispute is between farmers (“None of us likes to pay taxes. But this is our water”) and the anti-tax people (“‘No new taxes,’ said Hugh Scanlon, a newly elected Republican member. That ‘is the pledge I made to the people’”). … “
Continue reading from the Delta National Park blog by clicking here.
Sunday’s top of the scroll: Politicians quoting Coleridge on water get the meaning wrong
Posted by: Maven on January 23, 2011 at 9:21 amFrom McClatchy News:
“The 19th-century English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge could never have guessed how he’d be conscripted into California’s partisan water wars.
This week, Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., became the latest lawmaker to summon Coleridge while lamenting irrigation water shortages. The chairman of the House Water and Power Subcommittee, McClintock was denouncing the Obama administration as not delivering enough water to farms in California’s Central Valley.
“This is insane,” McClintock said on the House floor Wednesday. “Coleridge’s lament, ‘Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink,’ appears to have become the policy of this administration.”
It turns out, though, that the lines adapted from the poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” invite a different interpretation from the one McClintock intended. … “
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