Delta Flows – Weekly Highlights from Restore the Delta for the Week of January 7, 2008
“I hold every man a debtor to his profession.”
--The Element of the Common Law, Francis Bacon
State Budget Woes Impact Future Bond Service Debt
R
estore the Delta staff is eager to hear Governor Schwarzenegger’s State of the State address this afternoon. In particular, we are interested in understanding how the Governor’s office can continue to voice support for a water bond that would add hundreds of millions of service debt to be paid back by Californians when our current financial house is hardly in order.Fresno Bee staff writer E.J. Schultz reported yesterday that Senator Dave Cogdill (R – Modesto) still wants a legislative deal pulled together this year for his previously proposed water bond, which would include new dams and funding for the construction of a peripheral canal. Senator Don Perata (D – Oakland), however, is holding off on promoting an alternative bond measure, which would not including funding for a peripheral canal, out of concern for the current budget crisis.
The Governor’s office, however, sees things differently. Schultz quotes the governor’s press secretary, Aaron McLear as saying, “Solving the budget is the top priority right now. But we cannot allow a difficult budget to halt progress on other state priorities.”
Presently, the California Chamber of Commerce and other business and farm groups are leading the Republican effort, with a version of Cogdill’s legislation offered up during the special legislative session this past fall, but have not yet begun collecting signatures for the initiative process. Perhaps, there is a chance that California’s business leaders understand that racking up more debt during a time of financial crisis does not make for a sound financial future for California business.
And just maybe, our limited financial resources will prompt our state political leaders to begin studying, promoting and legislating twenty-first century solutions for California’s future water needs – including water recycling, groundwater desalinization, restoring floodplains for eco-friendly water storage, and conservation incentives. Economically and environmentally speaking, the era of nineteenth-century water projects is dead. Instead, water management programs that make economic and environmental sense for the California Delta need to be set in place.
Is the Weather Keeping You from Recreating on the Delta?
Then it’s time to learn more about sport fishing and the Delta fisheries crisis from the hand-on experts – fishermen.
An expert panel of sport fishermen and political leaders will discuss the fisheries crisis and what fishermen can do to help turn the crisis around at the following two venues in January:
*The International Sportsmen’s Exposition San Mateo Show, San Mateo Fairgrounds, Sportfishing Theater on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.
*The International Sportsmen’s Exposition Sacramento Show, Cal Expo Fairgrounds, California Sportsman Theater on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.
Panelists include Dan Bacher from The Fish Sniffer; John Beuttler from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance; Assemblymember Lois Wolk (Sacramento Show); and Dick Pool from Pro-Troll Fishing Products.
Other Delta Planning and Policy Meeting Dates, Locations
It’s always good for Delta locals to check out public meetings held by government agencies that our planning our future. Restore the Delta staff recommend attending:
- Bay Delta Conservation Plan, Steering Committee Meeting
When: January 11, 2008 -- 9:00-12:00, 25 9:00-12:00
Where: 1416 Ninth Street, DWR Conference Room #1131, Sacramento CA 95814 - Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force
When: January 31, 2008 – Location and time not yet available
