Water Bond
Reject $8.9B water bond. Comes at expense of General Fund, adding to June 2018 $4B bond for unaccountable water projects.
Proposition 3 issues $8.9 billion in general obligation bonds for water projects across California.
While water infrastructure is important, this bond has significant problems:
General obligation bonds come at the cost of other programs
Like Prop 1, this general obligation bond would be repaid from the General Fund over decades. This comes at the expense of other important state expenditures like education and healthcare. The Legislature should have the flexibility to prioritize spending based on changing circumstances, rather than voters locking in water spending for 35+ years.
Adds to recent water spending
California voters already approved a $4 billion water bond in June 2018. Adding another $8.9 billion just months later, without time to evaluate how the first bond is being spent, is premature.
Accountability concerns
Large bond measures with many projects spread across the state are difficult for voters to evaluate and track. These projects would be better funded through the normal legislative process where they can receive proper scrutiny and oversight.
If water projects are truly essential, they can be funded through the annual budget process where legislators can prioritize based on the most pressing needs.
Vote no on Prop 3 to maintain budget flexibility and accountability.
These recommendations are my own, and do not reflect positions of organizations I’m associated with.