U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is urging state lawmakers to put a water bond proposal on the November ballot. The Democrat met with legislative leaders today to push them to pass the bond measure she and Governor Schwarzenegger developed.
The $9 billion proposal includes funding for new dams and reservoirs, water conservation, and Delta restoration. The Secretary of State says lawmakers have until Saturday (August 16th ) to get the measure on the ballot. This is where it gets tricky. The Governor says he will not sign any new legislation until a budget is passed. Feinstein says she supports that tactic.
Feinstein: I'm not going to be critical of that. I think what has to happen is we've got to have a budget agreement. Hopefully that can happen in the next couple of days and then it's all over."
The state budget is more than forty days late. Lawmakers are having a hard time agreeing on how to deal with the state's $15 billion deficit. The water bond is one part of the current budget negotiations.
Opponents of the proposal say the measure should be shelved until bond money approved by voters in 2006 is used.
