Page 4 - Yucaipa Valley Water District - Board Workshop

Ignoring $30B From Water Bonds and State Surplus,

Gov. Gavin Newsom Wants New Water Tax
Taxpayers want to know where the money from eight

water bonds has gone?

By Katy Grimes, March 21, 2019 7:59 am

Despite Assembly Constitutional Amendment 3 that would use 2 percent of the annual General
Fund to pay for all water improvement projects, and eight water bonds totaling more than $30
billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to charge California water customers up to $10 per month to
pay for the clean up of contaminated water in low-income and rural areas.

However, since year 2000, voters have approved eight water bonds totaling more than $30
billion, according the Legislative Analyst’s Office. However, very little has been spent on water
storage projects that would create new water-supply sources for Californians, which is what the
state actually needs in order to realistically deal with inevitable droughts. New water supply and
population growth is the biggest concern of Assemblyman Mathis.

ACA 3 was introduced in January by Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Visalia) but has not yet had
a hearing. The bill addresses water improvement projects, water infrastructure, environmental
quality improvements, groundwater clean-up and recharge, and emergency drinking water
programs.

You may recall that Mathis is the Assemblyman who has tried for several years to get his
colleagues in the Legislature to pass legislation to fund clean drinking water for the 10,000 poor

Yucaipa Valley Water District - March 26, 2019 - Page 4 of 202