With roughly 100 days until Californians will begin early voting for the November election, state lawmakers are putting the final touches on what the ballot will look like.
Over the weekend, Democrats who control the Legislature in Sacramento reached agreements to place a $10 billion climate bond and a $10 billion school bond before voters in the Nov. 5 statewide election.
The climate bond, which has been a top priority of environmental groups for more than a year, would provide funds to reduce wildfire risk through forest thinning and prescribed burn projects, expand water supplies to deal with droughts, buy land for parks and wildlife habitat, and complete projects along the coast, San Francisco Bay and other areas to address sea level rise.
“Long term, we will have to spend more money fighting wildfires and dealing with floods and other disasters, if we don’t make these investments,” said State Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, a co-author of the climate measure.
The schools bond would provide $8.5 billion for K-12 schools and $1.5 billion for colleges to pay for new libraries, high-speed internet, heating and cooling systems, and other facilities.
“I ran for school board at 19 years old after experiencing my high school fall into disrepair,” said State Sen. Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg. “Our students, teachers and staff deserve better, especially those in underserved schools where resources are limited and facilities are outdated and at times dangerous.”
Lawmakers have until a deadline Wednesday to vote on the measures. If they are approved, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signs them, as expected, they will require a majority vote from voters to take effect.
Historically, school bonds and environmental bonds have passed in most statewide elections. Nine of the last 10 parks and water bonds back to 1996 have been approved by voters, for example.
But California has been grappling with a state budget deficit, and the last statewide bond during the March primary election, Proposition 1 — a key priority of Newsom’s to fund housing and homeless programs — barely passed with 50.2%.
Critics, including taxpayer rights groups, say many voters want less spending.
“California already has some of the highest tax burdens in the country,” said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association in Sacramento. “Now they are seeking to put more debt on the state’s credit card. They need to reduce spending in other areas. They are providing medical coverage to undocumented immigrants, and spending billions on high speed rail. There is no accountability, just a reflexive impulse to spend and spend and spend. They need to manage our money better.”
Bonds are like IOUs. The state sells them to investors, and then pays them back with interest, usually over 30 or 40 years. Supporters say borrowing money for long-term public investments is how roads, schools, airports, dams and other projects have been built for generations, similar to a family buying a home with a mortgage.
After a decade of severe droughts, heat waves, deadly wildfires and catastrophic storms, including atmospheric rivers in …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
