Water makes its approach south by means of the Central Valley by means of the California Aqueduct. Repairs to the leaking Aqueduct are lengthy overdue. (AP Photograph/California Division of Water Sources, Dale Kolke, File)
Republicans haven't any energy within the state Capitol. However they often have good concepts. Democrats even steal them.
GOP legislators within the Senate and Meeting introduced their spending priorities for 2022 this week and hardly anybody observed.
Why would anybody? Republicans are thought-about virtually irrelevant.
Democrats maintain supermajorities in each homes. They’re capable of move any invoice they need no matter what Republicans suppose. And Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is an efficient wager to signal it.
GOP lawmakers — an oxymoron in Sacramento — can’t move something with out plenty of Democratic assist.
However, the GOP’s options to vexing state issues generally make a lot sense they need to on the very least be significantly debated.
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Workplace has projected a surplus of $31 billion for the subsequent fiscal yr starting July 1. That determine will change — the guesses are upward — when the governor unveils his proposed state finances Monday.
Fortunate Newsom has been basking in spare cash ever since he took workplace in 2019. He topped out with a $76-billion windfall final yr. The present yr’s finances whole is $263 billion.
“The actual fact we've a surplus means we've overtaxed individuals,” says Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, vice chairman of the Meeting finances committee.
That’s a well-recognized GOP mantra, however it’s laborious to dispute when the state retains hauling in dollars it by no means anticipated.
Democrats will probably be pressured to contemplate some type of tax discount as a result of the state apparently has reached the so-called Gann Restrict. That’s a spending cap overwhelmingly authorized by voters in 1979 throughout an period of tax-cutting rise up.
Below the Gann Restrict, there are methods for Democrats to keep away from a everlasting tax reduce or a one-time tax rebate. The excess cash might be spent on infrastructure, Ok-12 colleges and neighborhood faculties, native authorities, debt reimbursement or emergencies.
The Republicans’ precedence checklist for spending appears to be headed by enhancing waterworks throughout this drought.
Additionally they sensibly wish to pour way more cash into stopping and preventing devastating wildfires.
Their want checklist is lengthy:
A “vacation from the state’s gasoline and automotive taxes,” expanded renters’ tax aid and good psychological well being remedy for homeless individuals. Additionally, extra cash for particular training, psychological well being help and counseling, particularly in rural areas that GOP lawmakers symbolize. And more cash for constitution colleges.
Legislation enforcement ought to get a giant increase, particularly for combatting smash-and-grab retail thefts, Republicans say. Newsom already has pledged $305 million.
When Republicans suggest spending giant quantities to extend California’s water provide throughout a drought, the pure public response ordinarily can be “duh.”
However the GOP is proposing a significant change from the standard “person pay” idea to “everybody pays.”
Main water initiatives have all the time been financed by the individuals who use the water — farmers, owners, industrialists — by means of month-to-month payments. The one exception is for so-called public advantages, corresponding to fish safety and recreation. Everyone pays for that.
Now, Republicans are proposing that the state normal fund pony up with cash collected from all taxpayers from Crescent Metropolis to Calexico.
This beforehand appeared like a foul concept to me. Why ought to taxpayers in Orange County pay to irrigate extreme almond orchards within the arid San Joaquin Valley, particularly when a lot of the crop is exported to Asia?
However now I feel the “everybody pays” idea warrants critical consideration. Water scarcity is a statewide drawback that impacts just about everybody — not simply farmers, however many small communities with low-income residents who lack protected consuming water, and industries all through the state.
Senate Republicans would spend $2.6 billion of the excess on constructing the $3.9-billion Websites Reservoir in Colusa County. The state has already pledged $836 million and the federal authorities $80 million.
That quantity of state cash might be unrealistic.
However the GOP desires to spend $685 million to restore 4 water canals within the San Joaquin Valley, together with the 444-mile California Aqueduct that carries northern water to Southern California.
These canals have been badly broken by over-pumping groundwater, primarily by farmers. That has brought on the land to sink a number of toes in some locations, badly damaging the canals and decreasing their capability by as much as 60%.
Newsom and the Legislature appropriated $200 million final yr for repairs — already tampering with the “person pays” idea.
A Democrat, Sen. Melissa Hurtado of Sanger, has a Senate-passed invoice that will spend $785 million usually fund cash to restore the canals.
So there must be room right here for bipartisan deal-making.
If that’s too apolitical for Democratic leaders, they might simply seize the concept for themselves. Republicans are used to it.
George Skelton is a Los Angeles Occasions columnist.