CALIFORNIA’S LEGISLATORS HAVE ENDORSED THIS INITIATIVE
By September 9th, the last day of the legislative session, our initiative had already been endorsed by 27 State Senators and Members of the State Assembly. Click here to view the document with images of their signatures. Here is a list of their names, and the text of the letter of endorsement they signed:
“We, the undersigned members of the California State Legislature, pledge our support to the “Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022,” a citizens’ constitutional amendment, filed for title and summary on August 26th.
This act, when approved by voters, will accomplish the following objectives:
1 – Provide ample funds for water infrastructure by allocating two percent of the state’s general fund to support projects that increase California’s annual supply of water to cities, farms and unserved regions.
2 – Unlock immediate access to tens of billions of dollars that will be invested in water projects by permitting up to half of the two percent allocation which/that will be used to pay principal and interest on construction bonds.
3 – Give priority to underfunded projects approved by voters in Prop. 1 (2014) that are also already approved by the California Water Commission.
4 – Prioritize the maintenance, repair and upgrading of projects to deliver abundant and affordable drinking water to underserved communities.
5 – Funding does not expire until the supply capacity of new projects provides five million acre feet of new water for California consumers, with surplus water used to protect California’s ecosystems.
6 – Eligible projects include funding for conservation programs that will result in up to one million acre feet of water saved.
7 – Allocate funds based on an all-of-the-above strategy, allowing Californians to repair and upgrade aqueducts, dams, water treatment plants, build off-stream reservoirs, expand existing reservoirs, invest in wastewater reuse and desalination plants, runoff capture, and aquifer recharge and recovery.
8 – Streamline the bureaucratic process so projects can be designed and built in a reasonable period of time.
We support this initiative to improve our aging water infrastructure and to construct new means to capture and deliver water to all parts of our state. The challenges of a growing population in conjunction with climate change and prolonged droughts have exposed the serious flaws within our water infrastructure. The funding allocated within this proposal will ensure the state achieves water resilience and adequately provides clean, safe, and affordable drinking water to all Californians.”
Rudy Salas, AD 32, D, Bakersfield
James Ramos, AD 40, D, Highland
Timothy S. Grayson, AD 14, D, Concord
Carlos Villapudua, AD 13, D, Stockton
Adam Gray, AD 21, D, Merced
Ken Cooley, AD 08, D, Rancho Cordova
Melissa Hurtado, SD 14, D, Sanger
Laura Davies, AD 73, D, Laguna Niguel
Chad Mayes, AD 42, I, Yucca Valley
Devon Mathis, AD 26, R, Visalia
Heath Flora, AD 12, R, Ripon
Phillip Chen, AD 55, R, Yorba Linda
Kevin Kiley, AD 06, R, Rocklin
Thurston E. Smith, AD 33, R, Hesperia
Tom Lackey, AD 36, R, Palmdale
Randy Voepel, AD 71, R, Santee
Suzette Valladares, AD 38, R, Santa Clarita
Jordan Cunningham, AD 35, R, Paso Robles
Steven Choi, AD 68, R, Irvine
Jim Patterson, AD 23, R, Fresno
Frank Bigelow, AD 05, R, O’Neals
Andreas Borgeas, SD 08, R, Fresno
Vince Fong, AD 34, R, Bakersfield
Marie Waldron, AD 75, R, Escondido
Brian Dahle, SD 01, R, Bieber
Kelly Seyarto, AD 67, R, Murrieta
Janet Nguyen, AD 72, R, Huntington Beach
Californians need More Water Now.
Support this initiative and eliminate water scarcity forever.