Nov 2009 Vol. 12 No. 11

 SB 2 passes!

Carpenters Celebrate Passage of Water Bill

Daniel M. Curtin, Director California Conference of Carpenters

The much-maligned California legislature rose to the occasion and passed what can only be described as an historic achievement. A comprehensive water agreement in a five-bill package passed both houses of the legislature as the sun came up early Wednesday morning, November 4. After a marathon 22-hour session, the votes were rounded up to pass the final bill, SB 2, an $11.1 billion water infrastructure bond, which required a two-thirds, bi-partisan majority for passage.

Governor Schwarzenegger shakes Daniel Curtin’s hand after Curtin’s remarks on water legislation as CIA members applaud.

Drama increased and legislative lore was made when Senate marshals had to be dispatched at the crack of dawn to locate a sleeping member, the final yes vote, and escort him to the floor.

The legislative package was designed to restore the ecological health of the Bay Delta; maintain a reliable, clean supply of water to the vast majority of Californians who rely on the Delta for their domestic water supply; and, to assure that the California economy can count on water reliability.

While the goals sound simple, the political hurdles were enormous. In the western U.S., where water supplies are scarce, water issues have always been fiercely contentious. Historic water rights, often established generations ago when documentation was less rigorous, are jealously guarded. Urban users fight rural interests, coastal communities feel vulnerable at the end of the water pipeline. Mistrust still clouds northern and southern California water discussions. Liberal-conservative disputes revolve around conservation versus storage.

Groundwater supplies are tainted by unregulated or illegal chemical run-off. Global warming and a nasty, persistent drought in our region have built enormous pressure on the water supply. Layer on top of this a term-limited legislature that is less prone to compromise because of a truncated view of the future, and then the usual Republican-Democratic friction, and it’s hard to believe that a deal was struck.

Governor Schwarzenegger deserves great credit for his unwavering support for a comprehensive solution, and making it clear he would settle for nothing less. Leadership in both houses from both parties worked extraordinarily hard to find the “sweet spot” that would garner a two-thirds vote of the legislature. All sides of the political spectrum needed to compromise on some strongly held positions—and did.

An interesting side development: the Latino caucus played a strong role in the historic agreement, sticking together through thick and thin, and largely serving as the voice of working people in the water debate.

It was a landmark day for the legislature, one of which they can be rightfully proud. It is my fervent hope that they build on this success to tackle the great challenges still before us. They’ve proven it can be done. Let’s continue to find that common ground to get what everyone needs, not necessarily what everyone wants.

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