Local government can't be left to drown during water deal talks

	Supervisor, Fourth District               822 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration              Los Angeles  90012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           Contact:         David A. Sommers

                  (213) 974-1095 

 

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T BE LEFT TO DROWN

DURING WATER DEAL TALKS

 

LOS ANGELES, October 7, 2009 – Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, issued the following statement today on Governor Schwarzenegger's efforts to reach a deal on California's water system:

 

"The time to talk is over and the time to act has arrived on a comprehensive investment in upgrading California’s water system.  Plans have been discussed for years, but it is time to end our State’s ongoing water crisis once and for all by building a water system that balances the needs of our residents with ecological and environmental needs, and build a system that can withstand natural disasters."

 

"I encourage the Legislature to work with the Governor towards approving a water deal, but beyond that, it is my utmost hope that lawmakers focus on the critical needs of local government when the Senate reconvenes next week."

 

"State leaders only have one week left to maintain the commitment they made to local government when they promised to pass Senate Bill 67 before October 15.  In order to weather the financial storms that lay ahead in Fiscal Year 2009-2010, hundreds of cities, counties, and local government agencies across California need to be able to securitize their Proposition 1A obligations, meet the deadlines to sell bonds in November, and ultimately keep their budgets afloat."

 

"Keeping California’s water system afloat for the future is critical, but our future looks far more bleak if we can’t keep our local governments afloat first."

 

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