Water bond opponents want to keep it on the ballot

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The state Legislature may act Monday on bills that would yank an $11-billion water bond off the November ballot and delay it until 2012, but opponents are gearing up to quash the move.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders including Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) want to delay the measure, which faces difficulty passing this year because many voters are reluctant to approve more borrowing during the poor economy.

‘The end goal is for it to pass,’ said Alicia Trost, a spokeswoman for Steinberg. With California voters facing a lot of other issues, ‘including a long list of other measures on the November ballot, we strongly believe it should be delayed,’ she said.

Two bills to pull it off the ballot and delay the measure are available for action when the Legislature convenes on Monday, which is the deadline for voter information guides on the November ballot to go to the printer.

However, those who oppose the water bond as pork-laden, too large and misdirected, say they will oppose legislation to delay the vote. They are confident that if it remains on the ballot in November, voters will defeat it.

‘A vote for AB 1265 is a vote for the water bond’ said Jim Metropulos of the Sierra Club California. ‘Legislators should do what’s right for California and vote down this attempt to delay the measure -- not try to hoodwink voters by postponing it for two years.’

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento