California Proposition 1, Water Bond (2014)

California Proposition 1
Election date November 4, 2014
Topic Water
Status a Approved
Type Bond issue	Origin State Legislature

2014 propositions
June 3
Proposition 41a
Proposition 42a
November 4
Proposition 1a
Proposition 2a
Proposition 45d
Proposition 46d
Proposition 47a
Proposition 48d
Donations • Vendors
Endorsements • Full text
Ballot titles • Fiscal impact
Local measures

California Proposition 1 was on the ballot as a bond issue in California on November 4, 2014. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported issuing $7.12 billion in bonds for water supply infrastructure projects, including: water storage, dams, and reservoirs, drinking water quality improvements, and water recycling and flood management.

A "no" vote opposed issuing $7.12 billion in bonds for water supply infrastructure projects and allocates bond revenue.

This measure replaced a previous measure known as Proposition 43.

Aftermath

As of January 2025, the California Water Commission reported that the following seven projects would be funded at the following amounts totaling $2.5 billion:

• Chino Basin Conjunctive Use Program ($215,265,405)
• Harvest Water Program ($291,841,209)
• Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project ($89,123,415)
• Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project ($477,558,343)
• Pacheco Reservoir Expansion Project ($504,141,383)
• Sites Project ($875,396,369)
• Willow Springs Water Bank Conjunctive Use ($128,274,876)

Measure design

See also: Text of measure

The measure enacted the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014. Proposition 1 authorized the issuance of $7.12 billion in general obligation bonds for state water supply infrastructure projects, such as public water system improvements, surface and groundwater storage, drinking water protection, water recycling and advanced water treatment technology, water supply management and conveyance (storage, dams, and reservoirs), wastewater treatment, drought relief, emergency water supplies, and ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration. It also authorized the appropriation of money from the General Fund to pay off the bonds and required certain projects to provide matching funds from non-state sources in order to receive bond funds.

Specific spending proposals in the proposition included:

• $2.7 billion for water storage, dam, and reservoir projects.
• $1.495 billion for competitive grants for multi-benefit ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration projects.
• $900 million for competitive grants and loans for projects to prevent or clean up the contamination of groundwater that serves as a source of drinking water.
• $810 million for expenditures on, and competitive grants and loans to, integrated regional water management plan projects.
• $725 million for water recycling and advanced water treatment technology projects.
• $520 million to improve water quality for beneficial use, for reducing and preventing drinking water contaminants, disadvantaged communities, and the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund Small Community Grant Fund.
• $395 million for statewide flood management projects and activities.

Gov. Jerry Brown (D) called on the legislature to replace the previous $11.14 billion bond (Proposition 43) with a cheaper $6 billion bond on June 25, 2014. Brown called the previous water bond "a pork-laden water bond… with a price tag beyond what’s reasonable or affordable." The legislature passed the new $7.12 billion bond on August 13, 2014.

The original water bond was moved twice. Originally certified to be on the state's 2010 ballot, it was removed and placed on the 2012 ballot. On July 5, 2012, the state legislature approved a bill to take the measure off the 2012 ballot and put it on the 2014 ballot.

Election results

California Proposition 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		4,771,350	67.13%
No		2,336,676	32.87%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 1 was as follows:

“

Water Bond. Funding For Water Quality, Supply, Treatment, And Storage Projects.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

Authorizes $7.12 billion in general obligation bonds for state water supply infrastructure projects, such as surface and groundwater storage; ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration; drinking water protection; water supply management; water recycling and advanced water treatment technology; and flood control. Reallocates $425 million of unused bond authority from prior water bond acts, for same purposes. Appropriates money from the General Fund to pay off bonds. Requires certain projects to provide matching funds from non-state sources in order to receive bond funds.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Fiscal impact statement

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is jointly prepared by the state's legislative analyst and its director of finance.

“

Increased state bond repayment costs averaging $360 million annually over the next 40 years. Savings to local governments related to water projects, likely averaging a couple hundred million dollars annually over the next few decades.

”

Support

The campaign in support of the proposition was led by Yes on Props 1 & 2.

Supporters

Officials

• Gov. Jerry Brown (D)
• US Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D)
• US Sen. Barbara Boxer (D)
• Asm. Marc Levine (D-10)

Organizations

• California Democratic Party
• California Republican Party
• California Farm Bureau Federation
• The Nature Conservancy
• Audubon California
• California Chamber of Commerce
• Delta Counties Coalition
• Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Ducks Unlimited
• American Rivers
• Silicon Valley Leadership Group
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• California League of Conservation Voters
• Northern California Water Association
• State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
• Association of California Water Agencies
• Western Growers
• League of California Cities
• California State Association of Counties
• California Citrus Mutual

Water authorities and boards

• Fresno Irrigation District
• Friant Water Authority
• Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• San Diego Water Authority

Individuals

• Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster

Arguments

Gov. Jerry Brown (D), Paul Wenger, President of California Farm Bureau Federation, and Mike Sweeny, California Director of The Nature Conservancy, wrote the argument in favor of Proposition 1 found in the state’s official voter information guide:

“	YES ON PROPOSITION 1 ENSURES A RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY FOR FARMS AND BUSINESSES DURING SEVERE DROUGHT — PROTECTING BOTH THE ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT California is in a serve, multi-year drought and has an aging water infrastructure. That is why Republicans and Democrats and leaders from all over California came together in nearly unanimous fashion to place this fiscally responsible measure on the ballot… YES ON 1 IS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE Proposition 1 will not raise taxes. It is a no-frills investment in critical projects that doesn’t break the bank - it even reallocates money from unused bonds to make better use of the money. YES ON 1 GROWS CALIFORNIA’S ECONOMY California’s economy depends on a reliable water supply. Proposition 1 secures our water future, keeps our family farms and businesses productive, and puts Californians to work building the new facilities we need to store, deliver and treat water. YES ON 1 SAFEGUARDS OUR EXISTING WATER SUPPLIES Proposition 1 will clean up our contaminated groundwater which serves as a critical buffer against drought by providing additional water in years when there is not enough rainfall or snow. Proposition 1 expands water recycling and efficiency improvements making the best use of our existing supplies. Proposition1 provides funding for clean drinking water in communities where water is contaminated. YES ON 1 STORES WATER WHEN WE HAVE IT Proposition 1 invests in new storage increasing the amount of water that can be stored during wet years for the dry years that will continue to challenge California. YES ON 1 PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT Proposition 1 protects California’s rivers, lakes and streams from pollution and contamination and provides for the restoration of our fish and wildlife resources. PROPOSITION 1 CONTAINS STRICT ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING ANNUAL AUDITS, OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE TO ENSURE THE MONEY IS PROPERLY SPENT. YES ON 1 - Supported by REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, FARMERS, LOCAL WATER SUPPLIERS, CONSERVATION GROUPS, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS…	”
—Gov. Jerry Brown, Paul Wenger and Mike Sweeny

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) offered support for Proposition 1, despite some environmental groups opposing the measure. The following is an excerpt from a post on why the group supported the proposition:

“	NRDC fought hard to ensure that legislators crafted a bond that’s good for California’s environment and economy. And while it’s not perfect, it has broad bipartisan support and is backed by conservation groups, local water districts, business and labor leaders, editorial boards all around the state… because we all know that this bond does as much as it can for as many people and groups as possible, while ensuring that our tax dollars go as far as possible to address California’s water needs. So here’s why we support Proposition 1: 1. Prop 1 will strengthen California’s water system by investing in much-needed local water supply projects like water recycling, groundwater cleanup, stormwater capture, water conservation, and other regional water supply projects around the state. The vast majority of these funds will go to local water districts (Prop 1 generally requires a local match for projects). Using a transparent and competitive grant process will help ensure we get the most bang for the buck and create significant new, sustainable water supplies for communities around the state... 2. Prop 1 will help provide safe drinking water for all Californians, with an emphasis on disadvantaged communities. It’s estimated that more than 1 million Californians (and possibly as many as 3 million!) cannot safely drink the water that comes out of their tap because of contamination from arsenic, nitrates from agricultural pollution, perchlorate from industrial pollution, and other toxics. Most of these households rely on groundwater in rural communities and are not connected to a water treatment plant or water district. 3. Prop 1 invests in environmental restoration projects around the state, including funding for the San Joaquin River, the Salton Sea, the L.A. River, and coastal habitat, as well as water supply to the state's wildlife refuges. Prop 1 would make significant investments to help restore the health of rivers, wildlife, the coast and watersheds across the state, in many cases working through local conservancies that have a strong track record of success. This helps sustain salmon and other native fisheries (and the thousands of jobs that depend on them), helps provide healthy rivers for the public to enjoy, and can help create new water supply (for instance, through mountain meadow restoration or through floodplain restoration that helps with stormwater capture and groundwater recharge)... 4. Prop 1 does not advance the State’s $25 billion flawed Bay Delta Conservation Plan, the proposal to build two massive tunnels under the Delta and divert unsustainable amounts of water... 5. Prop 1 is not earmarked for new dams. Critics cite concerns about funding for surface and groundwater storage, but this simply isn’t the case... Ultimately, NRDC is committed to making sure that Prop 1 funds are well spent. We’ll continue to watch over bond spending and work to ensure that economically infeasible and environmentally harmful dam projects like Temperance Flat are not funded from the bond or built.	”
—Natural Resources Defense Council

Campaign advertisements

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "Firefighter," advocating for Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "Pendulum," advocating Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "Folsom," advocating Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "50 Years," advocating Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "Roller Coaster," advocating Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

A Yes on 1 & 2 ad, titled "Farmer Jake," advocating Proposition 1 and Proposition 2

Opposition

The campaign against the measure was led by Vote NO on Proposition 1.

Opponents

Officials

Asm. Wesley Chesbro (D-2) and Asm. Tim Donnelly (R-33) were the only legislators to vote against placing AB 1471 on the November ballot.

Organizations

• AFSCME District Council 57
• Ballona Institute
• Butte Environmental Council
• California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
• California Striped Bass Association
• California Water Impact Network
• Coast Action Group
• Center for Biological Diversity
• Central Delta Water Agency
• Concerned Citizens Coalition of Stockton
• CREDO Action
• Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)
• Environmental Water Caucus
• Factory Farm Awareness Coalition
• Friends Committee on Legislation of California
• Friends of the Eel River
• Friends of the River
• Food and Water Watch
• Foothill Conservancy
• Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
• Potrero Hill Democratic Club
• Pulga Rancheria Concow Maidu Indians
• Restore the Delta
• Sacramento River Preservation Trust
• San Francisco Baykeeper
• San Francisco Crab Boat Association
• Save the American River Association
• Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen’s Association
• Sherman Island Duck Hunters Association
• Sonoma County Conservation Action
• South Delta Water Agency
• Southern California Watershed Alliance
• Tar Sands Action
• Wetlands Defense Fund
• Wild Heritage Planners
• Winnemem Wintu Tribe

Arguments

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance issued a statement of opposition to Proposition 1. The group provided 14 reasons to vote against the proposition. The following is a selection from those reasons:

“	1. Undermines the public trust doctrine. Water in rivers and streams, like the air people breathe, belongs to the people of California as part of the public trust… Private interests have a right to use the public’s water for beneficial purposes, as long as the public’s ownership in healthy rivers is protected. The Bond requires taxpayers to enrich a few wealthy water users by purchasing water the public already owns, at inflated prices, to protect the public’s rivers and environment. It’s a retread of previously discredited programs that allowed speculators to reap millions in profit selling the public’s water back to the public. 2. Undermines the principle of beneficiary pays. The major reason more dams and other environmentally damaging projects have not been constructed in recent decades is the principle, stemming from approval of the State Water Project in 1960, that beneficiaries of water projects, not taxpayers, must pay for new projects. The Bond turns the beneficiary pays principle on its head by requiring taxpayers to pay for projects benefiting special interests... 3. Undermines the principle that projects should mitigate adverse impacts. Projects have long been legally responsible for mitigating their adverse impacts. Many, if not most, of the watershed protection and restoration projects that will be funded by the Bond are efforts to repair and mitigate environmental damage caused by projects that were constructed by and for special interests… Taxpayers should not be on the hook because regulators failed to require special interest projects to mitigate their adverse impacts. 4. Ushers in a new era of big dams. The Bond includes the largest appropriation for new dams in the state’s history… A number of dam projects that had been abandoned because of low water yield and financial infeasibility are being resurrected in response to the Bond’s commitment of billions of taxpayer dollars for dams. If the Bond passes, fishermen and environmentalists can expect to find themselves spending decades fighting new dam schemes on rivers throughout the state... 7. Provides little cost-effective near-term drought relief. Funds for recycling, conservation and groundwater cleanup were slashed 36% in the final version of the Bond in order to provide money for expensive water purchases and speculative new dams that will not be operational for decades… In essence, the Bond sacrifices funds for proven near-term projects that would create “new” lower cost water, contribute to regional self-sufficiency, reduce dependency on the Delta and provide drought relief in order to subsidize long-term pie in the sky projects benefiting the hydraulic brotherhood... 9. Sabotages efforts to meaningfully resolve California’s continuing water crisis. Prop. 1 is a red herring that diverts attention from the real causes of the state’s water crisis and the steps and resources required to address it. The water crisis is the result of the over-appropriation, waste and inequitable distribution of limited water supplies and the failure to balance the public trust… 10. Crowds out other critical investments. The Bond imposes an insidious hidden cost by crowding out critical investments in public schools, roads, public health and safety. California cannot afford to provide lavish subsidies to special interests, while ignoring existing and urgent infrastructure needs... 11. Is fiscally irresponsible. California is staggering under a $777 billion debt and voters have already approved $128 billion in general fund Bonds that must be repaid by taxpayers. The Bond would add over $7 billion in taxpayer indebtedness that must be repaid with interest, which can easily double the original amount. Subsidies for special interests are inherently fiscally irresponsible. 12. Is a hogfest of projects unrelated to water supply or drought relief. Bond proponents carefully disguised pork projects by not identifying specific projects in general funding allocations to various groups. Associated Press, in a widely published article, reported that Conservancies and other groups have acknowledged they will use Bond funds for pedestrian and bike trails, parkways, interpretive centers, trash cleanups and other projects with no direct connection to the stated intent of the water Bond... 13. Shamefully holds a few worthy projects hostage to fiscally irresponsible and environmentally damaging projects. The fact that the Bond contains a few worthy projects fails to justify sacrificing core environmental principles and fiscal responsibility. Approximately, 6.9% of the Bond will provide safe drinking water and clean water programs to disadvantaged communities. This commitment is long overdue and should have been presented as a standalone proposition. It’s shameful to use the long-ignored plight of those lacking safe drinking water in disadvantaged communities as justification for eviscerating environmental protection and providing extravagant subsidies to special interests.... (quote)	”
—California Sportfishing Protection Alliance

A video against the proposition, titled "Vote NO on Prop 1."

Marco Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Coastal Environment Rights Foundation, said the proposition would be a “burden on taxpayers and is a bad investment…”:

“	Proposition 1 will be a burden on taxpayers and is a bad investment for San Diegans and all Californians alike. It will not mitigate the effects of drought, and does nothing to support long-term water self-sufficiency. Proposition 1 does not deserve your vote… Simply put, Proposition 1 would subsidize more of the same poor water planning that caused our current, precarious water supply paradigm. Touted as a compromise when compared to the first water bond proposal, this is not reason enough to warrant support. In scope, overall expense and approach, the majority of the projects to be funded remain unsupportable. From a San Diegan’s perspective, Proposition 1 ignores the fact that we are at the end of the water pipeline, and among the most precarious regions susceptible to impacts of long term drought… Instead of providing substantial funds to help communities save water by replacing aged and leaking water infrastructure, the water bond focuses billions of dollars on Northern California dam building to subsidize corporate agribusiness growing the wrong types of crops, with outdated technology, in the wrong places for decades… From a statewide perspective, Proposition 1 is classic “pork” — a waste of taxpayer funds for pet projects, many of which could have devastating environmental impacts. The corporate farm owners who will be the primary beneficiaries of the water bond will have no incentive to change their water-intensive crops, increase efficiencies, reduce runoff, or upgrade to modern and cutting-edge technologies. At the same time, we can expect the big oil companies to line up for water that would come from these projects to support their high intensity polluting activities in the Central Valley, such as hydraulic fracturing (aka “fracking”). And as taxpayers, we’ll foot the $15 billion debt (more than $360 million per year for 40 years) with very little water to show for it in the end.	”
—Marco Gonzalez

Other arguments against the proposition included:

• Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, field director of Vote NO on Proposition 1, argued, "Proposition 1 is a corporate money grab aimed at bankrolling special interests with taxpayer dollars while providing tragically inadequate funding for projects that provide safe, clean water for the people of California. Proposition 1 is the wrong investment for California."

Campaign finance

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2014

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through December 31, 2014.

Ballotpedia identified 11 committees registered in support of Proposition 1, with multiple also registered to support Proposition 2. The campaign finance totals could not be disambiguated. One committee registered in opposition to the proposition.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$15,393,972.62	$5,427,549.96	$20,821,522.58	$13,061,747.72	$18,489,297.68
Oppose	$101,149.00	$0.00	$101,149.00	$86,346.99	$86,346.99
Total	$15,495,121.62	$5,427,549.96	$20,922,671.58	$13,148,094.71	$18,575,644.67

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in support of the measure.

Committees in support of Proposition 1
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Yes on Props 1 and 2, a bipartisan coalition of business, labor, Republicans, Democrats and Governor Brown	$12,308,423.37	$5,382,235.10	$17,690,658.47	$10,996,254.78	$16,378,489.88
CA Business PAC, Yes on 1 and 2	$1,169,500.00	$0.00	$1,169,500.00	$908,622.66	$908,622.66
Conservation Action Fund - Yes on Propositions 1 and 2	$915,860.63	$26,664.91	$942,525.54	$704,612.49	$731,277.40
Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition Issues PAC - Yes on Props 1 and 2	$439,171.01	$3,725.27	$442,896.28	$10,475.50	$14,200.77
Wetlands Conservation Committee, sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, Audubon California and The Nature Conservancy	$265,000.00	$0.00	$265,000.00	$241,075.15	$241,075.15
Southern California District Council of Laborers Issues PAC - yes on Props 1 and 2	$128,661.61	$0.00	$128,661.61	$11,262.91	$11,262.91
Environmental Coalition for Clean Water and Wildlife Protection - Yes on Prop. 1	$90,000.00	$0.00	$90,000.00	$112,525.00	$112,525.00
Sac Valley Water & Rice for Prop 1	$72,356.00	$0.00	$72,356.00	$72,819.23	$72,819.23
NRDC Action Fund California Ballot Measures Committee - Yes on Prop. 1	$5,000.00	$13,356.57	$18,356.57	$4,100.00	$17,456.57
California Water Association Political Issues Committee - Yes on Props 1 and 2	$0.00	$1,568.11	$1,568.11	$0.00	$1,568.11
Build Water Infrastructure Now, Yes on Proposition 1	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total	$15,393,972.62	$5,427,549.96	$20,821,522.58	$13,061,747.72	$18,489,297.68

Donors

The following were the top donors who contributed to the support committees.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Brown for Governor 2014	$0.00	$5,196,528.75	$5,196,528.75
Sean Parker	$1,000,000.00	$0.00	$1,000,000.00
L. John Doerr	$875,000.00	$0.00	$875,000.00
California Alliance For Jobs - Rebuild California Committee	$500,000.00	$33,750.00	$533,750.00
California Hospitals Committee On Issues, Sponsored By Cahhs	$500,000.00	$0.00	$500,000.00

Opposition

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committees in opposition to the measure.

Committees in opposition to Proposition 1
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Citizens Against Taxpayer Funding of BDCP Tunnels in the 2014 Water Bond	$101,149.00	$0.00	$101,149.00	$86,346.99	$86,346.99
Total	$101,149.00	$0.00	$101,149.00	$86,346.99	$86,346.99

Donors

The following were the top donors who contributed to the opposition committees.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Media editorial positions

See also: Endorsements of California ballot measures, 2014

Support

• Marin Independent Journal: "The measure is a compromise from more ambitious plans, in cost and scope. It won't solve our current problem, but it is a prudent plan to better prepare the state for weathering future droughts."
• Modesto Bee: "The legislators have done their part, delivering a bond proposal that will truly help solve the problems and a commitment from the governor that the state won’t take substantially more water from our rivers than they have in the past. Now, we’ve got a bond proposal we can all support."
• Napa Valley Register: "The measure is less than perfect, and it will do little to alleviate our current drought, but it is clear that California needs better water storage and transmission facilities if human life is to be sustained here."
• Palm Springs Desert Sun: "With the drought and the potential effects of climate change, we expect voters will approve Proposition 1. The Desert Sun believes they should."
• The San Diego Union-Tribune: "This is a populous and growing state, and a highly productive breadbasket for the country and the world. Proposition 1 will not solve California’s water problems forever more. But its rejection would threaten a pillar of California’s future."
• San Francisco Chronicle: "Nothing focuses the mind like a crisis and the state’s three-year drought now has Californians focused on our perennial problem — high demand for water and inefficient use of what we do have. Proposition 1, a $7.5 billion bond on the Nov. 4 ballot will take a first step toward more realistic state water policy. It deserves your vote."

Polls

See also: Polls, 2014 ballot measures

2014

California Proposition 1 (2014)
Poll	Support	Oppose	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll 10/22/2014 - 10/29/2014	62.0%	23.0%	13.0%	+/-2.9	1,537
The Field Poll 10/15/2014 - 10/28/2014	54.0%	22.0%	24.0%	+/-3.4	1,536
Public Policy Institute of California 10/12/2014 - 10/19/2014	56.0%	32.0%	12.0%	+/-3.5	1,704
Hoover Institute Golden State Poll 10/3/2014 - 10/17/2014	52.0%	22.0%	26.0%	+/-3.65	1,273
Public Policy Institute of California 9/8/2014 - 9/15/2014	58.0%	29.0%	14.0%	+/-3.6	1,702
Lake Research Partners 8/26/2014 - 8/29/2014	42.0%	24.0%	34.0%	+/-4.0	600
The Field Poll 8/14/2014 - 8/28/2014	52.0%	27.0%	21.0%	+/-4.8	467
Public Policy Institute of California 7/8/2014 - 7/15/2014	61.0%	22.0%	17.0%	+/-3.7	1,705
Public Policy Institute of California 3/11/2014 - 3/18/2014	50.0%	32.0%	19.0%	+/-3.6	1,702
AVERAGES	54.11%	25.89%	20%	+/-3.68	1,358.44
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Pre-2014

California Proposition 1 (2014)
Poll	Support	Oppose	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
Tulchin Research 1/20/2010 - 1/25/2010	34.0%	55.0%	11.0%	+/-4.0	600
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Background

Prior to the election, Californians last approved a water-related bond in 2006, known as Proposition 84. The measure authorized $5.4 billion in bonds for water projects. Proposition 84's supporters spent $11.4 million on their campaign urging a yes vote. In 2002, voters approved Proposition 50, which issued $3.4 billion for water projects. Proposition 1 in 1960 originally created the State Water Project that had been regularly replenished with additional water project bond votes since then.

Path to the ballot

See also: Authorizing bonds in California

As mandated by Section 1 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the California Legislature was required to pass the bond act by a two-thirds vote of all the members in both legislative chambers.

2010

On October 27, 2009, Sen. Dave Cogdill (R-14) introduced Senate Bill 2, also known as the Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010. On November 4, 2009, both chambers of the legislature approved the bond measure. The votes were as follows:

November 4, 2009 House vote

California SB 2 House Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		55	73.33%
No		20	26.67%

November 4, 2009 Senate vote

California SB 2 Senate Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		27	77.14%
No		8	22.86%

Senate Bill 2 was slated to appear on the 2010 ballot as Proposition 18.

2012

On August 9, 2010, the legislature voted to postpone the measure from the November 2010 ballot to the November 2012 ballot. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) recommended the postponement. Schwarzenegger said he did not think Proposition 18 could win in 2010. He noted, "It's critical that the water bond pass... I will work with the Legislature to postpone the bond to 2012 and avoid jeopardizing its passage." Both chambers of the legislature voted to move the bond measure from 2010 to 2012 via Assembly Bill 1265 on August 9, 2010. A two-thirds majority was needed to move the measure. The votes were as follows:

August 9, 2010 House vote

California AB 1265 House Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		54	71.05%
No		22	28.95%

August 9, 2010 Senate vote

California AB 1265 Senate Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		27	79.41%
No		7	20.59%

2014

On January 19, 2012, Gov. Jerry Brown (D) expressed that he would like to see the water bond measure delayed. He said, "I think they've [voters] got to take a hard look at that one." He also expressed the view that the state's lawmakers need to think about whether the bond proposal "really fits with what is absolutely needed" for water purposes in the state.

U.S. Rep.. Jared Huffman (D-2), who was a state assemblyman in 2012 and chair of the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, said, "As written, this bond cannot pass in 2012 or any other year so my hope is – and the reality suggests – that we shouldn’t be seriously considering strategies to pass this particular bond, whether it is 2012, 2014 or 2020. To be viable, the revised bond will have to be leaner and greener."

Sen. Lois Wolk (D-3) said both a tax increase and a large bond should not be on the ballot in 2012. She said, "It is critically important that we focus on the revenue measure," referring to Proposition 30. Wolk continued, "We are faced with a tax levy in November. It would be disastrous to have [the borrowing] on the ballot."

In March 2012, Darrell Steinberg (D-6), the President Pro Tem of the California State Senate, told reporters that the water bond would probably be pulled off the ballot.

Assembly Bill 1422, sponsored by Asm. Henry Perea (D-31), was introduced into the legislature. AB 1422 moved the water bond from the 2012 ballot to the 2014 ballot. On July 5, 2012, legislators approved the bill. The votes were as follows:

July 5, 2012 House vote

California AB 1422 House Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		72	91.14%
No		7	8.86%

July 5, 2012 Senate vote

California AB 1422 Senate Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		34	94.44%
No		2	5.56%

Gov. Brown signed the bill on July 9, 2012.

On June 25, 2014, Brown called on the legislature to replace the previous $11.14 billion bond with a cheaper $6 billion bond. He called the previous water bond "a pork-laden water bond… with a price tag beyond what’s reasonable or affordable." The legislature passed a new $7.12 billion bond on August 13, 2014.

Legislators were able to develop a bipartisan deal after weeks of deliberation. Republicans wanted more funding for reservoirs and water storage. Gov. Brown met with legislative leaders from both parties to help forge a compromise. Asm. Toni Atkins (D-78) said, "The pitch now is you've got a unified front. You got Northern, Central, South. You got Republicans, you got Democrats. You've got the Senate leadership, the Assembly leadership — both, you know, Republican and Democrat — and you got the governor." The new bond measure was Assembly Bill 1471, also known as the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014. The votes were as follows:

August 13, 2014 House vote

California AB 1471 House Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		77	97.47%
No		2	2.53%

August 13, 2014 Senate vote

California AB 1471 Senate Vote
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		37	100.00%
No		0	0.00%

Related measures

• California Peripheral Canal Act, Proposition 9 (June 1982) d

See also

• California 2014 ballot propositions
• 2014 ballot measures
• California Legislature

Additional reading

• East Bay Express, "Is Jerry Brown Breaking His Prop 1 Campaign Promise?" April 23, 2015
• Governing, "Future of California Water Supply Up to Voters," August 14, 2014

External links

Suggest a link

Basic information

• Text of Proposition 1 (2014)
• California 2014 General Election Voter Guide

Support

• Yes on Props 1 & 2 Twitter

Opposition

• Vote NO on Proposition 1 Twitter