California Reallocation of Bond Authority to Water Storage Initiative (2016)
| California Reallocation of Bond Authority to Water Storage Initiative | |
|---|---|
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| Election date November 8, 2016 | |
| Topic Bond issues | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Amendment & Statute | Origin Citizens |
| Voting on Bond Issues | |||||
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| Ballot Measures | |||||
| By state | |||||
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| Not on ballot | |||||
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The California Reallocation of Bond Authority to Water Storage Initiative (#15-0107A1) was a proposed initiative and was not put on the November 8, 2016, ballot in California as a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute.
The measure would have reallocated up to $10.7 billion in unused bond authority to fund water storage projects. About $8 billion would be reallocated from existing high-speed rail system plans and $2.7 billion from water storage purposes.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The official ballot title was as follows:[2]
| “ | Water Bond. Reallocation of Bond Authority to Water Storage Projects. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.[3] | ” |
Ballot summary
The official ballot summary was as follows:[2]
| “ | Prioritizes water uses in California, with domestic uses first and irrigation uses second, over environmental, recreational, and other beneficial uses. Reallocates up to $10.7 billion in unused bond authority from existing high-speed rail ($8.0 billion) and water storage ($2.7 billion) purposes, to fund water storage projects for domestic and irrigation uses. Removes requirement that water storage projects funded by the $2.7 billion amount also benefit the environment. Creates new State Water and Groundwater Storage Facilities Authority to choose the projects to be funded by reallocated bond amounts.[3] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the measure could be found here.
Fiscal impact
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. The statement was as follows:[2]
| “ | No significant increase or decrease in the state’s anticipated debt payments from the redirection of up to $10.7 billion in bonds from previously approved measures, assuming these bonds would have been sold in the future absent this measure. Unknown net fiscal effects on state and local governments due to measure’s changes to how water is prioritized in the State Constitution, as well as potential changes to funding levels available for capital projects.[3] | ” |
Support
Supporters
Arguments in favor
Aubrey Bettencourt, executive director for the California Water Alliance, said:[4]
| “ | It’s a rare chance for the people of California to tell the state to get its priorities straight. High Speed Rail is an unpopular boondoggle and a reliable water supply means more to the people and economy of this state in light of the current drought than ever before. Californians want to prepare the state for inevitable new droughts yet to come.[3] | ” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: California signature requirements
- Robert Huff, George Runner and Charles H. Bell submitted a letter requesting a title and summary on December 14, 2015.[1]
- A title and summary were issued by California's attorney general's office on January 25, 2016.[2]
- 585,407 valid signatures are required for qualification purposes.
- Supporters had until July 25, 2016, to collect the required signatures.
State profile
| Demographic data for California | ||
|---|---|---|
| California | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 38,993,940 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 155,779 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 61.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 13.7% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 4.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 31.4% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,818 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in California
California voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More California coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in California
- United States congressional delegations from California
- Public policy in California
- Endorsers in California
- California fact checks
- More...
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 California Secretary of State, "Full text," accessed January 28, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed January 28, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 AGNetWest.com, "Attorney General Harris ‘Green Lights’ Signature Gathering Effort for High-Speed Rail Funds to Water Storage," January 26, 2016
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