Schwarzenegger wants $11 billion water bond pulled off ballot

June 30, 2010

"Whiskey is for drinking. Water is for fighting over."--Mark Twain

SACRAMENTO, California: Just one day after Proposition 18 was given its official November ballot number, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he wanted the measure pulled off the ballot.

Schwarzenegger will have to get a 2/3rds vote in the California State Legislature to get the measure yanked.

He said in a statement: "After reviewing the agenda for this year, I believe our focus should be on the budget -- solving the deficit, reforming out-of-control pension costs and fixing our broken budget system...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."

Two legislators, Darrell Steinberg and Dave Cogdill, immediately supported Schwarzenegger's position. Cogdill said, "While I believe we must immediately invest in our water future, timing is everything and I'm willing to wait to bolster voter understanding of this critical measure."

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