1980-091-Opposing SB-200RESOLUTION NO. 1950 -91
RESOLUTION OP'P'OSING SB -200
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles Times on Monday, June 9, 1980 reported that
completion of the State Water Project could triple water rates for homeowners
for the sake of agribusiness; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Water Resources projected completion of
the Peripheral Canal and associated dams and reservoirs to cost approximately
$7 billion when proposed in 1977, . and
WHEREAS, the Department has now revised this figure upward to $23
billion, more than a three -fold increase in the official cost in less than
three ,years, and
WHEREAS, such prices would be reflected in a $500 cost for bond repay-
ment for each new acre foot of water delivered by the State Water Project, and
WHEREAS, projected year 2000 energy costs for delivering Delta water
will add approximately $300 per acre foot to its cost in the San Joaquin Valley
and $650 per acre foot to its cost in the Southern California urban area, and
WHEREAS, agriculture, California's number one industry, could be bank-
rupted if required to pay for future State Water Project expansion, and
WHEREAS, escalating costs of project water will encourage already
excessive groundwater pumping in the San Joaquin Valley to increase, and
WHEREAS, agriculture uses 851 of all water consumed in California but
will be unable to pay the true costs of water from an expanded State Water
Project, and
WHEREAS, the traditional means of financing water projects through
property tax assessment has been rendered impossible by reason of Proposition 13,
forcing water projects to be financed through user charges, and
WHEREAS, as a result of the above, every Southern California family may
be burdened with annual water charges in excess of $1,000, and
WHEREAS, no analysis of the State Water Project's continuing economic
feasibility or cost - effectiveness in comparison to alternatives has been performed,
and
WHEREAS, the Town of Los Gatos is directly concerned with water quality
in and to the San Francisco Bay,
NOW 1'HERE'_FORE, the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos :resolves as
follows :
I. To request the Governor to veto SB 200 and work for water
policy reforms.
2. To support legislation to assure an adequate future water
supply for all Californians through non- shructural alter-
natives (e.g. conservation, reclamation, market transfers
and groundwater management).
3. To request that the Department of Water Resources commission
an independent review of the economic feasibility and cost -
effectiveness in comparison to alternatives of completion
of the State Water Project, prior to legislative authoriz-
ation of project for further Delta exports.
4. To make concerted efforts to inform Southern California
consumers and taxpayers as to the true costs they will bear
if SB 200 passes.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town
of Los Gatos ',held on the 7th day of July, 1980, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Peter W. Siemens, Brent N. Ventura and
Mayor 'Thomas J. Ferrito
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Ruth Cannon, MarLyn J'. Rasmussen
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
SIGNED:
ATTEST:
CLERN 0' I' T1iE T OF LOS G OS