Schwarzenegger Can Control Water Policy for Another SIX Years

[Stephen Frank]

Thanks to a new control council passed by the legislature, the Governor will be able to control California water policy for five years AFTER he leaves office. "Months before he leaves office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will appoint four of the seven council members. In this sense, he will have a "dead hand" in Delta policy long after he leaves the governorship. (Council members' terms are four or six years.)"

What does Arnold want?

"Schwarzenegger has made it clear he wants a canal or a tunnel to carry water past, rather than through, the Delta.

"We're taking some rather important decisions and turning them over to this group of people who are really not answerable to anybody," Zuckerman said."

"State or local agencies that pursue certain projects in the Delta in the future will need the council's approval. Mary Piepho, a Contra Costa County supervisor who worked closely with other supervisors on the Delta package, has warned that the council could override local land-use decisions."

He does not need to hold office to control water policy for every city in the State for five years after leaving office. He does not need to go to Sacramento to control spending on water projects, by an unelected body, for five years after he no longer is Governor.

Who needs elections? Unelected people making decisions and people no longer is office will make decisions for us. What do you think? Now you know why Arnold demanded we pass this bill--he can be Governor for five more years without the pesky media asking questions.


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