Opinion: Proposed budget doesn’t do justice to water storage
Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative Democrats had the opportunity to alleviate the state’s twin crises of drought and wildfire by including resources for ongoing funding, prescribed burning and water storage in this year’s budget. These solutions are not new, but they require political will. In light of the haunting memories of past catastrophic wildfires, this year’s budget will miss an opportunity. Sacramento failed to learn from its past mistakes. The proposed budget provides $258 million – a reduction from a proposed $1 billion – for wildfire prevention and response efforts and $3 billion for drought, but lacks any water storage commitment. Critical details are lacking, with discussions ongoing.
-Written by Vince Fong, a Republican representing Bakersfield in the state Assembly.