It’s official: Instead of 12 ballot measures during the November election, there will be 11 after the Legislature voted on July 5th to delay a $11 billion water bond from the November ballot. Legislators apparently didn’t like their chances in the fall and decided that the bond measure might have better luck in 2014. The measure was first put together in 2009 and this is the second time it has been delayed, as lawmakers also bumped in during 2010. Among the concerns about the measure are its unwieldy scope and appropriations that are not directly related to water infrastructure development. There was also concern that it could impact the chances of the governor’s tax initiative.

But Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg sees the delay as an opportunity to improve the measure, as he commented: “If we're really serious about passing a bond measure in 2014, which I fully support, if we're serious about it, get to work now. With human nature, inertia and politics being what they are now, this is merely a band aid and we need the water investment, that's the key. We need to pass a bond. Let's get to it."

The Bee points out that “members who spoke against the bill in the Senate voted for Assembly Bill 1422, the legislation to move the bond to 2014. The bill cleared the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 34-2 and passed the Assembly 69-6.”