April 9, 2004

The Honorable Bruce McPherson
California State Senate
P.O. Box 942848
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001

Subject: Monterey Peninsula Water Management Board Composition

Dear Senator McPherson:

The League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula wishes to reply to your request for feedback on your latest legislative proposal regarding the composition of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Board.

The following comments are pursuant to the League's Local and State Positions on Land Use, Water, and Government.

The League has consistently advocated a policy that would require land use decisions be based on the availability of water. At both the County and City levels, officials with land use jurisdiction have failed to implement this approach. As a consequence, our water resource has been depleted and California American Water Company, our public, private utility is under citation for overpumping the Carmel River.

The League supported the formation of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, not only as a vehicle to ensure that development would be consistent with the water resource but would protect the environmental integrity of that resource. We continue to support that role.

On the governmental accountability level, we support direct election of board members with prescribed duties as essential to the optimum service required of this important body. Hands-on management of a community's basic resource cannot be treated as one of many competing municipal services. The right of a citizen to vote on a public project - using public funds - is the practical embodiment of the concept of "no taxation without representation."

In closing, the League questions the propriety of state legislation being drafted by the principals of a law firm prominent in the service of powerful development interests. This can only reinforce public cynicism as to the motivation for this legislation. This should be avoided.

Respectfully,
Beverly G. Bean, President

cc: The Honorable John Laird
      The Monterey County Herald
      Trudy Schaefer, LWVC Program Director and Legislative Advocate