Clearly the federal election results have been sobering for Clean Water Action and our members. It sends a clear signal that we must double down in the years ahead and play a strong defensive role to protect our environment and our communities. But as we said during the election season, often the elections closer to home will have a more direct impact on our work and in this regard, we can report some amazing victories. From the passage of a historic climate bond to five out of the six candidates we endorsed making it over the finish line, we have much to celebrate and find hope in. Here’s a quick rundown.
Propositions
Proposition 4: Passed
When you opened your voter information guide you saw Clean Water Action listed there as supporting this important investment in California’s future. Proposition 4 was the result of a huge and diverse coalition of environmentalists, labor, municipalities and state leaders, health organizations and more to ensure that invest in reducing the state’s greenhouse gas footprint and addressing the climate impacts we’re already feeling. Proposition 4 doesn’t just invest in clean energy. It also provides funds to deal with our increasingly frequent droughts, mitigate wildfire hazards and address sea level rise. While we needed Proposition 4 no matter who won the White House, it is clearly an important bulwark to protect us from the expected climate denial and limited funding we can expect from Washington D.C. Congratulations California!
Read more about our endorsement of Prop 4 HERE!
Proposition 5: Failed
Prop 5 would have amended the state constitution by lowering the required vote threshold for local jurisdictions to borrow in order to fund affordable housing construction, down payment assistance programs, and help with public infrastructure projects (including water management projects) from the current two-thirds majority requirement to 55%. The two-thirds requirement has hampered the ability of local governments to fund needed infrastructure, including schools, water and fire investments, allowing a small minority of the population to stall needed investments. The initiative is also seen as a way to promote local control/input on such projects. For these reasons, Clean Water Action endorses this measure.
State and Local Candidates
State Senate District 29: Eloise Gómez Reyes - won election.
This victory ensures continued environmental leadership in our state legislature. Eloise Gómez Reyes is a proven leader, having served as Majority Leader in the state Assembly. She has authored numerous environmental bills, especially focused on the vehicular air pollution that makes the Inland Empire’s air quality the worst in the state (due to the expansion of warehouses and trucking). As a result, Reyes sees the need to “achieve zero carbon energy by 2045” and has already worked to ensure that the state’s budget priorities and community investments will meet those goals. Having worked as a legal advocate for those living in disadvantaged communities, Reyes has a strong commitment to environmental justice and has supported Clean Water Action’s efforts to procure rate assistance for low-income communities to ensure we keep taps flowing. She understands the need to protect our water resources, especially groundwater serving this desert part of the state, and is committed to working to ensure that new oil and gas drilling and warehouses are set back from vulnerable neighborhoods to protect those who are most impacted by these polluting industries.
California Assembly District 13: Rhodesia Ransom - won election.
We endorsed Ransom because she understands that a polluting inland port, poor air quality and related high childhood asthma rates, and toxic algae blooms in water threaten the health and well-being of the hard-working communities she seeks to serve. She will support actions to transition towards a clean energy economy to create quality green jobs and healthier neighborhoods. She also made water infrastructure and access to clean drinking water one of the priorities of her campaign and will work to bring the resources needed for high-quality water infrastructure to the region, foster a policy that removes harmful chemicals and contaminants from residential water supplies, and support low-income rate assistance so everyone has access to clean water.
Assembly District 28: Gail Pellerin - won re-election.
Clean Water Action was pleased to again endorse incumbent Gail Pellerin for Assembly District 28 (Santa Cruz to parts of San Jose). Assemblymember Pellerin is strongly behind Clean Water Action’s work to provide water rate assistance to low-income households so that everyone has access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water. Assemblymember Pellerin supports the phase out of toxic chemicals like PFAS that threaten our health and environment and she has publicly committed to promote renewable energy to lower greenhouse gas emissions, protect California’s precious coast, prepare for rising sea levels, and to procure necessary funding for forest management and addressing wildfires. Finally, Assemblymember Pellerin recognizes that protecting our communities means a healthy democracy, which is why she will continue her leadership to protect voting rights in our state.
East Bay Municipal Utilities District Board Ward One: Joey Smith - won election.
Joey Smith has come up through the ranks in the water industry, having developed experience in plumbing, preventing water loss, water/energy conservation, and emergency response. Among her priorities are:
• strong community engagement to ensure that Ward One residents not only receive the services they require, but are empowered to weigh in on local water decisions and investments and involved in emergency preparedness in the face of climate change,
• protecting current water supplies, the upstream watersheds the region depends on, and secure supplemental supplies to meet growing customer demand in the years to come,
• looking for non-rate revenues when possible to keep customer rates down, while still investing in sustainable water infrastructure and water quality,
• bringing employment opportunities at EBMUD to the local community so that others can experience the same successes Ms. Smith has enjoyed in her career.
East Bay Municipal Utilities District Board Ward Five: James H. Odie - won election.
We endorsed Odie because of his priorities to:
• keep water rates fair and ensuring that there are no water shuts-offs when people struggle to pay their water bills,
• promote water conservation,
• achieve the agency’s goal of recycling 20 million gallons of water per day by 2040,
• diversify the agency’s water supply,
• and stop efforts to send the region’s limited water supply outside EBMUD’s current service boundaries.
California Assembly District 19: David Lee - defeated
We are sad to report that David Lee did not win his bid to replace long-time Clean Water Action friend Assembly Phil Ting and Jovanka Beckles will not be replacing Senator Nancy Skinner. We will be watching both of these leaders’ future endeavors with interest as we seek to work with them on the issues that matter to our members.