SAN FRANCISCO - With time running out as California lawmakers try to produce a comprehensive package to upgrade the state's water delivery infrastructure, a Labor Day legislative hearing served primarily to emphasize the many disagreements that stand in the way.
This year's session ends Friday. And a special conference committee only has until today to deliver water legislation to the floors of both houses if such legislation is to pass before then.
It's an ambitious timeline to tackle an issue that California has struggled with for years, with multiple dueling interests that include city versus farm, north versus south, as well as Democrats versus Republicans.
The issue is how to preserve the environmental health of the Delta where water from the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers flow into San Francisco Bay, while at the same time preserving the flow of water south to Southern California and farmers in the Central Valley.
That divide between the Legislature's majority Democrats and the GOP minority was highlighted after the Labor Day conference committee hearing, when the respective leaderships issued tit-for-tat press releases criticizing each other.
The entire water exercise is a "dog-and-pony show," according to a joint statement issued by Senate Republican leader Dennis Hollingsworth and Assembly Republican leader Sam Blakeslee.
"Since February, Republicans have engaged in the workgroups and a multitude of joint hearings set up by the majority party," the statement said. "What's currently on the table does not reflect any Republican input."
Senate President pro tempore Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who is also chairing the conference committee, responded with a statement that Republicans have had "full input" at numerous lengthy public hearings on the potential water package.
Steinberg promised that the conference committee would deliver a complete policy package to the floors by the end of the day today, but said it would take longer to deliver a finance proposal.
For the most part, finance for the project will mean debt. Republicans, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, want state general obligation bonds to finance most of the work.
Two separate $12 billion-plus GO water bond proposals have been introduced.
Many Democrats have urged that a greater share be shifted to the end-users of the water, who could issue revenue bonds. That debate will likely continue for the rest of the week.
"I have assured Republican members that the policy pieces will not be debated on our floors until they are joined with a comprehensive finance proposal," Steinberg said. "I urge my Republican colleagues to hold their judgment until that work is completed, which will be no later than Friday."
Policy issues include the subject of "conveyance," or the idea of piping water around the Delta. This is a hot-button issue for many Delta environmental activists, who fear such a canal or pipeline would cause even more damage to the Delta.
The committee must also decide on dam building. Schwarzenegger and legislative Republicans insist on new reservoirs. Most Democrats are skeptical.
Finally, lawmakers have to decide how to make decisions about how the water projects are implemented and who will make them.
