LOS ANGELES — Supporters of an initiative that would shift $8 billion in bond money from California's high speed rail to water projects say their aim is to reprioritize how the state's bond money is spent.
Polls show that voters rank water as highly as they do jobs, said Aubrey Bettencourt, executive director of the agriculture-backed California Water Alliance advocacy organization.
"The public is indicating the priority is water," Bettencourt said. "This is about people being able to shift the funding priorities."
The alliance is co-sponsoring the measure with Republican State Board of Equalization member George Runner and State Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff, who represents an eastern Los Angeles County district.
The initiative language was submitted to the state Attorney General's office on Nov. 12.
It would also authorize shifting $2.7 billion from the $7.2 billion water bond approved by voters last November to water storage projects. Though the initiative specifically mentions funding two projects that would increase above ground storage in northern and central California and two aquifers, supporters say it is aimed at projects that increase water supply that could include desalination and other concepts.
Huff said he supported high speed rail when voters approved the $10 billion bond measure in 2008, but the project has nearly doubled in cost to $68 billion from the original $40 billion price tag. He added that the original route from San Francisco to San Diego has been shortened, and would now end in Los Angeles.
"It is pretty logical to tie the two together," Runner said. "A lot of people are talking about trying to prioritize how future bonds are spent."
Californians feel water is a high priority and "high speed rail is out of control," Runner said.
Though the initiative would divert all but the $1.9 billion in already allocated bond money away from high speed rail, the co-sponsors said the aim isn't to kill the rail project.
Runner admitted he never liked the high speed rail project and signed a ballot argument in opposition prior to the passage of the $10 billion high spend rail bond measure in 2008.
A report from the state Legislative Analyst's Office on the initiative is expected to be released in mid-January as is the attorney general's title and summary.
The initiative would also amend the state constitution to give drinking water and agricultural irrigation priority over environmental uses of water. It could reduce protections for rivers and fisheries.
"I think the general feeling from the water community is that there was not enough money from the water bond measure for the kind of infrastructure necessary to secure California's water future," Runner said.
