Opinion: Lesson of the Oroville Dam crisis: California’s one-party rule is not a sustainable model

To the editor: Everything I have been worrying about regarding California and its infrastructure vis a vis the Oroville Dam crisis was expressed by Victor Davis Hanson. Where did it all go wrong in our state? Between our underfunded pensions, the bullet train to nowhere and the burden of high taxes placed on those of us who pay them, this is not a sustainable model. (“The Oroville Dam disaster is yet another example of California’s decline,” Opinion, Feb. 14)

Many people assume having practically one-party rule is a good thing for California. It is not. I am neither a Democrat or a Republican, but I do know you cannot have all like minds in Sacramento. As with any any good executive team, diversity of thought and opinion is necessary to solve problems. We need diversity in our leadership like we need it everywhere else in life.

As the build-up to the near-collapse of the Oroville Dam auxiliary spillway shows, our leaders are fiddling while Rome burns. After a while, California will run out of other people’s money.

Jan Slater, Irvine

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To the editor: Hanson made great arguments about deteriorating infrastructure. I was sold on his points until he started to blame the infrastructure decline on the money spent on social programs.

Rather than solely blaming social programs, he could have also mentioned subsidies (a form of welfare) given by the state to big businesses. These cost California taxpayers hundreds of million of dollars annually.

I’ve seen estimates that the cost to fix the Oroville Dam would be about $200 million. Businesses in California could forgo their subsidies for one year in order to fix a vital piece of infrastructure upon which they, along with the rest of the state, depend.

Mitchel Kadish, Venice

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To the editor: I’m confident the California Legislature can deal with grocery bags and bobcats at the same time it addresses deferred infrastructure issues (apparently, Hanson doesn’t). It’s not binary.

Hanson simply dislikes regulation.

Thomas Bliss, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: Hanson uses the Oroville Dam crisis to air the pet peeves of his conservative Hoover Institution. He criticizes environmental groups for stalling necessary infrastructure upgrades.

Actually, three environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and Friends of the River, filed a motion in 2005 arguing that the dam’s emergency spillway should be paved with concrete. Federal and state officials rejected their request.

So much for rewriting history.

Emil Lawton, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: It was refreshing to read Hanson’s article about the brilliance of California’s water system. At a minimum, it should be a must read for lawmakers.

Neil Cline, Los Olivos, Calif.

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