3 More Crises Are in Works, Thanks to State

It is now quite clear to most everyone that our current energy malaise can be traced to nearly 25 years of neglect by the Legislature. With no vision, no plan and no concern, the supply of electrical power generation in this state has languished while a thriving technology-based economy demanded more.

Regulations and litigation were structured so that virtually any group opposing a development for the public good could stop that development in its tracks or delay it for years. That was so no matter how narrow the opposing groups’ objections were or how environmentally sensitive the development was. It didn’t matter that the development might benefit millions of people.

So now we must rush to build whatever we can wherever we can. This will cause pain, be expensive and result in less thoughtful developments, all because of the government’s neglect until we reached crisis mode.

Well, energy is only the start. We are talking about that issue now because the crisis has arrived. But we have at least three more crises waiting in the wings to hit Southern California.

The first is water supply. Southern California growth always has been and continues to be dependent on water. Yet we have added hardly any major above-ground water storage over the last two decades. You have seen the consequences of the state relying on imported electricity. In Southern California, we import 60% of our daily water needs from Northern California and the Colorado River. What happens if an earthquake in Northern California prevents us from using the aqueduct? Or if the other western states using Colorado River water begin using their full allotment?

Local water agencies, such as the Orange County Water District, have been innovative with recycling and are working on a first-of-its kind ground water replenishment system, but it’s not enough to cover us during the next drought. It is time politicians strike a balance with environmentalists before our water supply reaches crisis mode.

Then come roads and traffic congestion. Most of our state highways, built in the 1960s with an expected 20-year life span, are now more than 30 years old. Since former Gov. Jerry Brown put the brakes on new infrastructure investment, California’s policy has been “If we don’t build it, they won’t come.” We stopped building, but people came anyway.

Californians pay the third-highest car and fuel taxes in the nation but rank 48th in per capita spending on roads because these tax dollars are diverted to other government programs. Democrats’ solution to our transportation needs is to issue bonds to fund mass transit systems that less than 5% of the population uses. I say we use existing dollars to implement a pay-as-you-go approach to fund roads and highways that our local governments deem most necessary, rather than having our children pay off bonds to satisfy the few who continue to fight for mass transit.

And third is housing. With the euphemism “smart growth,” the same people who contributed to our energy supply problem are delaying the construction of homes. The land entitlement process epitomizes how special interests are making homes increasingly difficult to buy for the average wage earner. For example, in the Irvine area alone, only 28% of residents can afford a median-priced home.

Before laying one brick, necessary permits or entitlements must be obtained from government. This process, unfortunately, is now taking upward of five years because a few groups would rather improve the quality of life of an insect or rodent than allow your home to be built. Ask developers in Riverside County who were stopped dead in their tracks because of the Quino checkerspot butterfly and the kangaroo rat.

Sacramento must wean itself from these groups and create a quicker, more balanced approach to land use, enabling the price of new homes and apartments to drop.

We need more energy, more water, more roads and more affordable houses. We can do all this while improving the quality of our air and water and conserving open spaces. But we have completely lost balance. It seems we no longer try to balance the needs of the people and the economy against the long-term environmental objectives we all support. Instead, this Legislature has become captive to the elitist ideas of a few loud voices that have swung the pendulum to their side.

Only when the situation reaches full-blown crisis mode, as is the case with energy, do the politicians in control of our state government react. By then the solutions are extremely limited and the taxpayers end up paying a much higher price.

Raise your voices to let Sacramento know you want water, roads, affordable housing and abundant electric power. But if they don’t listen, don’t be surprised when the next three crises are upon us.