When Gavin Newsom was running for governor last year, he adopted “courage for a change” as his slogan. It could be – and was – interpreted two ways: that he wanted to change the direction of California, or that he was disparaging outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown’s reluctance to confront the...
Walters: Gov. Brown Tries to Forge Big Water Deal Before Exit
As the Civil War raged, William Brewer, a young botanist from upstate New York, spent five years cataloging California’s natural attributes for its Legislature. As he and his crew traversed the state by mule in their annual sojourns, living off the land, Brewer found much to commend. But in letters...
Groundhog Day for Gov. Brown. Legacy Projects Again Face Uncertainty
As Jerry Brown enters the final months of his second go-around as Governor, the status of his two legacy projects — the twin tunnels and high-speed rail — is reminiscent of when he left office the first time. CALmatters columnist Dan Walters looks back to 1982, when Brown's original second-term wound...
Congressman Wants To Ban California Water Tunnels Lawsuits
SACRAMENTO — A California congressman wants to ban environmental lawsuits challenging a plan to build two giant tunnels to divert water from the north to the thirsty south. Rep. Ken Calvert, a Riverside County Republican, inserted the ban in a 142-page draft of an Interior Department spending bill for fiscal...
SoCal Agency Agrees to Pay $11 Billion for Tunnels Water Project
Gov. Jerry Brown’s controversial “twin tunnels” Delta water project will receive crucial funding from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The MWD board voted today (April 10) to support the project with $10.8 billion in financing. Member agencies voted by a margin of 61% to 39% to fund the...