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Prop. 4 would allow states to borrow $10 billion in natural resource and climate change bonds. Specific proposals include ensuring safe drinking water, increasing drought, flood and water “resiliency,” increasing clean energy production, combating sea level rise, creating parks and outdoor access, and providing heat relief. , including efforts to fund wildfire prevention programs.
Yes: Clean water advocates say it’s time to invest in proven climate solutions now instead of paying later. Too many Californians live without clean, safe water supplies, and many more are served by systems that are at risk. Proposition 4 calls for directing at least 40% of funding to disadvantaged communities that need it most.
No: California senators say they can’t afford to fund climate change programs that states should have committed to if they haven’t fulfilled their past commitments. The bill includes programs with vague definitions and, in some cases, questionable labels, and taxpayers will be stuck with the bill. And while some programs may be worth pursuing, they should not be financed with long-term debt.
Editorial: Proposition 4 prioritizes politics over sound policy with a patchwork of environmental programs lacking clear priorities. In the wake of this year’s state budget fiasco, elected leaders should not look at new national debt or debt increases for unfocused spending plans. This measure is more like a shopping list than a sound policy proposal.
First Published: October 4, 2024 5:35am
