[env-trinity] Elk Grove News: Field Poll Reveals Most California Voters Oppose Brown's 'Big Government Projects'

[Dan Bacher]

http://www.elkgrovenews.net/2015/02/field-poll-reveals-most-california.html

Field Poll Reveals Most California Voters Oppose Brown's 'Big  
Government Projects'

Written By EGN on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 | 18:50


By Dan Bacher | February 25, 2015 |

A Field Poll released on February 24 revealed that Governor Jerry  
Brown continues to receive "strong approval" from California voters,  
but the same voters oppose his big government spending projects,  
including the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the twin  
tunnels.

The poll results find nearly 56-percent of the state's voters  
approving of Brown's performance in office, while 32-percent disapprove.

However, then asked to consider three negative statements that have  
been made about the Governor, a 57-percent majority agrees with one of  
them – “favors too many big government projects that the state cannot  
afford right now.”

Although not specifically mentioned in the survey, the "big government  
projects" they were referring to include the high speed rail project  
and the twin tunnels plan, the controversial "legacy" public works  
projects of the Brown administration.

This view is held by 76-percent of Republicans and 56-percent of the  
state's non-partisans, but a smaller percentage (45-percent) of the  
state's Democrats.

Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Governor Jerry Brown’s rush to  
build water export tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom  
sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries, responded today  
to the Field Poll finding that the majority of California voters  
believe the Governor "favors too many big government projects the  
state cannot afford right now.”

The voters’ response is understood, including by the pollster, to  
include the Delta tunnels, according to RTD.

“Voters do not support the massive water export tunnels project," said  
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of RTD. "Governor Brown  
must rethink his water policies, and embrace a new, sustainable water  
solution. Governor Brown does have the vision and experience to  
recognize a dead end, and to abandon the doomed BDCP tunnels, which  
violate the Clean Water Act, degrade Delta families’ drinking water,  
and threaten salmon extinction.”

“For $67 billion, Californians get no new water, lose our fisheries  
and spend generations paying to subsidize huge, unsustainable  
industrial agriculture on unsuitable, drainage impaired Westside San  
Joaquin Valley lands," stated Barrigan-Parrilla. "That money would be  
better spent on alternatives that will make more water available to  
all Californians: recycling, storm water capture, conservation,  
groundwater cleanup and recharge etc. It’s time for a new, sustainable  
solution that makes new water, creates long-term jobs, promotes  
regional water independence and preserves fisheries and sustainable  
farms.”

She compared Governor Brown's massive tunnels with a sustainable water  
solution, as embodied in the Environmental Water Caucus Responsible  
Exports Plan.

The tunnels would cost $67 billion, while a sustainable water solution  
would cost $20 billion

The tunnels would create no new water, while a sustainable water  
solution would create 5 to 10 million acre feet of water.

The tunnels would create 10,000 short-term construction jobs and  
destroy thousands of Delta farming and Pacific fisheries-related jobs,  
while a sustainable water solution would create thousands of long-term  
jobs installing water-saving devices and replacing the infrastructure.

The tunnels would mainly benefit huge mega-growers irrigating toxic,  
drainage impaired land on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley,  
while a sustainable water solution would benefit ALL Californians.

There is no doubt that Governor's Brown's approval ratings would slip  
well below 50 percent if the mainstream media and corporate  
"environmental" NGOs would stop greenwashing the Governor's  
environmental record and report the truth about Brown's war on fish,  
water and the environment.

Not only has Brown rushed the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the  
peripheral tunnels, but he has overseen the expansion of fracking in  
California; has approved the creation of oil industry-friendly "marine  
protected areas" under the corrupt Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA)  
Initiative; has presided over record water exports from the Delta in  
2011; and has brought Delta smelt, longfin smelt, Central Valley  
steelhead and Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon closer to  
extinction.

The truth about Governor Brown's environmental record can be viewed  
here.
- See more at: http://www.elkgrovenews.net/2015/02/field-poll-reveals-most-california.html#sthash.LAikrxT3.dpuf
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