Rebuild California

By Bill Simon

a. Rebuild Our Transportation System

i. Rely on variety of transportation options, requiring only that they establish that they are cost-effective in meeting the public's transportation needs regardless of whether they are rail, mass transit or highways. ii. Use public/private partnerships to build more roads and freeways to improve California's transportation system without needing higher gasoline taxes. iii. "De-bottle neck" problem stretches on our highways and freeways by widening existing freeways, rebuilding freeway interchanges to relieve congestion, and repairing potholes.

b. Ensure adequate water

i. Increase water storage by raising dams, building more off stream storage facilities and expanding programs wherein water is pumped and stored underground during wet periods for use during drought periods. ii. Improve conservation efforts # use technology to enhance the efficiency of our water use. iii. Develop new water sources through reclamation and ocean de-salting programs.

c. Get control of our energy future

i. Increase our energy options by developing alternative energy such as windmills, geothermal, and solar. There are also promising new technologies involving fuel cells that will make possible zero-emissions vehicles that are economically sound. ii. Renegotiate the contracts the state has signed with energy suppliers and move to get the state out of the energy business. iii. Promote and invest in technology by funding research projects at the University of California and other California universities and research institutions that will improve generation, transmission and efficient use.