James Souther's Position on NSJWCD Board Topics and Plans

By James P. Souther

James Souther presents a candidate well qualified to provide the leadership and focus on the board in addition to also being a "no-any-water-tax-candidate." James Souther's mission is: "Fix what we have--Use what we got--Go after what we lost." You must vote for Souther, the candidate to restore the board credibility, restore the operations and broken assets, and to protect our property rights by saying no to ground water and riparian water taxes.

James Souther submits that he is the candidate proven able to provide the leadership and focus the board requires moving the actions and operation on target with the board's chartered mission. In his first priority James Souther plans to focus on the mission of the board by revamping operations and maintenance, to effectively leverage water group networking, and to absolutely oppose any ground or riparian water taxes or usage fees. James Souther always engages constituents, listens to constituents, and believes scheduling evening meetings will eliminate need for multiple elections and his proper leadership will restore meeting decorum.

Ground Water Usage Tax

James has consistently opposed the ground water usage tax that the board tried to force on the voters twice and twice failed. James Souther is a member of Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and supported our fight against the groundwater "charge" properly identified as a tax. James campaigned against the tax in his support of no-water-tax votes in both elections as is well known by many residents of Lodi, Acampo, Clements, Lockeford, and Camanche areas. James Souther opposes the tax on the basis of his support of constitutional private property rights, and holds the opinion that such actions constitute the confiscation of our ground water and, ultimately, riparian rights. James Souther opposes anyone controlling or metering our water rights as both will ultimately lead to government socialist-like confiscation.

Legal Action against Constituents

James opposes a counsel-centered operation of the board, including consistent need for counsel at all meetings, public, closed, and secret/informal. James Souther will fight to retain all our water rights, including the district water rights and will continue to oppose all blanket lawsuits against constituents.

Restoring the Aquifer with the NSJWCD Water Rights

James Souther notes the district water rights are grossly inadequate to restore the aquifer average foot and a half drop per year. First, again as noted publicly in the tall hall meeting, 20,000 acre-feet of water is about an inch and one-half if it all went to the aquifer in our district. Second, the 20,000 acre-feet is only available in an excess water year, so, like in the last few drought years, we have nothing, not an inch. And, a final word, this urgent action to use the 20,000 acre-feet has been urgent since 1948, over 60 years, again indicative need of a focused leader such as James Souther.

Sale of Water Rights Allocations James Souther publicly stated in meetings and to the town hall that no sale of water rights to any urban area can be considered temporary as no judge will rule to deprive people of water contrary to rulings about agricultural crops. James Souther opposes any sale of the water rights to an urban customer as we need all the water we got, much less need to lose it outright.

Communications with Constituents

James Souther supports moving the meetings to the evening to allow direct communications by constituents and pledges that he will listen. James Souther was the candidate who stated in the forum that if elected he would change the board communication from one-way to two-way by listening. James believes greater public participation, an inexpensive e-mail bulletin, and a simple web-site could reach all constituents as effectively as expensive newsletters and mailings. James Souther has also posted his cell number as he believes any directors should be available to each individual constituent.

Accountability and Transparency

James publicly advocated the board adopt the policy manual from another district changing the identifiers only as an interim governing document. As an advisory committee volunteer, James Souther advocated that the district financial records be open to public review and comment.

Free Water to Individuals, Corporations, and Organizations

James Souther opposed the offers of free water to those installing dual pump systems or any subsidization of dual system installations. James Souther calculated that his orchard irrigation costs with surface water would be little more than ten percent of using groundwater, if the ground water were available less than half the time, the savings would still be pushing eighty percent, enough to subsidize dual system costs. James Souther opposes any actions requiring the board to generate a IRS Form 1099 to provide free or subsidized surface water at the district expense.

Expansion of NSJWCD Services

James Souther opposes any expansion of district services such as supplying municipal water districts, providing pressurized water for drip irrigation, and monitoring ground water usage. James Souther insists we complete the original mission to provide the state allocated surface water in lieu of ground water usage by fixing what we have and using what we got. James Souther believes we need to go after enough water, including rights in abeyance, to maintain our local economy and quality of life, including restoring enough water to maintain our aquifer. James Souther opposes proposals that the district should provide value-added services such as pressurized grape irrigation water having no direct benefit to all constituents, only to a few.

Other Issues

James Souther's cell number is 209-954-8158 and his e-mail is j_souther@hotmail.com. James Souther thanks you in advanced for discussing these items with your neighbors and friends in our district and even outside your Division within the District to determine your choice as you exercise your right to vote.