League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
	San Joaquin County, CA June 8, 2010 Election
	Measure C Adoption of Groundwater Charge North San Joaquin Water Conservation District Majority Approval Required Fail: 3356 / 32.78% Yes votes ...... 6881 / 67.22% No votes See Also: Index of all Measures

Arguments For Measure C

Measure C would restore North San Joaquin Water Conservation District's authority to impose groundwater charges and provide the District with revenue essential for expanding its present operations. Under Measure C, only those properties actually pumping groundwater will pay the charge. Other taxpayers who do not own wells or pump groundwater, will not incur any charges as a result of this measure. If passed, Measure C will provide funds to extend existing pipelines, develop recharge sites, and insure district landowners continue to enjoy a reliable supply of groundwater. Unless the District quickly engages in measures to improve groundwater conditions, the State has threatened to take over the regulation and use of water within our basin and strip the District of its surface water rights. We cannot afford to lose this important right to water. Approval of Measure C will keep the State's hands off of our water! Currently, pumps pull more water from the groundwater basin than naturally occurs through recharge. This condition, known as a groundwater overdraft, can cause significant environmental problems. The charge allowed by Measure C will be used to reverse this adverse environmental situation by constructing facilities to recharge the basin with fresh and healthy water. Measure C will allow the District to charge a fee on those who pump water from the groundwter basin. This fee will be used to recharge the basin. Those who pay the charge, and everyone else living within the District, will benefit from this investment. Don't let the state tell us how and when we can use our water. Improve the environment and make sure we have enough safe water for our farmers and future generations. "s/" Tom Hoffman, Pres., Board of Directors North San Joaquin Water Conservation District Rebuttal to Arguments For Measure C is a tax on water. Vote NO! Measure C would authorize the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District to put meters on wells and collect a tax on every unit of water pumped from the ground. City residents, our water comes from wells too! The District hopes to deceive us by saying "only those. . .pumping groundwater will pay the charge." Our suppliers pump groundwater. They'll pay the charge, and pass it on to us! The District hopes to scare us by saying "the State has threatened to take over." This District is already regulated by the State. It's not "us against the State." It's us against this greedy District. We don't benefit by giving this District power to tax us. According to its Budget, the District will use the tax first to deliver water free to its own customers (not us), then build a pipeline to ship water outside the district to the City of Stockton. How high will the tax be? The District won't say. Measure C is a blank check! Water is essential for living. Don't vote to raise water rates on seniors and unemployed families, especially when you don't know how high the increase could be! Water is essential for farming. Don't vote to tax farmers out of business. You'll damage the economy further, turn California farmland into bank-owned weed fields, and increase our dependence on others. Protect farmers. Protect farmland. Protect seniors and the unemployed. Protect yourselves. Don't give this District unchecked power to tax water. VOTE NO! "s/" Bryan Pilkington, Director, North San Joaquin Water Conservation District "s/" Hugh J. Scanlon, Member, Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assn. "s/" Todd C Burnett, B & B Farms, LLC "s/" E.L. Tavarez, Apple Grower "s/" Oscar Goehring, Member, San Joaquin County Farm Bureau (No arguments against Measure C were submitted)