PROP 4

 Prop 4 would authorize $10 Billion to fund various projects to reduce the risks and impacts of climate change. Nearly half of the money would go towards water cleaning and storage projects, as well as reducing the risk of floods. The remainder would go towards wildfire prevention, land conservation, coastal protection, and energy infrastructure. At least 40 percent of the funds would be allocated to projects that provide a direct benefit to vulnerable populations or disadvantaged communities. Something for everyone.

The Prop is supported by a host of environmental orgs, and opposed by, say it with me now, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Assoc. Their argument against is actually correct - bonds are the most expensive way to pay for things because they add interest to our debt, which is already too high. They say we should only borrow money for long-term infrastructure projects, and they are, again, correct. There are a lot of projects, such as parks and farmers markets, that probably won't have much benefit to our climate resiliency (you can read the long list of recipients in the text here).

But building groundwater storage and fixing dams is long-term infrastructure. Creating climate smart agriculture and preventing wildfires is long-term infrastructure. The unfortunate fact is that our current budget deficit caused a lot of our planned climate projects to be cancelled or delayed. That is the reason that Prop 4 is on the ballot.

As I write this, hurricanes are destroying Florida. We can see that Mother Nature doesn't care about our budget, so many of these projects can't wait. If we can't pay for them now, we'll need to pay a bit more for them over time. Who know's what we'll pay if we don't prepare for a future we know is coming.

Your Political Friend is voting YES.