SACRAMENTO – California Assembly Republicans are calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to prioritize water storage, conveyance, and flood protection in the state budget. California has not built significant new water storage since the 1970s, despite its population nearly doubling during that time.

“Providing water is a core function of government, and it’s time to make that a priority,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (Yuba City). “We need Sites Reservoir, policy reforms and better water management so our residents and farmers don’t face even more water rationing during the next dry spell.”

“We need more water storage in California,” said Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto). “That’s why on my first day in the legislature I proposed Assembly Constitutional Amendment 2 to put water storage goals into California’s Constitution and provide guaranteed funding for water infrastructure. It will bring California better flood control and more relief during periods of drought. It’s just common sense to get this done.”

“Conservation alone is not going to solve this crisis. Storage alone is not going to solve this crisis,” said Assemblyman Heath Flora (R-Ripon). “We need an all-of-the-above approach to water: desalinization, storage, conservation. Those are all part of the solution and something that we are all very, very committed to.”

“The Governor announced this week that he is protecting the state’s budget reserves. I implore the Governor to protect our State’s greatest natural resource – water – and move forward aggressively to build the reservoirs that the voters approved nearly ten years ago in 2014,” said Assemblymember Diane. Dixon (R-Newport Beach). “This water reserve will protect our state against future droughts, which are certain to occur again – just as the floods will return as well. This is not rocket science, save our water that falls free on a rainy day!”

Decades of neglect and underfunding have allowed the state’s infrastructure to crumble, resulting in difficulty transporting water across the state and causing the levee failures that have flooded communities in recent days.

The Assembly Republicans are urging Governor Newsom to prioritize these investments in the state budget to address current and future water challenges and protect the economic and social well-being of California.

Also in attendance at the press conference were:

  • Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale)
  • Assemblyman Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin)
  • Assemblyman Josh Hoover (R-Folsom)
  • Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Porterville)
  • Assemblyman Tri Ta (R-Westminster)
  • Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-Rancho Santa Margarita)
  • Assemblywoman Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel)

Video of the press conference is available here.