MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT: June 3, 2014 Ballot Measure on Public Ownership of California American Water

ABSTRACT: The MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT June 3, 2014 Ballot Initiative webpage is reproduced with links to Documents Related to Ballot Initiative; the Documents Related to Ballot Initiative document is embedded.

MONTEREY PENINSULA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

5 Harris Court, Building G,   P.O. Box 85, Monterey, CA 93942-0085 (USA)
Water Permit & Conservation Office:   (831) 658-5601 Fax: (831) 644-9558
Administrative Offices:   (831) 658-5600 Fax: (831) 644-9560

June 3, 2014 Ballot Initiative

In response to a petition circulated by Public Water Now, the Board of Directors agreed to place a measure on the June 3, 2014, ballot asking voters within the Water Management District boundaries to adopt or reject a policy of pursuing public ownership of the Monterey Peninsula water system.

The ballot measure would add Rule 19.8 to the Water Management District’s Rules and Regulations and require that:

            A    The General Manager, within nine months of the Rule’s effective date, complete a Feasibility Analysis and Acquisition Plan for the acquisition, long-term ownership, and management by the Water Management District of California American Water’s assets; and

            B    If the Plan concludes acquisition is feasible, the District would be required, as soon as practicable, to take all necessary and proper actions consistent with its powers under District Law and Eminent Domain Law to acquire California American’s water system assets.

The proposed rule 19.8 is incorporated into an ordinance titled “Monterey Peninsula Water System Local Ownership and Cost Savings Initiative.”

The decision to place a measure on the ballot was made by the Board of Directors at its meeting of January 29, 2014.  According to California election law, the Board of Directors had two options: (1) adopt Rule 19.8 as proposed in the Public Water Now initiative petition; or (2) adopt a resolution placing the initiative on the ballot.  The Board voted to place the initiative on the June 3, 2014 ballot, so that local voters could make a decision on public ownership of California American’s water system. 

Public Water Now developed the initiative petition, gathered signatures and submitted signed petitions to the Water Management District on January 13, 2014.  The petitions were referred to the Monterey County Elections department for signature verification.  On January 21, 2014, Monterey County Elections determined that a sufficient number of the 8,517 signatures submitted were valid to qualify the petition.

Documents Related to Ballot Initiative

Ordinance Proposed in Ballot Measure -- Monterey Peninsula Water System Local Ownership and Cost Savings Initiative

MPWMD Resolution 2014-02 Calling for an Election

Calendar for submission and review of arguments for or against the ballot measure

Monterey County Elections office verification of signatures on Public Water Now initiative petition

Public Water Now Initiative Petition

MPWMD June 3, 2014 Ballot Initiative Documents

Documents Related to Ballot Initiative