Legislation - Policy

Why a tax on drinking water is wrong

A statewide tax on drinking water is being considered. (Getty Images)

The vast majority of Californians are fortunate enough to take access to clean drinking water for granted. However, the fact that some Californians in small, rural communities do not have this access is a travesty in this modern day and age. It can and must be fixed as an urgent state priority.

Resolving this unacceptable situation will come at a high price. Thankfully, the state government can draw on existing funding sources to ensure access to clean water for every California resident. This funding can be made available through ongoing federal safe drinking water funds and voter-approved general obligation bonds, along with already proposed agricultural assessments related to nitrates in groundwater. Additionally, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of our record-breaking $130 billion state general fund could help get the job done.

Unfortunately, there are politicians who instead see this problem as an excuse to impose a statewide tax on drinking water. It’s been tried before. Currently being proposed by the Brown administration through a budget trailer bill, this tax would be a first, but it probably wouldn’t be the last. Other proposals to tax drinking water are […]

Recent Posts

Scathing report released detailing Navy’s handling of Red Hill fuel spill

The Inspector General of the Department of Defense released some scathing reports Thursday over the…

5 days ago

Growing Food Instead of Grass Lawns in California Front Yards

Photo: Morgan Boone, a volunteer with Crop Swap LA, harvested lettuce at the La Salle…

2 weeks ago

LA River restoration connects us back to ‘the life force of our city’

Los Angeles residents at a section of the Los Angeles River cleanup in Los Angeles,…

3 weeks ago

LAist: New study raises questions about heavy metals in fire retardants

Over the past decade, about 67 million gallons of fire retardant have been dropped on…

3 weeks ago

Meadow and watershed restoration in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Photo: Golden Trout Wilderness Seeking blue, seeing gold The Kern Plateau features a chain of…

3 weeks ago

First sighting of salmon in 100 years marks key milestone for California dam removal

For the first time in more than a century, a salmon was observed swimming through Klamath…

4 weeks ago