A nice Sunday morning read -

[David Lee]

Good to see the truth in the press for a change .

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_western_water_baron

David

[huntindog]

I love the "he should be canonized" line. If that means he should be ground up as fish food and shot out of a canon I would agree.

[Hairstacker]

I love the "he should be canonized" line. If that means he should be ground up as fish food and shot out of a canon I would agree.

A little harsh but clever play on words. :lol:

[Darian]

Read the article which appears in every publication around today.... Seems to be a summary of everything published previously. Not sure Ali Amin is any different than the Resnicks.... :confused: Just trying to protect/expand his market share. 8)

As I understand it, the cause of action is based an alleged gift of public funds by a water company owned by the Resnicks but that's gonna be a hard sell. Water is being sold by all holders of rights and related companies to any willing, downstream purchaser already. I don't like the idea that water is characterized as personal property rather than a natural resource by the courts but selling water isn't illegal or unusual in this day and age.

There's also the mention of how the Resnicks gained control of the Kern County Water Bank (once again). This part of the issue of gifts of public funds/property was, apparently, resolved at the time of transfer as the state didn't have enough money to complete the project and the resulting ownership came about through a negotiated settlement where the state received value in return for backing off. Thus, it seems there was no gift involved. :confused:

I have mixed emotions about the resnicks and this situation. They, apparently, don't grow cotton. Using water to produce food products is necessary for all of us. Paramount Farms grows fruits/nuts, etc. What does bother me is that water is shipped at subsidized cost to the Kern County Water Bank (of which Western Mutual Water Company is a member) to be bought back by the state at premium prices at a later date during drought years. But, Heyyy!!! Isn't that the feds/states fault :question: Shouldn't we insist that water sold for agricultural use be priced at higher levels :question: If agricultural water users pollute waterways thru runoff water and they do not clean up the mess, aren't we and the government equally responsible for letting it happen (I'm thinking about the Kesterson Reserve debacle) :question:

I guess I'm wondering were I in the Resnick's position, wouldn't I do the same things they are to protect that position and my assets :question: You betcha!!! :unibrow: of course, there are few, if any, of us that ever will have to face that situation.... ;-)

[STEELIES/26c3]

WOW Nice to see that side of the coin in the media for a change...

Certainly more provocative/entertaining than yesterday's 'party at the state assembly' and certainly better news than this:

Phil Isenberg, four others appointed to Delta Stewardship Council
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By Kevin Yamamura
kyamamura@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Mar. 20, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 3A

State leaders on Friday filled the remaining five slots of a new seven-member agency overseeing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the troubled estuary that has long sparked battles among water users, local residents and environmentalists.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with four appointments to the Delta Stewardship Council, selected Turlock farmer Randy Fiorini, former Sacramento mayor and Delta task force chairman Phil Isenberg, retired biotech executive Henry Nordhoff and conservation lawyer Richard Roos-Collins.

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, used his one appointment to select former state lawmaker Patrick Johnston, a Democrat who represented portions of the Delta in both the Senate and Assembly.

Lawmakers and Schwarzenegger created the council last year as part of a major water deal to improve the reliability of California's water supply and restore the struggling Delta ecosystem.

The council is charged with developing a Delta plan by 2012 that establishes methods of increasing water conservation and restoring the Delta ecosystem. The council also will consider ways to bolster the water supply, including water storage and a canal that transfers water around the Delta.

"This council will work collaboratively to develop a plan to achieve the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and ensuring water supply reliability," Schwarzenegger said in a release.

Also on the panel is Gloria Gray, a board member for a Los Angeles County water district that is a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which supplies drinking water to 19 million residents. Gray's appointment by former Assembly Speaker Karen Bass last month has drawn criticism from those who believe she has a conflict of interest.

And Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli sits on the council by virtue of being chairman of the Delta Protection Commission.

Some environmentalists feared that Schwarzenegger would use his four appointments to the seven-slot agency to pick members who agree with his desire to build a Delta canal.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, chairman of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, said he was disappointed in the panel's makeup.

"You have just about every major stakeholder interest well represented with the notable exception of the environmental and fishing communities, and yet you have a council premised on the co-equal goals of ecosystem restoration and water supply reliability," Huffman said.

The council's appointed members must be confirmed by the state Senate. Each will receive a salary of $40,669.

Read more: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FBHdYEn6mtsJ:www.sacbee.com/2010/03/20/2620640/phil-isenberg-four-others-appointed.html+Jared+Huffman+stance+on+delta&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a#ixzz0l4IVH9Z0

AND YET... WE MUST... NEVER SAY DIE!