SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A California ballot measure on funding state mega-projects that Gov. Jerry Brown had thrown his time and campaign money into defeating was trailing - but barely - in the vote count early Wednesday.
Proposition 53 could complicate Brown’s plans for a $64 billion high-speed rail project and two giant north-south water tunnels for $15.7 billion.
The measure would require California to get voter approval before launching any state project needing $2 billion or more in revenue bonds. If the measure passes, officials might have to put both the high-speed rail project and water tunnels to a vote by Californians.
Brown spent more than $4 million from old campaign funds to help pay for a heavy rotation of TV ads arguing the finance measure would reduce local control of big projects, which the measure’s supporters denied. He also made personal appearances around the state to argue against the proposition.
The California Democratic Party also campaigned against the measure, putting in another $1.9 million to defeat it. A coalition including unions and building-industry groups also opposed it.
Prosperous Central Valley farmer and food-processor Dean Cortopassi almost single-handedly funded the petition drive that brought Proposition 53 to the ballot. He argued that state officials currently have too much of a free hand undertaking large projects requiring revenue bonds.
“I call it cockroach debt,” Cortopassi said before the vote.
Cockroaches and revenue bonds, he said, “are born and expand in the dark. You want to get rid of cockroaches? Turn on the light.”
Opponents of the proposition contended that Cortopassi’s measure could limit local control on big projects.
Brown opposed Proposition 53 because it is “a terrible idea that would cause costly delays in repairing our roads, colleges, and water systems- and also make it harder to respond to natural disasters,” Dan Newman, a spokesman for the governor, said in an email.
Neither side’s campaign was based directly on the tunnels or high-speed rail project.
However, the bipartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said in its review of Proposition 53 that other than those two projects, it was “unlikely there would be very many projects large enough to be affected” if the measure passed.
The state already requires public votes on projects using general-obligation bonds, which are secured by taxes. Revenue bonds are repaid using tolls or similar fees from users of the projects.
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