Say no to these four new bond measures

As people are finding when they go for a home or car loan, today’s high interest rates have increased monthly payments. Despite that, reported the Sacramento Bee, members of the Assembly and Senate are proposing at least $43.7 billion in bond measures be put before voters in next year’s March and November elections. Here are four:

Assembly Bill 1510 is by Assemblymember Reggie Sawyer-Jones, D-Los Angeles. It’s a $5.2 billion bond to fight the fentanyl addiction crisis. It’s good that Sawyer stresses it’s not part of the “war on drugs,” instead prioritizing “education and awareness.” But the state has plenty of money to put to this already. It’s just about budgeting appropriately and not giving away everything to public sector unions.

Assembly Bill 247 is by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance. It’s a $14 billion bond for K-14 school facilities. But Gov. Gavin Newsom in January estimated average per-pupil spending at more than $23,000, or $575,000 for a class of 25. There’s already plenty of money. Government facilities projects routinely waste money via project labor agreements or similar union arrangements to bloat the cost. No.

There are two climate bills that, the Bee noted, could be consolidated into one. As the long titles indicate, these really are grab bags of pork. Assembly Bill 1567 is by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella. It would be $16 billion in bonds for the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy and Workforce Development Bond.

Senate Bill 867 is by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Redondo Beach. It would be $15.5 billion in bonds for the Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access and Clean Energy Bond Act.

Especially after last year’s nearly $100 billion state budget surplus turned into this year’s $31.5 deficit, the Legislature should reject all these bonds. The loans always must be paid back, often with tax increases.

Anything really needed ought to be paid for within the general fund.