The morass of political issues threatens to swamp the flood control bills (inadequate as they are without including any dam construction) wending their way through the state legislature.
An excerpt.
Senate shelves flood bills
Leader Perata declares package dead after the governor seeks to soften development restrictions in vulnerable areas.
By Jim Sanders -- Bee Capitol Bureau Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, August 23, 2006
A package of flood-control bills touted as a way to reduce threats of disaster in the Central Valley was declared dead Tuesday by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata.
Perata, angered by last-minute amendments proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for two of the bills, said he has shelved the entire package and will not resume negotiations.
"When complicated policy is rushed through in the last minute, we inevitably screw up," said Perata, D-Oakland.
Perata's moves come about a year after Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana, causing hundreds of deaths, billions of dollars in property damage and serving as a stark reminder of flood-caused tragedy.
Sacramento, a low-lying community bounded by two major rivers, is considered one of the nation's most vulnerable major cities for a New Orleans-style disaster if its levees fail.
Perata denied that shelving the flood-control package was a reaction to developers' opposition to any of the measures, or that his action was calculated to gain leverage for negotiations.
