While perhaps not the best or most principled way to conduct public policy (though the city's finance director may disagree), it is a reasonable one and retaining the ability to encourage development (which largely pays the bills for local government), while shifting liability to the deep pockets of the state government is reasonable.
Editorial: No floodplain hypocrisy
Council shouldn't oppose Jones' bill
Published 12:00 am PDT Tuesday, August 21, 2007
At some point in the next few weeks, the Sacramento City Council will again be asked to stake out a position on government liability and floodplain development. When it does, it needs to be careful not to embrace a two-faced position.
At issue is the city's stance on a bill by local Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento. Assembly Bill 70 would require cities and counties to share liability with the state when they approve new developments in the floodplain.
Jones notes that, because of recent court decisions, California already faces billions of dollars in potential property damage liability whenever a state-controlled levee fails.
The state is doing what it can to upgrade these levees. But Jones rightly notes that if local governments are going to keep approving new floodplain development, they should share liability with the state for that new development.
