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Reso 1435 11/2013RESOLUTION NO.1435 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE VALLECITOS WATER DISTRICT ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Vallecitos Water District (District) desires to provide District staff direction regarding positions on proposed federal and state legislation; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the Vallecitos Water District as follows: The Board of Directors does hereby adopt the Legislative Policy Guidelines incorporated herein by reference. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED q the Board of Directors of the Vallecitos Water District at a regular meeting held on the 2V day of November, 2013 by the following roll call vote: AYES: EVANS, FERGUSON, MARTIN, POLTL, HERNANDEZ NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: James I J rnandez, President Board o (Directors Vallecitos Water District ATTEST- Dennis O. Lamb, Secretary Board of Directors Vallecitos Water District Legislative Policy Guidelines Purpose The District's legislative policy guidelines adopted in 2013 reflect the District's positions on legislation proposed at the Federal and State level. The guidelines provide direction to staff and legislative advocates when they evaluate proposed legislation that may affect the District. Legislation that meets - or fails to meet - the principles set forth in the guidelines may be supported or opposed accordingly. The guidelines permit staff and the District's legislative advocates to act in a timely fashion between Board meetings on issues that are clearly within the guidelines. Such actions are then reported to the Board during the next regular Board meeting. Legislation that does not meet the principles set forth in the guidelines or that has potentially complicated or varied implications will not be acted upon in between Board meetings by staff or the legislative advocates and will instead be presented to the Board directly for guidance in advance of taking any formal position. 1 Table of Contents Topic Page Imported Water Supply 3 Local Water Resources 4 -5 Water and Wastewater Facilities /Facility Improvement 6 -7 Public Contract/Construction Law 8 Human Resources /Employment Law 9 Water Use Efficiency 10 -11 Biological and Habitat Preservation 12 Fiscal Policy and Water and Wastewater Rates 13 -14 Right of Way and Property 15 Power Supply and Generation 16 Land Use and Water Management Planning 17 Water Quality Issues 18 Climate Change 19 Water Bonds 20 Jurisdictional Authority and Local Autonomy 21 K Imported Water Supply As a member agency of the San Diego County Water Authority ( SDCWA) the District relies strongly upon the SDCWA for more than 65% of its deliveries of water. The San Diego region's supply in general relies upon the State Water Project (SWP), the Federal Water Project and the Colorado basin. The District generally supports: 1. Development of a comprehensive state water plan that balances California's competing water needs and results in a reliable and affordable supply of high - quality water for the San Diego region, 2. Conveyance and storage facilities that are cost - effective, improve the reliability and quality of the San Diego region's water supplies and protect the Bay - Delta, Colorado River supplies and State's ecosystem, 3. A long -term, comprehensive solution for the Bay -Delta that focuses on resolution of conflicts between water management and the environment in the Bay - Delta; provides co -equal reliable water supplies to meet California's short- and long -term needs, 4. State and Federal share of funding for the long -term Bay -Delta solution, 5. Voluntary water transfers, efficient use of existing facilities, streamlines the permitting and approval process for implementing transfers and provides appropriate protection or mitigation for the environment, groundwater basins, water - rights holders and third -party impacts, and 6. Financial support to projects designed to mitigate potential negative impacts of climate change on water supply reliability. The District generally opposes: 1. Broad -based user fee that does not support a specific program activity and does not provide a clear nexus to the benefit the fee would provide. 2. Legislation that makes urban water supplies less reliable or substantially increases the cost of imported water without also improving the reliability and /or quality of the water. 3. Increased regulatory or procedural impediments to water transfers at the local or state level. 9 Local Water Resources The District generally supports State and Federal legislation that promotes the development of local supplies and allows for local control and decision authority. The District generally opposes legislation that imposes unreasonable regulations on local water supplies or inhibits the development of the District to use recycled water, Igraywater or capture and reuse storm run off as a potable supply. i The District generally supports: 1. Conservation, water recycling, indirect potable reuse, direct potable reuse, groundwater recovery and recharge, surface water development and management projects, including reservoir management, source water protection and watershed planning studies and facilities that sustain long -term reliable water resources. 2. Seawater and brackish groundwater desalination studies and facilities, including concentrate disposal facilities and supports the development of seawater desalination as a critical water supply. 3. Seawater desalination facilities co- located with existing coastal power stations and potential seawater desalination sites and existing coastal facilities including intake and discharge infrastructure that could be used or reused by a seawater desalination facility. 4. Expanded use and development of local water resources including water recycling, indirect potable reuse, direct potable reuse, gray water, brackish groundwater and encourages the use of rain barrels and cisterns to capture and store rain water for use in irrigation. 5. Local governmental agency regulation of the discharge of contaminants, specifically salt, to the sewer collection system that may adversely affect water recycling and reuse. 6. Dual plumbing and the use of recycled water in residential settings in all new development allowing use of recycled water when available. 7. Financial incentives to assist in the reuse and disposal of concentrate, sludge and other byproducts created in the water and wastewater treatment processes. 8. Uniform regulatory interpretation of state recycled water system standards. 9. Decision - making with regard to stormwater management and recapture kept at the local or regional level through local water agencies, stormwater districts, cities, counties, and regional water management groups. 10. Stormwater management and recapture to diversify water portfolios and help achieve improved water quality in local water supplies, augment water supplies 9 for local water agencies, and promote landscape conservation from a water runoff perspective. 11. The use of stormwater management and recapture to increase local municipal water supplies and improve water quality through low- impact development. 12. Reduction or removal of regulatory hurdles that hinder the use of stormwater management and recapture. 13. Land use practices that promote efficient landscape design and groundwater recharge. The District generally opposes: 1. Limiting the ability of local governmental agencies to regulate the discharge of contaminants to the sewer collection system that may adversely affect water recycling and reuse. 2. Unreasonable regulatory requirements relative to the safe use of recycled water. 3. Degradation of source water quality around reservoirs and groundwater basins. 4. Restricting the ability of the District to manage, store, or distribute water supplies through actions to manage or recapture stormwater. 5. Diminishing the water rights or legal historical uses of downstream water users through actions to manage or recapture stormwater. F". Water and Wastewater Facilities /Facility Improvement The District generally supports legislation that provides State and Federal funding for the essential District activities of construction, operation and maintenance of water and sewer facilities. The District generally opposes legislation that restricts or imposes control over local authority and discretion of water or wastewater facilities or operation. The District generally supports: 1. Construction and /or maintenance of public water storage, watershed areas, and treatment and delivery facilities. 2. Water infrastructure development, infrastructure security, and infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement projects. 3. Enhancements to water treatment and wastewater recycling facilities to meet increased regulations. 4. Improvements to water treatment facilities that allow greater use of State Project water. 5. Habitat preservation programs that address impacts resulting from construction or operation of water conveyance and storage facilities. 6. Water agencies as emergency responders to damage and challenges caused by wildfires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, as well as terrorist and other criminal activities that threaten water operations, facilities, and supplies. 7. Projects that enhance security against terrorist acts or other criminal threats to water operations, facilities, or supplies. 8. Control or eradication of non - indigenous aquatic species, including dreissenid mussels. 9. State and Federal wildlife agencies providing assistance to local water agencies in the control and eradication of non - indigenous aquatic species, including dreissenid mussels. 10. Optimization, expansion and cooperative use of existing surface reservoirs. 11. Projects that improve the security of District facilities. 12. Voluntary retrofit of facilities for on -site generation of chlorine. The Districts generally opposes: 1. Impairment of the District's ability to provide and operate the necessary facilities for a safe, reliable and operationally flexible water storage, treatment and delivery system. 0 2. Limiting the District's sole jurisdiction over the planning, design, routing, approval, construction, operation or maintenance of its or their water and wastewater facilities. 3. Shifts the risk of indemnity for damages and defense of claims from contractors to the District. 4. Impairment of the District's ability to execute construction projects using its own employees or mandates the use of specific trade groups or organized labor. 5. Restricting the District's ability to respond swiftly and decisively to an emergency that threatens to disrupt water deliveries or restricts the draining of pipelines or other facilities in emergencies or for repairs or preventive maintenance. 6. Authorizing state and federal wildlife agencies to control or eradicate invasive species in a way that excessively interferes with the operations and maintenance of the water or wastewater operations of the District. 7 Public Contract/Construction Law The District is generally supportive of legislation that promotes predictability, transparency and prudent measures favoring jobsite safety, cost control and operational efficiency, as well as reasonable dispute resolution processes in Public Contracting and Construction law. The District generally supports: 1. Preserving the County Water District exemption from the Competitive bidding statutes; 2. Providing prudent measures to integrate ergonomics and worker safety in the construction industry; 3. Providing for objective means by which to address handling of construction claims, including the submission, evaluation and resolution of such claims; 4. Standardizing the measurement of "delay" claims, and provides for objective measurements to determine or allocate responsibility for delay in a project. The District will consider opposing legislation which: 1. Arbitrarily adjusts or destabilizes the balance of interests between contractors and owners on projects, such as further reduction of contract retainage funds percentages, or increases the District's costs or record - keeping burdens in project management; 2. Significantly increases the costs of construction without providing corresponding benefits in the areas of productive efficiency, workplace safety, environmental protection, or improvement of the construction claims /dispute resolution process; 3. Attempts to eliminate the exemption from the public bidding process currently enjoyed by County Water Districts, or which arbitrarily limits the discretion of public agencies to resolve bidding or performance disputes on projects; 4. Limits a public agency's ability to seek redress from a contractor or contractor's surety for any failure of performance with respect to a particular project, or which allows contractors to arbitrarily shift responsibility or liability upon lower tier contractors or material suppliers. 5. Limits or reduces the bonding requirements for contractor's sureties on public works projects; 6. Limits or reduces the size of projects which can be performed by force account work, or which limits an agency's discretion to utilize force account work. 0 Human Resources /Employment Law The District generally supports legislation that protects employees and applicants from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and other illegal activities, and provides employees with job security for protected activities. The District generally opposes legislation that limits the rights of employers to establish, modify, or discontinue policies, practices, or procedures and negotiate benefits in good faith with employees. The District generally supports: 1. Strengthening protections and remedies against employment discrimination without placing an unfair burden of proof upon employers. 2. Positive impacts on race /human relations. 3. Requiring rehabilitation services only if a worker is permanently disabled and unable to obtain suitable employment. The District generally opposes: 1. Impeding local administration of employer /employee relations. 2. Requiring compulsory binding arbitration for public employees. 3. Increasing District costs or mandating currently negotiable employee group health and welfare benefits. 4. Increasing the cost of administering benefits or mandating that specific group health and welfare benefits be provided to all employees. 5. Limiting an employer's ability to engage in electronic monitoring of the usage of equipment provided to employees. 6. Increasing employer liability for unemployment compensation, or reducing local discretion to manage this risk. 7. Presumptive eligibility for the award of benefits for Workers' Compensation or other employee health benefits. 8. Increasing employee benefits without system reforms that would offset increased employer costs. M Water Use Efficiency The District is an original signatory to the California Urban Water Conservation council ( CUWCC) and supports Best Management Practices adopted by the CUWCC and legislation for water saving devices such as low flow toilets, showerheads, high efficiency clothes washing machines and outdoor landscape efficiency and full compliance with SBX7 -7. The District generally opposes any legislation that overrides or diminishes local control over rate setting authority of the District or the implementation of conservation measures. The District generally supports: 1. The statewide goal of a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2020 as set forth in SBX7 -7, and achievement of urban and agricultural water -use efficiency standards established in the 20 percent by 2020 statute enacted in November 2009. 2. Statewide implementation of foundational Best Management Practices (BMPs) as defined by the CUWCC and Demand Management Measures (DMMs) as defined in the Urban Water Management Planning Act. 3. Water - conserving devices or practices. 4. Accurate and meaningful reporting of implementation of water conservation measures. 5. Implementation of effective water management practices for agricultural irrigation. 6. The CUWCC or other entity representing stakeholder interests as being responsible for developing a framework for determining water agency compliance with water conservation BMPs. This framework should promote water agency incentives for BMP compliance and avoid prescriptive regulations. 7. Standards for the utilization of high - efficiency commercial coin - operated and residential clothes washers. 8. Sub - metering connections to be built in new construction of multiple commercial or residential buildings. 9. Plumbing fixture retrofit upon real property resale. 10. Stakeholders to investigate and develop statewide landscape water conservation standards and regulations. 11. Recommendations of the AB 2717 Landscape Taskforce. 12. Restricting Home Owner Associations from forbidding the use of California native plants or other low water use plants in well- maintained landscapes. 10 13. Restricting Home Owner Associations from forbidding retrofits of multiple unit facilities for the purpose of submetering, if feasible. 14. Plumbing codes and standards that facilitate the installation and /or retrofit of water - saving devices. 15. Incentives, funding, and other assistance in meeting the goal of reducing per capita water use statewide by 20 percent by the year 2020. 16. Incentives, funding, and assistance to water agencies to comply with AB 1420 (2007) requirements and meet the coverage requirements for foundational DMMs in the Urban Water Management Planning Act. The District generally opposes: 1. Repealing cost - effective efficiency standards for water -using devices. 2. Prescribing statewide mandatory urban water conservation management practices that override the authority of the District to adopt management practices that are most appropriate for the specific needs of the District. 3. Prescribing mandatory conservation -based rate structures that override the authority of the District to set rate structures. 11 Biological and Habitat Preservation The District generally supports legislation preserving biology and habitat through comprehensive approaches and regulatory certainty for water and wastewater projects. The District generally opposes legislation that reduces or limits existing and future water rights and supplies, and inhibits or interferes with the operation, maintenance or repair of existing facilities of water, water storage and wastewater, reclamation and treatment facilities. The District generally supports: 1. Development of comprehensive multi- species habitat conservation plans that anticipate and mitigate project development impacts while preserving representative ecosystems, rather than individual species. 2. Exemptions for operation, maintenance, and repair of water conveyance and storage facilities and wastewater collection, treatments and disposal facilities from endangered species and other habitat conservation regulations because they provide beneficial cyclical habitat values to declining species and foster biological diversity in California. 3. Authorizing Federal and State funding to develop and implement regional or sub - regional conservation programs, including but not limited to property acquisition, re- vegetation programs and watershed plans. 4. Emergency exemption for "take" of a listed species listed under the State or Federal Endangered Species Acts when necessary to mitigate or prevent loss of or damage to life, health, property or essential public services. 5. Species listings, critical habitat designation and recovery plans developed pursuant to the State or Federal Endangered Species Acts to be consistent with existing interstate compacts, tribal treaties and other State and Federal agreements. The District generally opposes: 1. After - the -fact reduction in quantity or quality of a public water supply due to new restrictions on the operation or use of water supply facilities unless funding for alternate sources of water is provided. 2. Imposing endangered species or habitat conservation requirements that restrict the operation, maintenance or repair of public water supply, conveyance, or storage and wastewater collection, treatments and disposal facilities. 12 Fiscal Policy and Water and Wastewater Rates The District generally supports legislation favorable to obtaining cost effective financing for the construction, operation and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities, allowing the District to collect capacity fee charges necessary for the reasonable planning and construction of new facilities; and establishing fair rates for the operation, debt payment and replacement of water and sewer systems. The District generally opposes unfunded mandates, restrictions on fair rate setting, and the imposition of user fees and taxes that lack a clear nexus to the cost of water and services provided. The District generally supports: 1. Federal and State governments to provide subvention to reimburse local governments for all mandated costs or regulatory actions. 2. Cost - effective financing or grant funding for public water and wastewater facilities. 3. The ability of the District to establish water and wastewater rates and maximize the flexibility of the District to establish rate structures to meet financial obligations. The District generally opposes: 1. Mandated costs or regulatory constraints on local governments without providing subventions to reimburse local governments for such costs. 2. Inconsistencies with the District's current investment policies and practices. 3. Unilateral reallocation of the Districts revenues by the State unless the State takes compensatory measures to restore those funds. 4. Impairing the District's ability to provide reasonable service at reasonable costs for each class of service regardless of delivery costs. 5. Pre - empting the Districts ability to impose or change rates, charges, fees or assessments. 6. Impairing the District's ability to maintain reasonable reserve funds and obtain and retain reasonable rates of return on its reserve accounts. 7. Additional administrative requirements and /or restricts the District's ability to finance public facilities through the issuance of long -term debt. 8. Reducing the District's revenues without giving the District a commensurate public benefit that is clearly identifiable and separate from a general statewide benefit. 9. Restructuring District responsibilities without also providing the commensurate 13 restructuring of revenues. 10. The expenditure of District funds to accomplish Federal water supply commitments such as may be required in national treaties. 11. Weakening the protections afforded the District under California's Proposition 1A (November 2, 2004). 12. Mandating a specific rate structure for retail water agencies. 13. A water user fee on water agencies or water users that does not provide a commensurate benefit in the District. 14. A water user fee to fund statewide projects or programs, for which the projects or programs are not clearly defined, the beneficiaries identified, and the reasonable costs identified. 15. Not restricting the use of water user fees to only the specific purposes for which they are imposed, without any possibility of diversion to meet other fiscal needs of the State. 16. A "public goods charge" on public water agencies or their ratepayers. 17. A fee on the District to repay the principal and interest on a statewide general obligation bond. 18. Placing District reserves at risk of being transferred to the Federal government, the State, or any political subdivision thereof. 14 Right of Way and Property The District generally supports legislation to maintain and protect its property and rights of way. The District generally opposes any legislation that interferes with the right to maintain and access easements and lands or increases the cost of obtaining, maintaining and protecting our property and rights of way. The District generally supports: 1. The District's ability and efforts to maintain and protect its property, rights of way, easements, pipelines and related facilities and minimizes liability to the District. The District generally opposes: 1. Impairing the District's efforts to acquire property or property interests required for essential capital improvement projects. 2. Increasing the cost of property and right of way acquisition. 3. Restricting the District's use of public rights of way or increases the cost of using public rights of way. 4. User fees or tariffs for the use of public rights of way. 15 Power Supply and Generation The District generally supports legislation for cost - efficient power, energy conservation, marketable energy, and diverse energy supplies and sources. The District generally opposes legislation that increases the cost of electricity and that interferes with the ability of the District to generate or buy or sell electricity. The District generally supports: 1. Opportunities for reduced energy rates under tariff schedules for the District. 2. Greater flexibility in the utilization of the District facilities for generation and acquisition of electrical power. 3. Greater flexibility for the District in the permitting, construction, and operation of its existing and potential in -line hydroelectric systems and promotes the classification of electricity generated by in -line hydroelectric facilities as a clean, environmentally sound and renewable energy resource. 4. Protection of the District from energy rate increases and provides rate relief and rate stability for the District. 5. Funding, including State and Federal grants, for in -line hydroelectric facilities as a means for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 6. Funding for use of renewable energy for District facilities. The District generally opposes: 1. Adverse effects on the ability of the District to own, operate and /or construct facilities for supplying District facilities with natural gas and electricity or in -line hydroelectric systems. 2. Unfair allocations of power costs to fixed rates and not to commodity use tariffs. 3. Impeding the District's ability to contract for the purchase of gas and electricity from the United States, the State of California, and any other public agency or private entity and sell the gas and electricity to any public agency or private entity engaged in retail sales of electricity and gas. 4. Removing time of use savings provided to the District to mitigate peak demands on the electrical grid and the ability of power suppliers to randomly change tariff and commodity rates eliminating the District's ability to control power costs. Land Use and Water Management Planning The District generally supports legislation that requires land planning with water management and supply planning. The District generally opposes legislation that interferes with or hinders the ability to reasonably plan and project water demands in the future or impose conditions of water delivery and service. The District generally supports: 1. Enhanced coordination and linkage of general plans and water management plans and discourages piecemeal or uncoordinated land use and water management planning. 2. Regional efforts to coordinate land use planning and water management planning in a manner consistent with the goals and objectives established by regional growth management strategies, affordable housing mandates and local general plans. 3. Projected population and other demographic factors utilized in forecasting future water demands in accordance with the Urban Water Management Planning Act and SB 610 and SB 221, being consistent with the regional growth management plans and general plans applicable to the territory within the service area of the supplier. The District generally opposes: 1. Restrictions or limits on the effectiveness of the District to continue efforts to meet its obligations under the Regional Comprehensive Plan and develop demand forecasts based on SANDAG regional growth forecasts and general plan use information. 2. Restrictions on the District's ability to utilize a demand forecasting methodology that is best suited for the region. 3. Restrictions or requirements on the District to impose restrictions on water availability or the ability to limit water supply. 17 Water Quality Issues The District generally supports legislation that ensures reasonable standards for high quality water deliveries based upon sound science and reasonable research and for the protection of water supplies. The District generally opposes legislation and regulations based solely upon estimates of CEC's and PHG's that are not based upon sound science and risk assessment. The District generally supports: 1. Achieving a year -round blend of imported water supplies that allows the District to maximize development of recycled water and reduce financial costs to the customer due to high levels of total dissolved solids in imported water supplies. 2. Necessary funding for research on the occurrence, treatment, health effects and environmental clean -up related to contamination of drinking water sources. 3. Sound scientific principles in adopting drinking water standards for drinking water contaminants. 4. Implementation and funding of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board's triennial review of water quality standards. 5. Exemption from the conveyance, storage, or release of water supplies from regulation as a discharge under the Clean Water Act and other water quality control laws. 6. Revisions to NPDES standards and procedures to facilitate inland discharge of recycled water. 7. Quality standards, testing procedures, and treatment processes for emerging contaminants. 8. Altering the definition of "lead free" to reduce the permissible amount of lead in fixtures, plumbing, and pipe fittings to be installed for the delivery of drinking water. The District generally opposes: 1. Regulation of the conveyance, storage, or release of water supplies as a discharge under the Clean Water Act and other water quality control laws. fiE:] Climate Change The District generally supports legislation that incorporates reasonable planning and consideration of potential climate change into water planning efforts. The District generally opposes climate change initiatives or legislation not based upon sound science provided by the State. The District generally supports: 1. Climate change incorporated into statewide, regional, and local water management planning, with climate change information provided by the State. 2. Investigating and providing financial support to projects designed to mitigate or adapt to potential negative impacts of climate change on water supply reliability. 3. The District collaborating with energy providers to help fund water conservation and other programs that result in (a) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and (b) provides funding for projects that assist in adapting to the effects of climate change on the State's water supply. 4. District opportunities and incentives for voluntary implementation of local water and renewable energy projects that directly or indirectly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 5. Incorporation of anticipated climate change impacts in long -range water supply planning statewide. 6. Coordination and integration of local, State and Federal climate change policies and practices to the greatest extent feasible. The District generally opposes: 1. Incorporation of considerations of climate change into statewide, regional, and local water management planning, without climate change information provided by the State. 2. Imposing top -down, "one size fits all" mandates without taking into account hydrological, meteorological, economic, and social variation across the State and without deferring to local and regional planning and implementation priorities and protocols. 3. Not allowing water agency participation in the carbon credits market. 19 Water Bonds The District generally supports legislation that equitably apportions cost to all beneficiaries of improvements that support the co -equal goals of water supply and habitat restoration, the Bay -Delta Plan and improvements within the Colorado Basin. The District generally opposes legislation that does not equitably provide funding. The District generally supports water bond legislation or initiatives that: 1. Provides an equitable share of funding to San Diego County, with major funding categories being divided by county and funded on a per- capita basis to ensure bond proceeds are distributed throughout the state in proportion to taxpayers' payments on the bonds. 2. Focuses on co -equal statewide priorities, including restoration of fish and wildlife habitat, construction of an improved method of conveyance of water through or around the Delta that provides water supply reliability to Delta water users, promotion of greater regional and local self - sufficiency, surface storage, and promotion of water use efficiency. 3. Provides the States' share of funding for Bay -Delta conveyance projects. 4. Provides funding for co -equal water infrastructure that resolves conflicts in the State's water system and provides long -term benefits to water supply, water supply reliability, water quality and ecosystem restoration. 5. Includes within Department of Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) funding money that a region may use over time to develop and refine its plan and to develop institutional structures necessary to establish and implement the plan. 6. Gives primary consideration to funding priorities established by local and regional entities through their IRWM planning process. 7. Ensures that the application process for funding is not unnecessarily burdensome and costly, with an emphasis on streamlining the process. 8. Limits State overhead to no more than five percent of bond funding amounts. 9. Places as much emphasis and provides at least as much funding for surface storage as for groundwater storage. The District generally opposes water bond legislation or initiatives that: 1. Do not provide an equitable share of funding to San Diego County, based on San Diego County taxpayers' proportional contribution to repayment of the bond. 2. Do not provide funding for infrastructure that resolves statewide or regional conflicts over water supplies and does not meet the co -equal water supply goals. 3. Do not provide funding resulting in net increases in real water supply and water supply reliability. 20 Jurisdictional Authority and Local Autonomy It shall be the District's policy to refer all such legislation to the Board of Directors. 21