Economists delineate two potential uses for our valuable tax dollars. The first is to maintain our current quality of life, and the second is to invest so that the future here in Malibu is even better than today. It is important to me, as I’m sure it is to you, that our investment tax dollars are spent on smart investments.
Consider Measure W on the ballot Nov. 6. It would raise more than $300 million each year to fund investment in a network of storm-water capture facilities throughout Los Angeles County. This would include wetlands, parks and green streets to capture and clean stormwater.
What benefits would this investment have? Stormwater pollution threatens our public, environmental and economic well-being. We see that after every significant storm. Currently, thousands contract gastrointestinal illnesses caused by contact with polluted ocean waters which cost Los Angeles and Orange counties between $21 and $51 million each year. In addition, with approaching federal Clean Water Act deadlines, we will soon face hefty fines against levels of pollution in excess of that permitted by statute. It is a fact that our current infrastructure wastes billions of gallons of water during each rain storm by flushing it directly into the ocean.
Measure W would mitigate these costs by creating stormwater capture projects that would clean up our water, provide enough additional water to meet the needs of 2.5 million Angelenos (an important consideration with climate change-induced drought reducing the volume from other sources), and, as a side benefit, provide additional tangible community enhancements. The money spent will provide many times its worth in benefits both to me individually and more importantly to Malibu. In addition, it will reduce the current threat to public health and it will avoid both those private costs and the public federal fines. Wouldn’t it be prudent to spend that money cleaning and collecting our storm water rather than sending it to Washington? So, this is indeed a smart investment.
Join me in voting ‘yes’ on Measure W during the Nov. 6 election to invest in our water future.
Jerry Nickelsburg